BRAZILIAN SEABIRD BYCATCH NPOA

UNCLAS ROME 001234

SIPDIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

DEPT FOR OES/OMC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EFIS TBIO KSCA EUN
SUBJECT: BRAZILIAN SEABIRD BYCATCH NPOA

REF: A) BRASILIA 479 B) KOTOK/BERTON 2/22 E-MAIL


1. AS A FOLLOW UP TO AND UPDATE OF REF B) E-MAIL, U.S.
MISSION PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING FORMAL RESPONSE TO REF A)
INQUIRY REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BRASILIAN
NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION (NPOA) FOR SEABIRD BYCATCH.


2. INITIALLY, ALT PERM REP SPOKE WITH JEREMY TURNER,
CHIEF OF THE FISHING TECHNOLOGIES SERVICES, PART OF THE
FISHERIES INDUSTRIES DIVISION OF THE UN FOOD &
AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATION (FAO). WHAT TURNER SAID WAS
SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE CONTENTS OF REF A),
WHICH SUGGESTED THAT FAO HAD BEEN SLOW TO RESPOND TO
APPEALS FOR HELP FROM CEMAVE, PART OF THE GOB'S
ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSERVATION OF
WILD BIRDS. INSTEAD, TURNER STATED THAT THE FAO HAD BEEN
"PUSHING, PUSHING, PUSHING" FOR THE GOB TO ACCEPT FAO
FUNDS (USD 10,000) TO GET STARTED. ACCORDING TO TURNER,
THE PROBLEM IS THE GOB'S LACK OF A PROCEDURAL WAY OF
ACCEPTING OUTSIDE FUNDING FROM AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THE
FAO. HE CITED A 12/16/02 E-MAIL IN WHICH THE LOCAL FAO
REP IN BRASILIA REPEATED THE SAME MESSAGE.


3. TURNER ADMITTED THE FAO HAD BEEN SLOW TO MOVE IN THE
FIRST HALF OF 2002, BUT SAID THEY HAD BEEN PUSHING THE
ISSUE SINCE MID-YEAR. FAO WAS CONSIDERING THE DISBURSAL
OF FUNDS DIRECTLY TO WHOMEVER THE GOB CHOOSES IN ORDER TO
SOLVE THE FUNDING PROBLEM, BUT EVEN FAO'S OWN ACCOUNTANTS
ARE UNSURE IF THAT IS POSSIBLE. SO THE FAO CONTINUES TO
SEARCH FOR A WAY OF GETTING THE MONEY TO THE RIGHT PLACE.


4. ALT PERM REP CALLED ON SENIOR FISHERIES OFFICER
WILFRIED THIELE (WORKS DIRECTLY FOR TURNER, WHO IS AWAY
FOR TWO WEEKS) ON 3/19 FOR AN UPDATE. THIELE COMMENTED
THAT THE SEARCH GOES ON FOR A PROPER FUNDING MECHANISM,
AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE TO BRAZIL. HE OPINED
THAT ULTIMATELY, THE RESOLUTION WILL INVOLVE TRANSFERRING
FUNDS TO THE BRAZILIAN FAO REP, WHO MAY BE ABLE TO PAY
FROM ACTUAL INVOICES SUBMITTED. MEANWHILE, THE FUNDS
CONTINUE TO SIT IN ROME.


5. IT IS IRONIC THAT AT THE SAME TIME THAT FAO AND
BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND A MECHANISM
FOR UTILIZING THE $40,000 FROM FAO, FAO DIRECTOR GENERAL
JACQUES DIOUF TRAVELED TO BRAZIL TO ANNOUNCE A $1 MILLION
CONTRIBUTION FROM FAO'S REGULAR PROGRAM FOR TECHNICAL
COOPERATION FOR ASSISTANCE TO BRAZIL'S "ZERO HUNGER"
PROGRAM. ACCORDING TO THE FEBRUARY 14, 2003 FAO PRESS
RELEASE, THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED, INTER ALIA TO DESIGN
AND OFFER CAPACITY-BUILDING COURSES TO COUNTER THE
EFFECTS OF DROUGHT AND BOLSTER THE PROFITABILITY AND
PRODUCTIVITY OF THE RURAL POPULATIONS OF NORTH-EASTERN
BRAZIL.

HALL

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2003ROME01234 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED