US embassy cable - 05ROME3949

UNCLAS ROME 003949 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D   C O P Y (ADDING WARSAW) 
 
FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR OES/IHA HFOSTER, IO/EDA SKOTOK 
FAS FOR FAA/IO/WE/SBLEGGI, MFAIR 
USDA FOR APHIS/IS/SHEESLEY 
WARSAW FOR FAS MINISTER COUNSELOR 
WARSAW FOR ECON OFFICER 
INFO FOR FAS/FAA/IO/EEE, FAS/FAA/IO/WE, FAS/FAA/IS/KMS, 
FAS/FASTO_CHRON, FAS/ICD/IOID, USDA/APHIS/BRS, 
USDA/APHIS/DA, USDA/APHIS/HQ, USDA/APHIS/OA, 
USDA/APHIS/PREC, USDA/ARS, USDA/FSIS 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS; GH/KHILL AND 
DCARROLL; EGAT A/AA JSMITH; ANE/ACLEMENTS; AFR/MHARVEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, TBIO, EAID, AORC, FAO, OIE 
SUBJECT:   AVIAN INFLUENZA:  ENCOURAGING FAO TO DEVELOP A 
NEEDS ASSESSMENT TOOL 
 
REF:  (A) ROME 3320,  (B) ROME 2979 
 
1.   Summary:  USDA APHIS Administrator Ron DeHaven met 
with FAO veterinary officials Samuel Jutzi and Jan 
Slingenbergh on November 29 to discuss ways to improve 
collaboration between USDA and FAO on Avian Influenza. 
OIE official Alex Thiermann also participated in the 
meeting.  FAO is currently focused on preparations for 
the Beijing pledging conference scheduled for January 
2006.  According to FAO, the global target for the 
Beijing conference will be $1 billion, of which half is 
needed for managing the animal health side of the issue. 
DeHaven stressed the critical need for a uniform approach 
to country-by-country needs assessments in advance of the 
Beijing meeting.  End summary. 
 
2.   USDA APHIS Administrator Ron DeHaven paid an 
introductory call on Samuel Jutzi, Director of the FAO 
Animal Production and Health Division, and Jan 
Slingenbergh, an FAO staff veterinarian.  Alex Thiermann, 
a senior official with the International Organization for 
Animal Health, also joined the meeting.  DeHaven was 
accompanied by Peter Fernandez, APHIS regional 
representative in Brussels, Jay Mitchell, APHIS Trade 
Policy Advisor, and David Hegwood, Agricultural Minister- 
Counselor, USUN Rome.  The primary purpose for the 
meeting was to discuss how APHIS and FAO could 
collaborate more closely on fighting avian influenza as 
an animal health issue. 
 
3.   Jutzi noted that FAO is focused on preparations for 
the Beijing pledging conference, which is being jointly 
organized by WHO, OIE, FAO, and the World Bank, in late 
January.  According to Jutzi, the funding target is $1 
billion, of which half would be designated for 
controlling avian influenza in poultry.  He emphasized, 
however, that the immediate (6 months) and urgent need is 
for $60 million.  Of this $60 million, FAO projects its 
budget requirements at about $40 million.  The remainder 
would be rounded out by direct donor investments in 
infected and at-risk countries.  The immediate and longer- 
term budget estimates are consistent with those developed 
for the Geneva Conference in November 2005. 
 
4.   DeHaven emphasized the importance of a systematic 
approach to needs assessments in infected and at-risk 
countries.  Jutzi acknowledged that this is currently a 
weak spot.  In preparation for Beijing, the World Bank 
has been carrying out needs assessments in a small sample 
of countries in an effort to create a needs assessment 
template.  FAO and OIE have been carrying out more 
extensive needs assessments over the last two years, but 
there has been no uniformity to the effort.  The WHO has 
also been carrying out needs assessments, but focused 
only on the human health dimension.  DeHaven suggested 
FAO and OIE use the existing OIE veterinary systems 
assessment tool as the basis for developing a needs 
assessment tool for avian influenza.  He further offered 
that a group of scientific experts could be convened on 
short notice to help develop the needs assessment tool. 
Finally, he noted that a country-by-country needs 
assessment would help to ensure better donor support at 
the Beijing conference. 
 
Jutzi agreed with DeHaven's suggestions.  DeHaven agreed 
to send a letter to FAO and OIE requesting they commence 
work on the needs assessment tool as quickly as possible. 
Hall