Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BERLIN115
2007-01-21 10:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:  

FOOD SECURITY/HUMANITARIAN ACTIONS COOPERATION

Tags:  EAID ECON GM 
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R 211045Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6725
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC 0062
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME
UNCLAS BERLIN 000115 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EUR/ERA, EB, EUR/AGS, F
USAID FOR PPC, AFR, DCHA, EGAT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON GM
SUBJECT: FOOD SECURITY/HUMANITARIAN ACTIONS COOPERATION
DURING GERMAN G-8/EU PRESIDENCIES


UNCLAS BERLIN 000115

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EUR/ERA, EB, EUR/AGS, F
USAID FOR PPC, AFR, DCHA, EGAT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON GM
SUBJECT: FOOD SECURITY/HUMANITARIAN ACTIONS COOPERATION
DURING GERMAN G-8/EU PRESIDENCIES



1. SUMMARY. On January 18, USEU Development Counselor and
Embassy Berlin Econoff discussed opportunities for
cooperation on development assistance with German officials
in light of Germany's concurrent EU/G-8 presidencies.
Development Ministry interlocutors expressed interest in U.S.
proposals on food security/humanitarian actions discussions
and in coordination during Germany's G-8 African development
agenda. Foreign Ministry officials welcomed U.S. proposals
to work collaboratively on development and called for
additional political support. All German interlocutors
demonstrated keen interest in U.S. foreign aid reform. END
SUMMARY.


2. In meetings at German Development Ministry, Devcounselor
and Econoff, accompanied by Embassy Berlin Deputy Agriculture
Attach, met with Director Kerstin Faehrmann and Deputy
Director Ilse Hahn in the Office of Food Security. Exploring
U.S.-EU collaboration opportunities on humanitarian
assistance and food security, Devcounselor noted U.S.
interest within the G-8 context for donors to channel
resources collaboratively, citing as a model the Ethiopian
Safety Net Program sustained through the 2005 and 2006 G-8's.
German interlocutors expressed enthusiasm for additional
attention to development cooperation, particularly within
Africa, and emphasized the importance Germany places on
programs promoting good governance. Faehrmann acknowledged
U.S. suggestions about possibly teeing up the Comprehensive
Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) to the G-8
agenda. Faehrmann and Hahn recommended follow-on meetings
with Dr. Christoph Kohlmeyer, the Development Ministry's
Director for Rural Development and Food Security Division.
They extended an invitation for U.S. participation in a
German-hosted EU food aid conference in early May. Hahn also
highlighted the differing points of view within the EU on the
role of food aid and indicated Germany's modest expectations
on this area of its presidency. In Germany's most optimistic
scenario, the EU would emerge from the May conference with a
draft paper of proposals -- but no approved language -- that
would serve as the basis for the EU position on renegotiation
of the Food Aid Convention.


3. Devcounselor expressed hope that broadening dialogue would
identify additional opportunities for agreement and explained
the major restructuring of U.S. government development
assistance mechanisms initiated by Secretary Rice in 2006.
Faehrmann and Hahn inquired at length about the new U.S.
foreign aid reforms, particularly about the newly-created
Office of the Director of Foreign Assistance, and identified
a need for Germany to formulate a strategy more clearly
defining the roles of governmental and non-governmental
actors in the country's development programming.


4. In meetings at the German Foreign Ministry, Devcounselor
and Econoff met with Director Gerhard Thiedemann and Desk
Officer Patrick Schaefer in the Office of Development
Assistance. Thiedemann explained Germany's EU presidency
ambitions would focus on Africa policy in light of Federal
President Koehler's close engagement with the continent and
Germany's G-8 Africa priorities. He added that the new
18-month EU agenda, in cooperation with follow-on EU
presidencies in Portugal and Slovenia, would ensure greater
continuity while underscoring the need to support the process
through political mechanisms. He added that the impacts of
HIV/AIDS, competition for resources, and climate change on
the developing world would figure prominently in the German
EU agenda, in line with the broader German policy themes of
its presidency.


5. Thiedemann demonstrated keen interest in the
restructuring of U.S. foreign aid and inquired about the
development attitudes of the new U.S Congress. He added
Germany's concern for the rising influence of China on
Germany's development ambitions, particularly in Africa, and
the challenge China's alternative strategies presented to
German development models emphasizing concurrent economic and
political development. Germany's continued aid to that
country, he claimed, enabled it to maintain dialogue with the
Chinese on other sensitive topics.
TIMKEN JR