US embassy cable - 04ROME1488

UNCLAS  ROME 001488 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR NEA WBURNS, PRM/AFR AND IO/EDA 
INFO USAID FOR A/AID, DCHA/FFP LANDIS, DCHA/OFDA POWERS AND 
MENGHETTI 
USDA FOR FAS CHAMBLISS AND HUGHES 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, PREF, UN 
SUBJECT: FAO Donor Conference on the Desert Locust Emergency 
 
REF: Rome 722 
 
1. Summary.  Following up on its February notice (reftel), FAO 
held a donor conference, on April 8, 2004, regarding the serious 
on-going outbreak of desert locusts concentrated in Northwest 
Africa.  According to conference presentations, about United 
States Dollars (USD) 17 million has been spent so far to combat 
the outbreak, and another USD 17 million may be required before 
the outbreak is completely controlled.  The most serious locust 
threats are to Moroccan export crops estimated at USD 400 million 
and the Sahel summer harvest estimated at USD 2.5 billion. 
Contributions from donors outside the region to mitigate the 
outbreak have been made by Spain (USD 2 million), USAID (USD 
860,000), FAO (USD 774,000), European Union (400,000), Italy (USD 
335,000) Norway (USD 150,000), and Germany (USD 20,000).  End 
summary. 
 
2. FAO represented that the current situation is the most erious 
desert locust outbreak in 40 years.  Mauriania and Morocco remain 
the most seriously affeced countries, but desert locust swarms 
have alsobeen detected in Mali, Algeria, Niger, Egypt, Suda, and 
Saudi Arabia.  Note: Although donors spentUSD 300 million to 
control the 1987-89 plague, esimates to control the current 
outbreak are much ower because of the early warning provided by 
FA's Emergency Preventive System for Transboundary Aimal and 
Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES), whic was established in 1994. 
End note. 
 
3. FAO's biefing indicated that USD 17 million had already ben 
spent to control the outbreak.  Approximately 1.15 million 
hectares have been treated, including nearly 600,000 hectaresin 
Morocco and over 300,000 hectares in Mauritana. 
 
4. USD 10.4 million has been spent in Morocc, including its own 
contribution of USD 8 millio, Spain's USD 2 million, FAO's USD 
378,000, and Italy's USD 150,000. 
 
5. USD 5.7 million has been spent in Mauritania, including its own 
contribution of USD 3 million and contributions from outside the 
region as follows: 
-- Italy has contributed USD 185,000 through FAO 
-- Norway has contributed USD 150,000 through FAO 
-- The European Union has contributed USD 400,000 bilaterally 
-- Germany has contributed USD 20,000 bilaterally 
-- FAO itself has contributed USD 396,000. 
 
6. The following contributions have been made for other countries: 
--Mali, USD 460,000, including USD 137,000 from FAO and outside 
donors; 
--Niger, USD 245,000, including USD 45,000 from FAO and outside 
donors; 
--Sudan, USD 80,000 contribution from Saudi Arabia. 
 
7. Through existing grants USAID has made available to FAO USD 
860,000, including USD 460,000 already disbursed to affected 
countries and another USD 400,000 authorized for Morocco, 
Mauritania, Mali, and Niger. 
 
8. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are using their own resources to control 
outbreaks in those countries. 
 
9. FAO represented that an additional USD 17 million is required 
as follows: 
-- Morocco another USD 9.6 million 
-- Mauritania may require an additional USD 4.5 million 
-- Mali another USD 1.1 million 
-- Niger another USD 1.2 million 
-- Chad another USD 460,000 
Note: Although FAO represented that as much as an additional 
USD 17 million may be required to control the current outbreak, an 
FAO official familiar with the estimates opined that the Moroccan 
figure may be overstated by as much as USD 6 or 7 million.  In 
addition, information regarding donor contributions was provided 
sub rosa after the conference.  End note. 
 
10. US Mission Rome Program Specialist Philip Lamade thanked 
FAO's Director General for the presentation, announced the amount 
of the USG contribution to date, assured the Director General that 
the US Mission would update USG agencies in Washington about the 
outbreak, and encouraged other donors to consider making 
additional contributions given the seriousness of the outbreak. 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED 
Cleverley 
 
 
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 2004ROME01488 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED