US embassy cable - 05ROME459

UNCLAS  ROME 000459 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA, DCHA/FFP, EGAT 
STATE FOR IO/EDA, OES/O, OES/E, EAP/RSP, SA/INS 
USDA FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS, LREICH, RHUGHES; 
BRUSSELS FOR LERNER 
 
FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EFIS, PREF, EAGR, SENV, AORC, XO, FAO 
SUBJECT: FAO UPDATE ON TSUNAMI DISASTER RESPONSE 
 
REF:  ROME 0096 (NOTAL) 
 
1.  Summary:  At a briefing on 9 February for 
representatives of affected states and donor countries, 
FAO officials provided a progress report on the agency's 
response to the Asian tsunami disaster.  FAO has received 
over $30 million in donor contributions and pledges. 
This exceeds the organization's initial appeal for 
$26.5 million for the first six months, but remains short 
of the $67 million or more that FAO estimates is needed 
to carry out its role in the longer-term rehabilitation 
and reconstruction of the fisheries and agriculture 
sectors.  Italy, Japan, Belgium, Norway, Germany are the 
leading donors.  Australia and the U.S. have thus far not 
contributed to FAO's response efforts in the region.  End 
summary. 
 
2.  FAO Director General Jacques Diouf convened a meeting 
of permreps from affected countries and potential donors 
to provide a briefing on FAO's actions and plans thus 
far.  Deputy Director General David Harcharik, Director 
of Emergency Operations & Rehabilitation Anne Bauer, and 
Rehabilitation & Humanitarian Policies Unit Coordinator 
Richard China also participated.  Diouf made the 
following points: 
 
--  FAO initially appealed for $26.5 million for projects 
in six countries (Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, 
Seychelles, Somalia and Sri Lanka); but "the needs for 
early recovery of agriculture and fisheries far exceed 
the appeal by FAO." 
 
-- FAO's priorities are (1) coordination and technical 
assistance; (2) supply of fishing gear, repair and 
replacement of boats, rehabilitation and restocking of 
fish ponds, early rehabilitation of harbors, anchorages, 
fish storage and processing; (3) seeds, tools, and other 
agricultural inputs; and (4) repair of irrigation and 
drainage infrastructure, and reclamation of crop land 
affected by salt water flooding. 
 
-- FAO has already received $12.5 million from 7 donors 
(most notably Japan, Norway, Germany, UK), and 
contributed $1.5 million from its own Technical 
Cooperation Program funds.  Other donors (principally 
Belgium, China, Canada) have committed an additional 
$6.5 million.  (Later at the same meeting, Italy 
announced a major contribution; see below.) 
 
-- Germany, Norway and UK contributed to FAO's new 
Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities 
(SFERA), a revolving trust fund that allowed FAO to 
initiate some activities rapidly. 
 
-- Additional funding is being negotiated with a number 
of donors, with an estimated $45.8 million in the 
pipeline, and possibly as much as $67 million. 
 
-- Needs in the area remain large, but the unprecedented 
donor response to the UN and NGOs poses "a high risk of 
inappropriate and fragmented assistance for recovery." 
The need for coordination and technical guidance on 
practical modalities has become a priority. 
 
-- FAO has deployed an additional 35 international 
experts and recruited equivalent national teams to assist 
governments of affected countries to deepen needs 
assessments and develop results-based program 
frameworks.  These efforts are backstopped by a task 
force in Rome and by the FAO Regional Office in Bangkok. 
Also, direct assistance to affected populations has 
started. 
 
-- The EU has called on FAO to take the lead in 
coordinating rehabilitation of the fisheries sector in 
the region. 
 
3.  The ensuing discussion and Q&A session included the 
following points: 
 
-- The Philippines Ambassador, speaking on behalf of the 
Asia Group, expressed thanks to donors and FAO for their 
support. 
 
-- Italy announced a contribution to FAO of _ 9.5 million 
(about $12.4 million). 
 
-- Various participants reiterated the need for 
coordination among donors, within the UN system, and with 
the international financial institutions. 
 
4.  Comment:  Among the traditional large contributors to 
emergency relief activities, Australia and the U.S. are 
conspicuous by their absence in responding to the FAO's 
post-tsunami appeal.  There may be good reasons -- 
including FAO's weak performance in certain other 
emergency operations -- for channeling the bulk of USG 
relief assistance to the affected areas through other 
U.N. agencies and non-governmental mechanisms.  But the 
complete lack of a U.S. contribution to date may 
compromise our ability to achieve other objectives within 
the organization, particularly as we attempt to influence 
the "after-action" evaluative process concerning FAO's 
failures with its emergency locust control operations 
last year.  FAO has a clear mandate and better track 
record in multilateral efforts to restore livelihoods in 
fisheries and agriculture. 
 
HALL 
 
 
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	2005ROME00459 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED