US embassy cable - 04ROME3841

UNCLAS  ROME 003841 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
USDA FAS FOR U/S BOST, JBUTLER, MCHAMBLISS, LREICH 
STATE FOR IO DAS MILLER, IO/EDA, OES/E, E, EB; 
AID FOR EGAT, DCHA/OFDA, DCHA/FFP 
PASS USTR AND PEACE CORPS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, AORC, ETRD, EAID, PHUM, FAO 
SUBJECT: 30TH SESSION OF THE FAO COMMITTEE ON WORLD FOOD 
SECURITY, 20-23 SEPTEMBER 2004 
 
REF:  (A) ROME 2810;  (B) USUN NEW YORK 2189, 
      (C) ROME 3669;  (D) ROME 3681 
 
1.  Summary.  The annual session of FAO's Committee on 
World Food Security (CFS) discussed the world food 
security situation and follow-up to the World Food Summit 
(WFS), noting uneven progress among countries and 
regions.  The Committee: 
 
-- asked that a working group of experts be convened to 
discuss options for improving the WFS reporting format; 
 
-- agreed to hold a stakeholder dialogue at the next CFS 
meeting (in May 2005) to prepare for a 2006 Special Forum 
to review WFS progress; 
 
-- heard a progress report on the International Alliance 
Against Hunger; and 
 
-- unanimously approved a set of "Voluntary Guidelines to 
Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to 
Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security." 
 
2.  Among the related activities for CFS delegates were 
an Oversight Panel that reviewed progress by FAO's 
Special Program for Food Security, and a USG-sponsored 
side event that highlighted the G8 commitments to help 
increase agricultural productivity in Africa.  In plenary 
statements and other discussions, the U.S. delegation 
emphasized the role of good governance, rule of law, 
integration into the global economy, increased 
productivity, and HIV/AIDS prevention in solving problems 
of food insecurity.  End summary. 
 
OVERVIEW 
 
3.  The CFS held its 30th Session on September 20-23, 
2004, at FAO Headquarters in Rome.  The CFS is a forum 
within the United Nations system for discussing world 
food security and is responsible for monitoring progress 
toward the international commitment made at the WFS in 
1996 to halve the number of undernourished by 2015. 
 
4.  The US delegation was led by Eric Bost, Under 
Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, U.S. 
 
SIPDIS 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Ambassador Tony P. 
Hall of the U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies for Food and 
Agriculture.  Also on the delegation were David Hegwood, 
Willem Brakel and Earl Gast of the U.S. Mission; 
Francesca Bravo and Brenda Lisi, USDA; and Robert Harris 
and Sharon Kotok, State Department. 
 
5.  The session was attended by delegates from 105 out of 
116 members of the Committee, and by representatives and 
observers from UN agencies and intergovernmental and 
international nongovernmental organizations.  Regular 
business involved considering an annual report on the 
assessment of the world food security situation and a 
biennial progress report on WFS follow-up. 
 
6.  Election of the CFS Chair and Vice-Chair.  The 
Committee elected Mr. Salif Diallo, Minister of 
Agriculture (Burkina Faso) as Chairperson (although he 
did not attend because of ill health) and Mr. Soren 
Skafte (Denmark), Mr. Yahya Al Araimy (Oman), Mr. Anton 
Kohler (Switzerland), and Mr. Alvaro Aguilar Prado 
(Guatemala) as Vice-Chairpersons for the 2004-2005 
biennium. 
 
USG STATEMENTS 
 
7.  In his remarks, Ambassador Hall encouraged FAO and 
CFS to take a more analytic and strategic approach to 
assessment reports linking observed food security data to 
the policy environment, actions taken, resources spent 
and the shortfalls of what is needed.  He pointed out 
that about 70% of the developing world lives in countries 
that are on track toward meeting international poverty 
reduction goals.  Where progress has been insufficient, 
it most often has been in states whose leaders have not 
embraced good governance, the rule of law, and 
integration into the global economy, or where conflict 
and state failure have made that choice impossible. 
Success in these states, the Ambassador noted, is not a 
matter of donor funds.  He also highlighted USG 
contributions towards meeting the WFS goal, such as U.S. 
 
 
spending on school feeding programs in the developing 
world, programs to increase agricultural productivity, 
the Millennium Challenge Account, and the President's 
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. 
 
8.  In other interventions, U/S Bost and other U.S. 
delegation members: (a) offered practical suggestions on 
how to improve and simplify the existing format for 
national reporting on progress in implementing WFS goals; 
(b) noted the unique contribution of an alliance to 
orchestrate civil society and private sector efforts with 
those of government to address hunger and poverty; and 
(c) stressed that a lasting solution to poverty and 
hunger requires the difficult work of improving domestic 
policies and institutions, increasing productivity, 
protecting private assets and incomes, providing 
appropriate market incentives for food production and 
distribution, fostering economic growth, and ensuring 
peace ad stability. 
 
CFS CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDAQIONS 
 
9.  Assessment of World Food Qecurity Situation.  The CFS 
noted the uneven rogress in the fight against food 
insecurity mong countries and regions.  It reaffirmed 
tQat strategies aimed at poverty and hunger r%dered in the broader Delegates welcomed FQ 
of trade in its latest arecommended 
that this bQements in future 
reportProgress Reporting Foely share` porting requirements 
wert`o@ty Information (FIVIMS).  Delega number 
of proposals `e format, including: reducrequency of reporting; avoication of 
information ops by using the above-mentid 
databases and formulating a set of key indicators; 
focusing on priority issues; and including new indicators 
on water and other natural resources.  The Committee took 
note of these proposals and agreed that the Secretariat 
should convene a regionally balanced working group of 
experts to review various options.  Following such 
review, the Secretariat should prepare a revised format 
for consideration by the CFS Bureau. 
 
11.  FIVIMS.  The Committee, at the suggestion of the 
U.S. delegation, made the recommendation that FAO 
continue to enhance FIVIMS and cooperation among its 
partners in order to improve its assessment of world food 
security.  Delegates, including the United States, 
recommended that FIVIMS work should inform selection of 
food security indicators of the WFS reporting as well as 
development of an appropriate analytical methodology and 
framework.  It was also recommended that the CFS 
Secretariat work more closely with the FIVIMS Secretariat 
 
SIPDIS 
in that regard. 
 
12.  Special Forum in 2006 to Review WFS Progress.  The 
Committee reaffirmed the WFS decision to convene, in 2006 
and within existing resources, a Special Forum within the 
32nd Session of the CFS to undertake a progress 
assessment of the implementation of the WFS Plan of 
Action.  This would include a mid-term review of progress 
toward the target of halving the number of malnourished 
people by 2015.  The CFS also agreed to hold, within 
available resources, a multi-stakeholder dialogue during 
the next CFS meeting (May 2005) to prepare for the 2006 
Special Forum.  This dialogue -- which was proposed by 
Brazil -- would involve governments, international 
organizations and civil society.  NGO participation would 
be in accordance with FAO policies and ECOSOC Resolution 
1996/31 on the Consultative Relationship between the UN 
and NGOs. 
 
13.  International Alliance Against Hunger (IAAH).  The 
CFS considered a progress report regarding the IAAH.  The 
Committee called on governments and all others concerned 
 
 
with combating hunger, to continue to use all means 
possible, including National Alliances in their 
countries, to fight hunger, but cautioned against 
duplication of efforts and proliferation of meetings. 
The Committee found the interactive website and register 
of IAAH member activities to be efficient ways to make 
connections and share information among food security 
stakeholders.  It agreed on the voluntary nature of the 
Alliance and favored a cost-effective operation.  Some 
delegates requested more information on the cost of the 
proposed IAAH annual meeting. 
 
"RIGHT TO FOOD" VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES 
 
14.  The CFS approved the "Voluntary Guidelines to 
Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to 
Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security." 
These guidelines were foreseen in the 1996 World Food 
Summit Plan of Action and were under negotiation by an 
Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) for the past two 
years (ref A).  IGWG delegates -- most of them also CFS 
delegation members -- met in an informal "friends of the 
chair" format concurrently with the CFS to conclude the 
negotiation of the Guidelines. 
 
15. In the last round of the IGWG, the U.S. delegation 
achieved all USG objectives.  Most notably, we were able 
to resolve language on the law of war in a way approved 
by the Departments of State and Defense, language on 
unilateral measures that was modeled on standard language 
found in non-binding multilateral declarations (such as 
the World Summit on Sustainable Development and World 
Summit on the Information Society), and language on the 
international dimension that mirrored existing non- 
binding language negotiated in various multilateral fora. 
 
16.  A final IGWG session was convened in the middle of 
the CFS proceedings on 23 September to adopt the 
Guidelines and formally transmit them to the CFS.  The 
last IGWG report and final text of the guidelines will be 
available at www.fao.org shortly.  The United States was 
able to join consensus, but submitted a written statement 
for the record that included the following clarification: 
 
     [quote] 
     In joining in the adoption of these Voluntary 
     Guidelines, the United States does not 
     recognize any change in the current state of 
     conventional or customary international law 
     regarding rights related to food.  The United 
     States believes that the attainment of any 
     "right to adequate food" or "fundamental 
     freedom to be free from hunger" is a goal or 
     aspiration to be realized progressively that 
     does not give rise to any international 
     obligations nor diminish the responsibilities 
     of national governments toward their 
     citizens. 
     [end quote] 
 
OTHER ISSUES RAISED 
 
17.  "Summit of World Leaders for Action Against Hunger 
and Poverty."  The Brazilian delegation at the CFS 
actively promoted the September 20 meeting of leaders and 
officials at UN Headquarters in New York (ref B).  In the 
CFS Drafting Committee, the U.S. delegation was 
successful in restraining Brazilian attempts to 
characterize the New York "Summit" and ensuing 
Declaration within the CFS report in a manner that would 
convey broader international acceptance than was actually 
the case. 
 
18.  Africa Locust and Caribbean Hurricane Crises. 
Special attention was drawn by many delegations to the 
locust crisis afflicting vast swathes of western and 
northern Africa, although this was not formally on the 
agenda.  U.S. Mission had been active in the weeks prior 
to the CFS to call greater attention to this problem and 
to deficiencies in FAO's response thus far (refs C, D). 
Some delegates highlighted the food security implications 
of the destruction caused in recent weeks by Jeanne and 
other hurricanes in the Caribbean region.  These 
discussions prompted the Committee to recommend that FAO 
include "immediate threats to food security" as an agenda 
item at future CFS meetings. 
 
 
ADDITIONAL RELATED EVENTS 
 
19.  CFS Lecture.  Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug 
delivered a lecture to the CFS on "The Green Revolution - 
An Unfinished Agenda."  Dr. Borlaug highlighted the 
importance of agricultural research for increasing 
productivity and sustainable use of land and water 
resources, the role of biotechnology in further 
nutritional and productivity gains, and the importance of 
leadership skills for scientists to ensure adoption of 
promising technology. 
 
20.  G8 Initiative Side Event.  U.S. Mission organized a 
panel discussion on the G8 commitments to Africa with a 
special focus on increasing agricultural productivity 
through capacity building (septel). 
 
21.  Other Side Events.  A "High-Level Dialogue with 
Civil Society Leaders and Member Countries' National 
Alliance Leaders on the Development of the IAAH as a 
Leading Global, Political and Moral Force to End Hunger" 
was held.  There was also a Seminar on Actions and 
Initiatives for Food Security. 
 
22.  Special Program for Food Security (SPFS) Oversight 
Panel.  U.S. delegates were also observers at the SPFS 
Oversight Panel, which met concurrently with CFS on 20-21 
September.  SPFS is an FAO program aimed at increasing 
food production in low-income, food-deficit countries by 
emphasizing national ownership, public participation, 
technology transfer, social equity, sustainability and 
South-South cooperation.  The Panel commended the 
progress made since SPFS began ten years ago.  It 
supported moving 30 countries from the pilot phase to 
national-level programs, and recommended dropping the 
pilot phase in newly applying countries.  The Panel 
requested additional detail on criteria used to determine 
which countries are ready for up-scaling to a national 
program, and called for stronger linkages with research 
institutions.  It also recommended more emphasis on high- 
risk groups such as women, and creation of "productive 
safety nets" by stimulating production for local markets. 
 
CLEVERLEY 
 
 
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	2004ROME03841 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED