Cablegate: Mali's Response to Request to End Food Export

VZCZCXRO7154
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHBP #0484 1511303
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301303Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAMAKO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9182
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BAMAKO 000484

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EEB/TPP/ABT - AMY WINTON
DEPT FOR EEB/TPP - MIKAEL LURIE
DEPT FOR EEB/IFD/ODF - MARGO SIEMER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EAGR ECON TBIO ML
SUBJECT: MALI'S RESPONSE TO REQUEST TO END FOOD EXPORT
RESTRICTIONS

REF: A. STATE 053353

B. BAMAKO 00416
C. BAMAKO 00469

Emboffs met with Olivier Durand, Senior Agricultural
Specialist at the World Bank, on May 27 to discuss the
possibility of a joint demarche regarding food export
restrictions (Ref A). The Ministry of Economy, Industry and
Commerce issued a written order on December 31, 2007, barring
the export of cereals including corn, millet, rice and
sorghum. This was followed up by a letter from the Ministry
of Territorial Administration to Mali's regional Governors,
asking them to block the export of cereals (Ref B). Mr.
Durand confirmed that the World Bank shares our view
regarding the need to end food export restrictions and said
that the World Bank preferred to work within the confines of
the international donor coordination group for agriculture
and economic development. Last week this coordination group,
which is currently led by the Dutch Embassy, reminded Mali of
the need to respect international trade agreements. We
raised the need to end food export restrictions with the
Foreign Ministry's Director of Political Affairs, Sekouba
Cisse, on May 20 (Ref C), and with the Ministry of Economy's
Legal Counselor, Demba Moulaye Kida, on May 29, and will
follow up with senior officials in the course of meetings the
week of June 2.
MCCULLEY

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