Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume II, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs

256. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Italy¹

Washington, May 12, 1979, 1203Z

120985. Rome for FODAG. Subject: Goals and Objectives for the Office of the US Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Reference: State 287307.²

1. The following identifies US interests and policy issues and states the most recent Department approved goals and objectives for US Mission to FAO:

I. US interests:

—To maintain and strengthen US role in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Program (WFP) and the World Food Council (WFC);

—To increase the effectiveness of those programs of the four UN agencies, particularly FAO, which are of direct benefit to US interests and to developing countries receiving US bilateral aid, but within a context of budgetary restraint;

—To increase the effectiveness of the agencies as instruments advancing economic and social development through a basic human needs approach, such as that defined in current US legislation on foreign assistance;

—To increase cooperation and coordination (A) among the four food agencies, (B) between the UN food agencies and the rest of the UN system, and (C) between the UN food agencies’ multilateral programs and the US Government’s bilateral programs.

II. Key policy issues facing the US in the next two years:

—Improvement of US relations with FAO;

—Repeal congressional legislation which currently prevents us from paying our assessed contribution to FAO;³

—Decision on replenishment of US contribution to IFAD;

—Application of recommendations of the President’s Commission on World Hunger and of related legislation on food aid and foreign assistance.

III. Goals and objectives:

A. FAO

—Limitation of real dollar growth in assessed budgets for the 1980/81 biennium budget to as close to zero as possible;

—Closer consultation and coordination with Western members and with selected developing countries, as appropriate, on program and budget issues;

—Support FAO efforts to orient its program toward field activities and to limit headquarters staff and expenditures;

—Encourage FAO to give greater emphasis, by savings in other areas, to food consumption, nutrition and other US priorities;

—Endeavor to negotiate mutually acceptable limitations on FAO’s technical cooperation program;

—Seek to identify additional geographic and program areas in which the FAO and AID can cooperate;

—Seek to coordinate FAO/AID activities and contributions with overall US policies;

—Increase the representation of Americans in the secretariats and the use of Americans as consultants in FAO and the other Rome-based organizations;

—Play an appropriately active role in the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development and develop a policy on implementation of the resolutions of the conference;

—Encourage FAO to cooperate in efforts aimed at restructuring the UN system consistent with FAO’s responsibilities with respect to its own field personnel and financial resources;

—Report more fully on the substantive aspects of FAO’s work and urge FAO to issue better documentation describing its programs.

B. IFAD

—Encourage IFAD to concentrate on projects targeted at aiding the rural poor in the food priority countries;

—Evaluate IFAD performance and the likely future participation of OPEC governments with a view to deciding whether to replenish the US contribution in 1980;

—Continue to support a lean IFAD staff with maximum reliance on the work of other lending institutions; but encourage IFAD to direct some of its efforts to support of new and innovative approaches to the programs of small farmer development.

C. World Food Program

—Encourage closer integration of WFP projects with the development projects of other international organizations;

—Assist WFP in defending its program responsibilities vis-à-vis FAO;

—Take an active role in development of food aid guidelines and policies.

D. World Food Council

—Election of an effective president for the 1980/81 term;

—Encourage the WFC secretariat to continue its analysis of constraints on increasing flows of resources to the food and agricultural sectors within food deficit countries and to them from international organizations and donor countries;

—Encourage the WFC to proceed with its efforts on implementation of the resolutions of the World Food Conference and to facilitate more effective donor coordination in the agricultural sector.

E. Explanation of changes from last goals and objectives statement:

—The US has taken a position advocating zero net real program growth for the UN system;

—The Helms Amendment was passed in Congress;

—IFAD has been in operation since November 1977;

—The President’s Commission on World Hunger was established.

Vance

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790215–0716. Confidential. Drafted by Charles Watkins (IO/EX/OB); approved by Don Eller (IO/EX).
2. Telegram 287307 to all posts, November 11, 1978, transmitted instructions for updating submissions for the U.S. Goals, Objectives, and Resource Management (GORM) FY 1981 exercise. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780466–0695)
3. Presumable reference to the Helms Amendment; see Document 253 and footnote 4 thereto.