AVIAN INFLUENZA: UPDATE ON JAPAN'S RESPONSE TO

UNCLAS TOKYO 001528 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MLS ALEX BARRASSO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO EAGR EAID KFLU JA FAO WHO BM SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: UPDATE ON JAPAN'S RESPONSE TO OUTBREAK IN BURMA THROUGH FAO AND UNICEF REF: A. STATE 43023 ¶B. TOKYO 1447 ¶1. (U) On March 23, AID Counselor and ESToff met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MOFA) Economic Cooperation Bureau Aid Planning Division Deputy Director Taro Yamamoto to receive further details on Japan's planned assistance to Burma in light of the recent avian influenza outbreak in poultry there. Yamamoto said that Tokyo decided to extend assistance through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the form of several hundred thousand US dollars. The funds will be disbursed from a USD 10 million ODA grant provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) to the FAO for avian influenza related projects in Southeast Asia. Burma was not originally on list of "targeted countries", but MOFA decided to add the country given the current situation. The monies will be spent on two basic projects in Burma: a compensation scheme for farmers who have to cull their chickens and to increase the level of expertise on avian influenza in country. The GOJ has already decided to have FAO fund Burma assistance, but the exact amount of the "several hundred thousand" and a specific timeline have not yet been determined. Yamamoto said that the GOJ would be informing FAO as soon as possible. ¶2. (U) Yamamoto also discussed in some detail the USD 2.11 million that has been earmarked to help fund its UNICEF communications programs in Burma, as first reported in reftel ¶B. Yamamoto added that the projects funded through UNICEF will focus primarily on women and children. He said that MOFA hopes these programs will start implementation next month. ¶3. (U) In response to AID counselor's question, Yamamoto confirmed that Tokyo was not planning to extend bilateral aid to Rangoon at this time. SCHIEFFER