FUNDING REQUEST: FAO TREATY ON GENETIC RESOURCES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 002210

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/ENV RICK DRISCOLL, IO/EDA KOTOK
USDA FOR HEGWOOD, USDA/FAS FOR REICH AND HUGHES, USDA/ARS
FOR JUNE BLALOCK AND PETER BRETTING
USAID FOR ROB BERTRAM
MEXICO CITY FOR BRAKEL
NAIROBI FOR UNEP

FROM FODAG
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 02210 01 OF 02 191114Z

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR AORC EAGR AORC FAO FAO
SUBJECT: FUNDING REQUEST: FAO TREATY ON GENETIC RESOURCES

REF: (02) ROME 5252


1. SUMMARY. THE UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION
(FAO) SECRETARIAT HAS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED THE EXPERT
GROUP MEETING ON THE MATERIAL TRANSFER AGREEMENT FOR THE
TREATY ON PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES (THE TREATY) FOR
OCTOBER 2003. THE SECRETARIAT HOPES (BUT HAS NO
ASSURANCES) THAT DONORS WILL COME UP WITH THE USD 321,250
STILL NEEDED TO HOST THE MEETING. IN ORDER TO GENERATE
FUNDS FOR THE MEETING AND FOR THE OTHER PREPARATORY WORK
THAT MUST BE DONE, THE FAO HAS ISSUED AN APPEAL FOR
CONTRIBUTIONS TO A MULTI-DONOR TRUST FUND. ACCORDING TO
THE SECRETARIAT, THE EUROPEAN UNION EXPECTS THAT ALL
MEMBERS WILL HAVE RATIFIED BY THE END OF 2003, AT WHICH
POINT THE TREATY WILL BE SIX RATIFICATIONS SHORT OF ENTRY
INTO FORCE. THE RAPID PACE OF RATIFICATION RAISES THE
POSSIBILITY THAT THE TREATY WILL ENTER INTO FORCE BEFORE
THE INTERIM COMMITTEE HAS COMPLETED WORK ON THE DRAFT
MATERIAL TRANSFER AGREEMENT (MTA),THE DRAFT RULES OF
PROCEDURE AND FINANCIAL RULES AND COMPLIANCE. END
SUMMARY.


2. AT THE FIRST MEETING (REFTEL) OF THE FAO INTERIM
COMMITTEE FOR THE TREATY, COMMITTEE MEMBERS AGREED ON A
PLAN FOR WORK WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO
THE FIRST MEETING OF THE TREATY'S GOVERNING BODY. THE
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 02210 01 OF 02 191114Z
WORK PLAN INCLUDES: AN EXPERT GROUP MEETING ON
PREPARATION OF A DRAFT MATERIAL TRANSFER AGREEMENT AND A
WORKING GROUP MEETING ON DRAFT FINANCIAL RULES, RULES OF
PROCEDURE AND COMPLIANCE.


3. THERE IS NO FUNDING IN FAO'S REGULAR BUDGET FOR THESE
ACTIVITIES; ABSENT VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS THEY WILL
NOT/NOT TAKE PLACE. SHOULD THE INTERIM COMMITTEE MEET
BEFORE THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED SESSION OF THE
COMMISSION ON GENETIC RESOURCES, FUNDING WOULD BE
REQUIRED FOR THAT SESSION AS WELL.


4. FAO HAS PREPARED A "MULTI-DONOR TRUST FUND" PROPOSAL
(COVER LETTER PROVIDED BELOW; COMPLETE PROPOSAL FAXED TO
OES RICK DRISCOLL 4/29/03) WHICH OUTLINES THE FINANCIAL
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE EXPERT GROUP AND WORKING GROUP
MEETINGS, A MEETING OF THE INTERIM COMMITTEE AND
SECRETARIAT SUPPORT. THE OVERALL ESTIMATE IS USD

SIPDIS
2,886,965 OVER 2003-2004. OF MOST IMMEDIATE INTEREST IS
THE EXPERT GROUP FOR THE MTA WHICH IS COSTED AT USD
378,250 (USD 228,250 FOR SERVICING THE MEETING; USD
150,000 FOR TRAVEL OF EXPERTS AND ADVISERS FROM
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND COUNTRIES WITH ECONOMIES IN
TRANSITION.)

MTA EXPERT GROUP -- CURRENT STATE OF PLAY
--------------


5. MISOFF MET WITH CLIVE STANNARD, SENIOR LIAISON
OFFICER IN FAO'S AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT MAY 15, 2003 TO
DISCUSS THE FUNDING SITUATION. THE SECRETARIAT CURRENTLY
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 02210 01 OF 02 191114Z
HAS ABOUT USD 57,000 FOR THE MTA EXPERT GROUP. FUNDS ARE
AVAILABLE FROM CANADA (USD 21,00),SPAIN (USD 9,000) AND
FROM LEFTOVER FUNDS FROM DONORS FOR OTHER ACTIVITIES.
STANNARD SAID THAT WAS NO CHANCE OF HOLDING THE MTA
MEETING BEFORE AUGUST; THEY HAVE TENTATIVELY SET THE DATE
FOR OCTOBER, WITH THE WORKING GROUP ON RULES OF
PROCEDURE, FINANCIAL RULES AND COMPLIANCE TENTATIVELY
SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 2003.

EARLY ENTRY INTO FORCE OF TREATY?
--------------


6. STANNARD ALSO INFORMED MISOFF THAT THE EU EXPECTED
THAT MEMBER STATE RATIFICATIONS WOULD BE COMPLETE BY THE
END OF 2003, WHICH WOULD BRING THE NUMBER OF
RATIFICATIONS 6 SHORT OF THE FORTY REQUIRED TO BRING THE
TREATY INTO FORCE. SHOULD THE TREATY COME INTO FORCE
WITH WORK ON THE MTA, FINANCIAL RULES, RULES OF PROCEDURE
AND COMPLIANCE STILL UNFINISHED, PARTIES TO THE TREATY
WOULD NEED TO DECIDE HOW TO PROCEED. STANNARD SUGGESTED
THAT ONE POSSIBILITY WOULD BE FOR THE INTERIM COMMITTEE
TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO A PREPARATORY COMMITTEE, WHICH
WOULD THEN FINISH THE WORK NECESSARY BEFORE THE FIRST

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ4759

PAGE 01 ROME 02210 02 OF 02 191114Z
ACTION OES-00

INFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 COME-00 CTME-00
INL-00 DODE-00 ITCE-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EXME-00
EUR-00 E-00 UTED-00 FDRE-01 VC-00 FRB-00 TEDE-00
INR-00 IO-00 ITC-01 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01
NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 CAEX-00 PER-00
ACE-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 DRL-01 G-00
SAS-00 /010W
-------------- 673FB1 191115Z /38
R 191112Z MAY 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9992
USDA FAS WASHDC 2675
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USMISSION GENEVA
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY MEXICO
USEU BRUSSELS 3237

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 002210

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/ENV RICK DRISCOLL, IO/EDA KOTOK
USDA FOR HEGWOOD, USDA/FAS FOR REICH AND HUGHES, USDA/ARS
FOR JUNE BLALOCK AND PETER BRETTING
USAID FOR ROB BERTRAM
MEXICO CITY FOR BRAKEL
NAIROBI FOR UNEP

FROM FODAG
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 02210 02 OF 02 191114Z

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR AORC EAGR AORC FAO FAO
SUBJECT: FUNDING REQUEST: FAO TREATY ON GENETIC RESOURCES

MEETING OF THE GOVERNING BODY.

FAO PROPOSAL FOR MULTI-DONOR TRUST FUND
--------------


7. TEXT OF THE SECRETARIAT LETTER TO AMBASSADOR HALL,
U.S. PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE, FOLLOWS:

APRIL 28, 2003

YOUR EXCELLENCY:

I HAVE THE HONOR TO SUBMIT TO YOU FAO'S PROPOSAL FOR THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A MULTI-DONOR TRUST FUND IN SUPPORT OF
THE INTERIM COMMITTEE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON
PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE.

THIS MULTI-DONOR TRUST FUND IS INTENDED TO SUPPORT THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM OF WORK FOR 2003 AND 2004
ESTABLISHED BY THE FIRST MEETING OF THE COMMISSION ON
GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ACTING AS
INTERIM COMMITTEE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON PLANT
GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. IT RESPONDS
TO FAO CONFERENCE RESOLUTION 3/2001, WHICH REQUESTED THE
COMMISSION ON GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
TO ACT AS INTERIM COMMITTEE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY,
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PAGE 03 ROME 02210 02 OF 02 191114Z
AND DESCRIBED THE WORK TO BE UNDERTAKEN IN THE INTERIM
PERIOD.

THE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED BY THE MULTI-DONOR TRUST FUND
ARE INCREMENTAL TO WORK IN SUPPORT OF THE ENTRY INTO
FORCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY, AS ALREADY PLANNED IN
THE FAO MEDIUM TERM PLAN (2002-2007). HOWEVER, AS THE
INTERNATIONAL TREATY WAS ADOPTED IN NOVEMBER 2001, AFTER
THE FAO PROGRAM OF WORK AND BUDGET FOR 2002/03 HAD BEEN
DEVELOPED, LIMITED RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE UNDER THE
PROGRAM OF WORK AND BUDGET; THERE IS CONSEQUENTLY A NEED
FOR SUBSTANTIAL EXTRA-BUDGETARY SUPPORT FOR HE ACTIVITIES
FORESEEN IN THE INTERIM PERIOD.

THE PLANNED ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: (A) ONE MEETING OF THE
EXPERT GROUP ON THE TERMS OF THE STANDARD MATERIAL
TRANSFER AGREEMENT; (B) ONE MEETING OF WORKING GROUP ON
THE RULES OF PROCEDURE AND THE FINANCIAL RULES OF THE
GOVERNING BODY AND COMPLIANCE; AND (C) THE SECOND MEETING
OF THE INTERIM COMMITTEE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY.
THESE MEETINGS ARE INTENDED TO PREPARE A NUMBER OF
IMPORTANT INSTRUMENTS FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE
GOVERNING BODY OF THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY AT ITS FIRST
MEETING; FAILURE TO AGREE ON SUCH INSTRUMENTS BY THE TIME
OF THE MEETING OF THE GOVERNING BODY MAY COMPLICATE THE
TREATY'S IMPLEMENTATION.

I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL, THEREFORE, IF YOU COULD INDICATE,
AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE, YOUR GOVERNMENT'S
WILLINGNESS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROPOSED MULTI-DONOR
TRUST FUND TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE INTERIM COMMITTEE.
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 02210 02 OF 02 191114Z

(SIGNED)
HENRI CARSALADE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR-GENERAL, TECHNICAL
COOPERATION DEPARTMENT, FAO, ROME.

END TEXT. TAMLYN

UNCLASSIFIED

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2003ROME02210 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED