Cablegate: Uganda: Fao Budget - Zero Nominal Growth Demarche

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKM #1106 2671002
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241002Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1806
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0132

UNCLAS KAMPALA 001106

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN AORC EAGR EAID KUNR UN UG
SUBJECT: UGANDA: FAO BUDGET - ZERO NOMINAL GROWTH DEMARCHE
RESPONSE

REF: STATE 96467

Poloff sought Uganda's support in holding the Food and
Agriculture Organization's (FAO) budget to zero nominal
growth on September 23 per reftel demarche. Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA) Multilateral Affairs Officer Isaac
Sebulime said that the Government of Uganda (GOU) would like
to see a "leaner and meaner" FAO that operates effectively
within budget. However, he noted that the organization had
an increasingly important food-security role to play given
the global financial crisis. He acknowledged that rewarding
the FAO with a budget increase despite assurances that
reforms would be carried out within the existing budget was
not a good message to send, and that doing so could possibly
add to the bureaucratic size of the organization. Sebulime
said Uganda would consider the U.S. position during internal
discussions of the FAO budget.
LANIER

© Scoop Media