MALI'S RESPONSE TO REQUEST TO END FOOD EXPORT

UNCLAS BAMAKO 000484 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EEB/TPP/ABT - AMY WINTON DEPT FOR EEB/TPP - MIKAEL LURIE DEPT FOR EEB/IFD/ODF - MARGO SIEMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD EAGR ECON TBIO ML SUBJECT: MALI'S RESPONSE TO REQUEST TO END FOOD EXPORT RESTRICTIONS REF: A. STATE 053353 ¶B. BAMAKO 00416 ¶C. BAMAKO 00469 Emboffs met with Olivier Durand, Senior Agricultural Specialist at the World Bank, on May 27 to discuss the possibility of a joint demarche regarding food export restrictions (Ref A). The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce issued a written order on December 31, 2007, barring the export of cereals including corn, millet, rice and sorghum. This was followed up by a letter from the Ministry of Territorial Administration to Mali's regional Governors, asking them to block the export of cereals (Ref B). Mr. Durand confirmed that the World Bank shares our view regarding the need to end food export restrictions and said that the World Bank preferred to work within the confines of the international donor coordination group for agriculture and economic development. Last week this coordination group, which is currently led by the Dutch Embassy, reminded Mali of the need to respect international trade agreements. We raised the need to end food export restrictions with the Foreign Ministry's Director of Political Affairs, Sekouba Cisse, on May 20 (Ref C),and with the Ministry of Economy's Legal Counselor, Demba Moulaye Kida, on May 29, and will follow up with senior officials in the course of meetings the week of June 2. MCCULLEY