Donald L. Winkelmann
Chair
Mail address: 1058 Mansion Ridge Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, USA
Tel & Fax: (1-505) 820-7248
10 April 1995
Dear Mr. Serageldin,
We are pleased to transmit to you the report of the Mid-Term Review of ICLARM which was conducted by a panel chaired by Professor E.T. York. The report was discussed by the Committee at TAC 66 which was held in Lima from 13-24 March 1995 in the presence of the Board Chair and the Director General of the Centre.
We are very pleased with the progress made by ICLARM since the 1992 External Programme and Management Review and the internal crisis of April 1993. The recommendations of the 1992 Review have been largely implemented and the Centre merits the full support of the CGIAR. We are also pleased about the progress in the implementation of the Centre's research programme. However, you will note in the attached TAC commentary that three aspects of ICLARM's evolution continue to concern the Committee: its science capacity; its financial base; and its legal status and lack of a headquarters' agreement.
Nevertheless, we believe that the Centre is well on the road to success and we agree with the Panel that ICLARM should be allocated the US$ 1 million fisheries reserve which the Committee had conditionally recommended based on a positive outcome of this Mid-Term Review.
TAC concurs with the Lucerne Action Program and the recommendation made by the Mid-Term Review panel that the CGIAR should give higher priority to research on aquatic resources. This question will be addressed more fully at the Mid-Term Meeting in connection with the Group's discussion of the future CGIAR research agenda and resource needs for 1996.
We recognize that the offer by the Government of Egypt to provide extensive fisheries research and residential facilities to ICLARM could open a new chapter in ICLARM's evolution. As noted in its commentary, TAC is expecting further information about ICLARM on the scientific, technical, and programmatic aspects of this opportunity. The CGIAR Secretariat has been assisting ICLARM's Board and management to assess the administrative and financial aspects of basing part of its operations in Egypt.
We look forward to a stimulating discussion of this report at the Mid-Term Meeting in Nairobi.
Yours sincerely,
Alexander von der Osten
Executive Secretary, CGIAR
Don Winkelmann
TAC Chair
Mr. Ismail Serageldin
CGIAR Chair
World Bank
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433
USA
