Sudan's GNU Extends GMO Waiver for Six Months

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001026 SIPDIS AIDAC SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AF/EA, DCHA NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS USMISSION UN ROME GENEVA FOR NKYLOH NAIROBI FOR SFO NSC FOR JMELINE, TSHORTLEY USUN FOR TMALY BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI KAWC SU SUBJECT: Sudan's GNU Extends GMO Waiver for Six Months ¶1. Background: Sudan's Government of National Unity (GNU) requires certification that U.S. food assistance to Sudan does not contain genetically modified organisms (GMO). The primary food commodities affected by this requirement are U.S. donations of wheat and corn-soy blend (CSB). Though U.S. wheat is not genetically modified and U.S. CSB poses no threat to local agriculture, the GNU regularly blocks onward movement of food commodities through Port Sudan pending semi-annual verification of compliance with its GMO certification policy. As of April 26, 2006, bureaucratic delays in obtaining official signature approving the renewal of the U.S. food commodity GMO certification waiver had stalled the shipment of 45,000 MT of food assistance through Port Sudan and an additional 6,000 MT through El Obeid. ¶3. On April 27, 2006, the GNU Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs sent an official letter to the USAID mission in Khartoum informing the USG that the Council of Ministers had issued a decree granting a six-month waiver for USAID to import GMO food commodities into Sudan for humanitarian purposes. Receipt of this letter should authorize immediate movement of U.S. food assistance from Port Sudan and El Obeid to Darfur. ¶4. Sudan's Council of Ministers issued Decree Number 136 on April 27, 2006. By signing the document, Sudanese President Omar Hassan El-Bashir called for the Ministries of Cabinet Affairs, Finance and National Economy, Foreign Affairs, Science and Technology, and Humanitarian Affairs to act on the basis of the decree. USAID shared a copy of the letter outlining the decree with the U. N. World Food Program (WFP). STEINFELD