NIGERIA: GLOBAL ACTION ON FOOD SECURITY DEMARCHE

UNCLAS ABUJA 001175 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD USDA FOR FAS/OCBD/PSIMMONS AND LSIMMERING E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID PREL NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: GLOBAL ACTION ON FOOD SECURITY DEMARCHE DELIVERED REF: STATE 58996 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) As per reftel instructions, the Ambassador delivered demarche to Minister of Foreign Affairs Ojo Maduekwe on June 13 by phone while the Minister was on a visit to Rome. The Minister agreed on the need for a sustained commitment on food security and also with the basic thrust of the USG approach. The Minister also noted that agriculture is one of the main points of the President's seven-point agenda and a major focus for Nigeria's Economic Management Team. ¶2. (SBU) In addition to the Ambassador's conversation with the Minister, post delivered formal diplomatic note with nonpaper on June 12 requesting Nigerian government support for global action on food security at the G8 Summit scheduled for July 8-10 in L'Aguila, Italy, and shared copy of note and nonpaper with Food Security Lead in the Office of the Chief Economic Advisor. SANDERS