CONGO/B: Post Support for Crucial USDA Funding

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001616

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS USDA - MARY CHAMBLISS
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER AND USDA ATTACHE

FROM BRAZZAVILLE EMBASSY OFFICE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID CF
SUBJECT: CONGO/B: Post Support for Crucial USDA Funding

REF A: KINSHASA 00697
REF B: 04 KINSHASA 00076


1. Summary. Post understands that recipient countries and
specific programs for USDA support under the 2006 Food for
Education and Food for Progress programs are currently being
selected. Due to staffing shortages and turnover of all but
one Embassy staff member, we are not sure whether USDA
received confirmation of post's strong support for continued
funding for Congo/B programs and for International
Partnership for Human Development (IPHD) as an implementing
organization. End summary.


2. Regarding the Food for Education program here in Congo/B,
the Embassy would again like to submit, as a reclamma, the
importance of this program for the Republic of Congo (as it
did last year, Ref B). The Embassy strongly supports this
program and would like to request that USDA consider or
reconsider ROC for at least one additional year of funding
under this program. The USDA Food for Education Program has
been critical in addressing education issues all over the
country stemming from six years of civil conflict from 1997
to 2003. It is one of the major bilateral assistance
programs between the U.S. and Congo/B. Congo/B is a post
conflict country with dire education needs. The program
reaches more than 160,000 children, including at-risk groups
like pygmies. In addition, a recently jointly launched USDA-
African Education Initiative (AEI) program aimed at
establishing gardening projects in schools had anticipated
working off the synergies of FFE. Ultimately the goal is to
help provide food security that could eventually reduce or
even eliminate the need for direct food assistance programs
to the target populations. The lack of FFE program not only
puts at risk the gains already made, but threatens the
effectiveness of this new USDA-AEI program. Post is aware
that Congo/B has recently been removed from the list of
priority countries, but should any end of the year or
unprogrammed funds become available we would hope that
Congo/B would be considered for such 'fallout' funding.


3. Regarding the Food for Progress program, post is very
supportive of bringing critical USDA support to bear against
the desperate need witnessed in Congo/B. IPHD has presented
its proposal to Embassy staff and post is strongly
supportive and hopes that USDA will fund this proposal.
Using the proceeds from the sale of rice and vegetable oil
to support seven dynamic projects, the proposal builds on
excellent work done to date by IPHD in Congo/B and seeks to
expand its impact. IPHD's work contributes significantly to
increasing the capacity of Congolese to better ensure their
food security and to build related reinforcing
mechanisms/institutions.


4. Post cannot overstate the positive impacts it anticipates
from expanding the continuing programs, whether measured in
terms of improving the lives of Congolese, of effectively
leveraging U.S. assistance, or of serving as replicable
examples of quality programs that work in developing
countries in Africa. In addition, post has total confidence
that the proposed new project in Kouilou will achieve
similar impacts.


5. Embassy Brazzaville appreciates all the support over the
past several years by USDA and would like to request that
USDA continue support for IPHD's work in Congo/B, preferably
for both programs, but at the very least for the Food for
Progress proposal.


6. Brazzaville Embassy Office - Rutherford
MEECE