UNCLAS BERLIN 001513

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EEB/TPP (CLEMENTS, RYAN, LURIE), OFFICE OF THE
COUNSELOR (PLOWDEN), IO/HS (HAGEN, TUMINARO), EUR/CE
(SCHROEDER)
USDA FOR FAS OFSO (YOUNG), ONA (DOUVELLIS), OCRA (SALMON,
NENON), FODAG (HEINEN)
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON EAID ETRD
SUBJECT: GERMANY CONFIRMS $3 BILLION PLEDGE FOR FOOD
SECURITY

REF: SECSTATE 120804


1. (SBU) In separate interactions with officials at the
German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
and Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
(BMELV), Embassy reinforced the importance the U.S. and other
partners place on putting the L'Aquila food security
principles into action, including by ensuring accountability
in tracking donor resources and pursuing a coordinated
approach to country-led food security plans, as per reftel.


2. (SBU) Christophe Eichen of BMZ's Agriculture Division
confirmed that Germany planned to contribute $3 billion in
support of food security initiatives over three years,
2010-2012. He cautioned, however, that approval by Germany's
parliament ("Bundestag") was still needed. When pressed on
details such as regional priorities, funding mechanisms,
timing, and whether the pledge represented purely "new"
money, however, Eichen told Econoff he could not provide
specifics. The German delegation hopes to provide more
clarity at the December 3-4 G-8 technical meeting in Rome, he
explained, where Steffen Schmidt, Head of BMZ's Rural
Development and Global Food Security Unit, would represent
BMZ. Ms. Heike Henn of the German Embassy in Kigali will
attend the December 7-8 meeting in Rwanda.


3. (SBU) According to Niklas Schulze Icking, Deputy Head of
the International Food and Agriculture Organizations, World
Food Affairs, and Sustainable Development Office, BMELV, Ms.
Astrid Jakobs de Padua (Head of the same office), will
represent BMELV in Rome. No one from BMELV, however, is
expected to attend the December 7-8 meetings in Rwanda.
Niklas stated that BMELV does not engage in direct bilateral
food assistance negotiations, but coordinates its
agricultural funding programs through a special trust fund
managed through its Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
office in Rome. Regarding its overall L,Aquila commitments,
Niklas said Germany expects to abide by its pledge of $3
billion over 3 years, with an estimated $600 million going to
agricultural development-related activities.
MURPHY