IRELAND: DEVELOPMENT MINISTER ON FOOD SECURITY,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000535 SIPDIS DEPT OF ENERGY FOR ANGIE PISCITELLI/MATT ROGERS/KAY THOMPSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ENRG EI MI ET TZ UG MZ SUBJECT: IRELAND: DEVELOPMENT MINISTER ON FOOD SECURITY, AFGHANISTAN, ENERGY REF: A. DUBLIN 521 ¶B. STATE 123222 ¶C. DUBLIN 510 ¶D. STATE 122731 DUBLIN 00000535 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador Daniel M. Rooney. Reasons 1.4(b/d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On December 8 Ambassador Rooney met with Peter Power, Ireland's Minister of State for Overseas Development. Power wants to work more closely with the U.S. on food security in Africa, Ireland's top development priority. He also agreed to explore the possibility of contributing more to food security in Afghanistan. Power suggested renewable energy and "green development" could be an additional area for cooperation. Post will step up dialogue with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and others to follow up. END SUMMARY. -------------- FOOD SECURITY COOPERATION IN KEY COUNTRIES -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador began the discussion by stressing that food security is a priority that Ireland and the U.S. share. He offered to facilitate a focused dialogue between the Embassy and the DFA to help increase coordination and support possible joint projects. Power replied that food security is indeed "the cornerstone of Irish development aid." He praised President Obama's and Secretary Clinton's leadership on fighting hunger, and said he was proud to have represented Ireland at the September 26 food security event co-hosted by the Secretary and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon during the UN General Assembly. Fiona Quinn, Development Specialist in Irish Aid (the development arm of the DFA),added that her counterparts in Africa were reporting that U.S. and Irish priorities were meshing well in key countries such as Malawi, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique and Uganda. Power said he would welcome Embassy-DFA consultations to support the bilateral dialogue that has already started on food security, both in Washington and in key African capitals. He added that Ireland is interested in collaborating on a possible side event on food security during the Millenium Development Goals Review Summit in September 2010. -------------- FOOD SECURITY IN AFGHANISTAN? -------------- ¶3. (C) The Ambassador raised the importance of international unity in Afghanistan and Pakistan (reftels),and asked Power whether there would be any additional Irish contributions soon to the development effort there. (NOTE: Ireland has contributed approximately 20 million euros in development aid in Afghanistan in recent years. END NOTE.) Power was noncommittal, but said that the Secretary's discussion of Afghanistan in October with Prime Minister Cowen and Foreign Minister Martin had registered with them; Power suggested that Ireland might provide additional aid to Afghanistan focusing on food security. -------------- WORKING TOGETHER ON RENEWABLE ENERGY -------------- ¶4. (C) Power expressed enthusiasm about Post plans to co-organize with the Irish government and the Northern Ireland Executive a conference on renewable energy in Spring ¶2010. He said renewable energy, and the "green development" agenda in general, were areas in which the U.S. and Ireland should cooperate further. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: Irish and U.S. interests in food security and renewable energy mesh well. Post will continue to explore ways to highlight and increase our cooperation in these areas. On Afghanistan, the GOI seems willing to contribute more, but it is preoccupied now with the upcoming 2010 austerity budget (septel); with continued engagement from us, however, Ireland might decide to announce additional contributions in time for the late-January London conference. END COMMENT. DUBLIN 00000535 002.2 OF 002 ROONEY