USAID AND TIKA PUSH FOR TRILATERAL COOPERATION

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000398 SENSITIVE SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION USAID FOR FMOORE/NNICHOLSON/JHILL/ANGASI; USAID/ASIA FOR MELLIS; USAID/COO FOR TOM BRIGGS; USAID/ODP FOR KAREN TURNER; AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN TASK FORCE FOR CHARLES NORTH AND TOM GRAMAGLIA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM OSCE TU UZ SUBJECT: USAID AND TIKA PUSH FOR TRILATERAL COOPERATION ¶1. (SBU) Summary. In an October 6 meeting on the sidelines of the IMF/WB summit with the leadership of Turkey's aid and development organization, TIKA, the members of the USAID delegation discussed food security in Central Asia and Africa. They also discussed opportunities for trilateral cooperation involving universities and NGOs from Turkey and the United States in third country projects. USAID's Assistant Administrator for Africa Franklin Moore emphasized the long-term relationships built and maintained in such trilateral projects - relationships that continue long after the initial funding from international organizations ends. USAID's Coordinator for Bilateral and Multilateral Affairs Norm Nicholson also addressed the anticipated follow-up from SRAP Holbrooke's office on a recent meeting on Afghanistan/Pakistan in Washington. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Food Security in Africa: TIKA President Musa Kulaklikaya introduced TIKA's activities in Africa, spanning food security, climate change, poverty, health, and capacity building. The development organization's Africa programs constitute 20 percent of TIKA's budget and its African Agricultural Development program operates in 13 countries (Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Senegal, Comoros Islands, Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda) although TIKA only has offices in Ethiopia, Senegal, and Sudan. In the realm of food security, the program focuses on forestry, fisheries, food production and packaging. Kulaklikaya emphasized a focus on capacity building in areas of weakness and the implementation of small and medium-sized projects. An example of such an SMP is the agricultural training of 235 people in Sudan over the last two years. TIKA's work in Africa also addresses vocational training - providing one to three months of training; potable water and bore holes; and providing health services. TIKA has treated close to 100,000 people over the last three years in over 37 African countries through its projects in the region. ¶3. (SBU) Central Asian Priority: The remaining 80 percent of TIKA's budget is spent largely in the Balkans, Central Asia, and the Middle East, with agriculture, health and e-Governance capacity building constituting the majority of its efforts in the regions. Moore agreed with Kulaklikaya's sentiment that Central Asian food security is of extreme concern and he congratulated TIKA's initiative to work in a place that attracted few donors. Kulaklikaya listed among TIKA's projects agricultural training projects in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as agricultural and fisheries projects in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. He noted noting that it cooperates with the Swedish International Development Agency in that region. ¶4. (SBU) Trilateral Cooperation: Moore proposed greater trilateral cooperation with Turkey and the U.S. through joint projects between the country's respective civil society or universities in third countries. Moore and Kulaklikaya both agreed that packaging and food security were two areas in which trilateral work would be easiest and most effective. Moore asked what links existed between US and Turkish universities and suggested exploiting existing links and promoting additional inks for trilateral work in Ethiopia or Sudan, for example. Moore emphasized that the importance of such projects lies in the relationship that continues after the initial funding from international organizations ends. While agreeing that such relationships were crucial to international development, Kulaklikaya made an effort to note that the relationship between USAID and TIKA in Uzbekistan was "very bad" because TIKA did not receive the contribution anticipated from USAID. Moore promised to follow up and see how both sides could nurture a better relationship. ¶5. (SBU) Afghanistan: Nicholson explained to Kulaklikaya that he was waiting for a response to the recent meeting on Afghanistan/Pakistan from SRAP Holbrooke's office. Kulaklikaya noted that Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu met with SRAP Holbrooke in New York and looks forward to the follow up. Nichsolson added that he, too, would like Kabul's response to a list of proposed projects. WIENER