AGMIN REP WELCOMES GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000270 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EEB/TPP/MTA - CHEVER VOLTMER; EEB/TPP/ABT - GARY A. CLEMENTS; EEB/TPP - MIKAEL LURIE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD EAGR EAID ECON TBI BY SUBJECT: AGMIN REP WELCOMES GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVE, PLEDGES COOPERATION REF: SECSTATE 52628 ¶1. (SBU) In a meeting with EconOff May 20, Pegase Banyankiye of the Burundian Ministry of Agriculture's Directorate for Mobilization and Self-Development said that he welcomed the Global Food Security Initiative and agreed with the basic precepts it embodies (reftel). Burundi does not, nor does it plan to, impose any export restrictions on food crops; it also has no restrictions on importing genetically-modified foods and supports the Doha round of the World Trade Organization as a useful means to reach agricultural agreements. MOLLER