US embassy cable - 03DJIBOUTI1847

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 001847 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB - DMALAC; OES - HLEE; FDA - RLAKE; AND EPA - 
JANDERSON 
 
DEPT PASS USAID - JLEWIS 
 
DEPT PASS USDA/FAS/OA - BSIMMONS 
 
USDA/APHIS/BRS - JTURNER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, ECON, ETRD, SENV, TBIO, TSPL, DJ 
SUBJECT: STATUS REQUEST BOR BIOTECHNOLOGY REGULATIONS 
- DJIBOUTI 
 
REF: STATE 263456 
 
1. INTRODUCTION: DJIBOUTI IMPORTS MOST OF ITS CONSUMER 
PRODUCTS, INCLUDING ALMOST ALL OF ITS FOOD CONSUMPTION. 
THE HOST NATION RETAINS CLOSE RELATIONS WITH FRANCE, 
WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF ITS IMPORTS. 
AGRICULTURE IS NOT DEVELOPED AND REPRESENTS LESS THAN ONE 
PERCENT OF THE COUNTRY'S GDP.  DJIBOUTI PRODUCES LESS 
THAN TEN PERCENT OF ITS FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION. 
 
2. POST MET WITH THE MINISTRY OF TRADE AUTHORITIES IN 
CHARGE OF COMMERCIAL FOOD REGULATIONS, QUALITY CONTROL 
AND LABELING. THE MINISTRY OF TRADE CONFIRMED THAT THERE 
ARE NO LAWS OR REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE LABELING OF 
BIOTECH PRODUCTS.  NO SPECIAL LABELING IS REQUIRED FOR 
BIOTECH PRODUCTS. 
 
3. THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURAL INDICATED AS WELL THAT NO 
LAWS OR REGULATIONS ARE IN PLACE FOR BIOTECH CROPS. 
OFFICIALS AT THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURAL CLAIMED TO BE 
KNOWLEDGEABLE, AT LEAST IN THEORY, ABOUT BIOTECH CROPS. 
THEY INSIST LOCAL FARMERS ARE NOT READY FOR GMO SEEDS 
BECAUSE FARMING IN DJIBOUTI IS STILL AT A RUDIMENTARY 
STAGE AND BECAUSE OF COST.  LOCAL OFFICIALS FEAR THAT 
LOCAL SEEDS WILL BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED IF BIOTECH CROP 
WERE INTRODUCED. 
 
4.  FOOD AID IS PROVIDED TO OVER TWENTY THOUSAND REFUGEES 
HOSTED BY DJIBOUTI.  THESE REFUGEES COME FROM SOMALIA, 
ETHIOPIA, ERYTREA AND YEMEN.  THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME 
(WFP), IN COORDINATION WITH THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, 
PROVIDES FOOD DONATIONS FOR CAMPS BUT DOES NOT  BAN OR 
REGULATE BIOTECH FOOD AID.  DJIBOUTIAN OFFICIALS DO NOT 
SEEM AWARE WHETHER OR NOT GMO FOOD AID IS BEING DONATED 
TO THE REFUGEES. 
 
5.  Comment: All concerned Djiboutian ministries 
confirmed that there are no existing laws or regulations 
restricting the use of biotech food or GMO products. 
However, Post notes that officials from the above- 
mentioned ministries are not comfortable with biotech 
food, and many stated personal opposition to them.  They 
echo French and European concerns about the implications 
that genetically modified food might have on human 
health.  They also worry that GMO seed might somehow 
contaminate the local varieties.  Despite this general 
negativity, Post sees no signs the host government will 
enact laws or regulations on the subject matter in the 
near future. 
 
SMITH