COTE D'IVOIRE DEMARCHED ON CLIMATE CHANGE

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000596 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS OES/EGC FOR ED FENDLEY AND DREW NELSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KGHG SENV ENRG ECON IV SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE DEMARCHED ON CLIMATE CHANGE INITIATIVE REF: SECSTATE 75287 ¶1. (U) Emboff demarched MFA Director of International Organizations and United Nations Affairs Ambassador Tanoh Boutchoue on June 3 using reftel talking points. The MFA will report back any official GOCI reaction. ¶2. (SBU) Speaking informally, Boutchoue warmly welcomed the President's initiative. Asserting that global climate change affects Africa negatively, the Ambassador pointed to changed weather patterns in Cote d'Ivoire and the prospect of further political ramifications on the continent due to shifting rainfall and resulting grazing and agricultural dislocations. Boutchoue was particularly animated at the potential for Cote d'Ivoire to become a biofuels producer and exporter, given its abundant capacity to produce sugarcane for ethanol and palm oils for biodiesel. HOOKS