US embassy cable - 03ROME4056

UNCLAS ROME 004056 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
AIDAC 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y  (BRUSSELS DELETED FROM PASS LINE) 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR PRM/P AND IO/EDA 
INFO USAID FOR A/AID, DCHA/FFP LANDIS 
USDA/FAS FOR CHAMBLISS/TILSWORTH/GAINOR 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, PREF, EU, UN 
SUBJECT:  WFP EMERGENCY (EMOP) FOR NIGERIAN REFUGEES IN 
CAMEROON 
 
 
1.IN DECEMBER 2001 AND JANUARY 2002, CONFLICTS OVER 
PASTURELANDS LED TO THE DISPLACEMENT OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE 
FROM THE TARABA STATE OF NIGERIA, WHO SOUGHT REFUGE IN THE 
NORTH WEST AND ADAMAOUA PROVINCES OF CAMEROON. 
 
2. BY THE END OF 2002, MUCH OF THE LIVESTOCK OF THE REFUGEES 
HAD BEEN LOST OR SOLD, AND IN FEBRUARY 2003, A JOINT WFP, 
UNHCR, AND GOVERNMENT OF CAMEROON FOOD AND NON-FOOD NEEDS 
ASSESSMENT MISSION NOTED A DETERIORATION IN THEIR FOOD 
SITUATION AND DETERMINED THAT EMERGENCY, SHORT-TERM FOOD AID 
IS URGENTLY NEEDED. 
 
3. WFP'S APPEAL FOR THE SIX-MONTH PERIOD FROM 15 AUGUST 2003 
TO 14 FEBRUARY 2004 IS ESTIMATED AT U.S. DOLLARS (USD) 
798,021, WHICH WILL PROVIDE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION BY UNHCR 
AND THE CAMEROONIAN RED CROSS OF ABOUT 1,150 METRIC TONS OF 
FOOD DURING THE LEAN SEASON TO ABOUT 17,000 REFUGEES, 
INCLUDING ALMOST 4,000 CHILDREN AND PREGNANT AND NURSING 
WOMEN. 
 
4. A DESCRIPTION OF THE INTERVENTION AND RESOURCE UPDATE IS 
FOUND ON THE WFP WEBSITE.  HALL 
 
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2003ROME04056 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED