US embassy cable - 03ROME5076

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 005076 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
AIDAC 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
    STATE FOR AS/PRM, PRM/P, EUR/WE AND IO/EDA 
USAID FOR A/AID, AA/DCHA, AA/AFR, DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, 
PPC/DC 
USDA/FAS FOR CHAMBLISS/TILSWORTH/GAINOR 
GENEVA FOR AMBASSADOR MOLEY, RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID 
USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE AND MLUTZ 
USMISSION GENEVA FOR AMBASSADOR MOLRY AND USAID/KYLOH 
BRUSSELS FOR USAID/LERNER 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, WFP, UN 
SUBJECT: AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT WFP'S STRATEGIC PLAN 2004-2007 
AS APPROVED AT THE THIRD REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD 
PROGRAM EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, OCTOBER 20-24, 2003 
 
REF: (A) ROME 5035, (B) ROME 4996 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. WFP'S EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVED THE ORGANIZATION'S 
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE PERIOD 2004-2007, WITH THE CAVEAT 
THAT THE SECRETARIAT WILL BE GUIDED BY THE CONSIDERATIONS 
RAISED BY THE BOARD AS REFLECTED BY THE SUMMARY RECORD OF 
THE DISCUSSION. THE BOARD RECOGNIZED THAT IT IS A LIVING 
DOCUMENT THAT INCLUDES REFERENCE TO WORK IN PROGRESS AND 
WORK TO BE INITIATED DURING THE PLAN PERIOD.  THE BOARD 
AGREED THAT WFP SHOULD FOCUS ITS OPERATIONS ON ACHIEVING THE 
FIVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES OF: (A) SAVING LIVES IN CRISIS 
    SITUATIONS; (B) PROTECTING LIVELIHOODS IN CRISIS SITUATIONS 
AND ENHANCING RESILIENCE TO SHOCKS; (C) SUPPORTING THE 
IMPROVED NUTRITION AND HEALTH STATUS OF CHILDREN, MOTHERS 
AND OTHER VULNERABLE PEOPLE; (D) SUPPORTING ACCESS TO 
EDUCATION AND REDUCING GENDER DISPARITY IN ACCESS TO 
EDUCATION AND SKILLS TRAINING; AND 
(E) HELPING GOVERNMENTS ESTABLISH AND MANAGE NATIONAL FOOD- 
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. THE BOARD FAVORABLY NOTED THAT THE PLAN 
REFLECTS A RESULTS-BASED APPROACH AND INCLUDES A RESOURCE 
MOBILIZATION STRATEGY, AS WELL AS OTHER MEASURES TO ATTAIN 
EFFECTIVE OPERATIONAL CAPACITY.  WITHIN THE RESULTS-BASED 
FRAMEWORK, A SET OF EXPECTED RESULTS AND PERFORMANCE 
INDICATORS IS PROPOSED FOR EACH STRATEGIC PRIORITY, AGAINST 
WHICH PROGRESS WILL BE MONITORED OVER THE PLANNING PERIOD. 
FINALLY, THE BOARD ENDORSED THE PROPOSAL THAT BY 2007 AT 
LEAST 90 PERCENT OF WFP'S UNDIRECTED MULTILATERAL 
DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES FROM TRADITIONAL DONORS SHOULD GO TO 
COUNTRIES THAT: A) ARE LEAST DEVELOPED OR HAVE AN EQUALLY 
LOW INCOME; AND B) FACE A PROBLEM OF WIDESPREAD CHRONIC 
MALNUTRITION MEASURED AS A RATE OF UNDER-FIVE STUNTING 
GREATER THAN 25 PERCENT. END SUMMARY. 
 
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U.S. POSITION 
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2. THE UNITED STATES WAS LARGELY SUPPORTIVE OF THE STRATEGIC 
PLAN.  MOST OF THE PLAN LINKS WELL WITH THE NEW STRATEGY 
BEING DEVELOPED BY THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL 
DEVELOPMENT (USAID) IN MANAGING THE GOALS OF THE PUBLIC LAW 
480 TITLE II FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.  THE U.S. HAS BEEN A 
    LEADING VOICE ON THE BOARD THAT WFP SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT IT 
DOES BEST, WHICH IS THE PROVISION EMERGENCY HUMANITARIAN 
ASSISTANCE (I.E., WFP DELIVERED 68 PERCENT OF WORLDWIDE 
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IN 2002). IN PARTICULAR, THE U.S 
STRESSED THAT PRIMARY FOCUS SHOULD BE ON PRIORITIES ONE AND 
TWO - SAVING LIVES AND PROTECTING LIVELIHOODS - AND THAT 
PRIORITIZATION BECOMES INEVITABLE WHEN THERE ARE FUNDING 
SHORTFALLS. FINALLY, SPEAKING AS AN EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER 
(AS OPPOSED TO OUR ROLE AS THE ORGANIZATION'S PRINCIPAL 
DONOR), USDEL APPLAUDED THE STRIDES MADE IN THIS DOCUMENT 
(WORK-IN-PROGRESS) WHILE CAUTIONING THAT THE PLAN MAY BE 
OVERLY AMBITIOUS. 
 
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OTHER INTERVENTIONS 
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3. IT WAS PROPOSED BY SWEDEN (AND ACCEPTED BY THE WFP 
SECRETARIAT) THAT WFP SHOULD DECLARE ITS FORMAL SUPPORT FOR 
 
SIPDIS 
THE HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES OF HUMANITY, IMPARTIALITY, 
NEUTRALITY AND INDEPENDENCE. WFP AGREED TO PRESENT A PAPER 
TO THE BOARD (FEBRUARY 2004) REFLECTING THESE PRINCIPLES, 
 
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 OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO 
BE CONSIDERED IN 2005. 
 
4. ON WFP'S PROPOSAL THAT BY 2007 AT LEAST 90 PERCENT OF 
WFP'S UNDIRECTED MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES FROM 
TRADITIONAL DONORS SHOULD GO TO COUNTRIES THAT: A) ARE LEAST 
DEVELOPED OR HAVE AN EQUALLY LOW INCOME; AND B) FACE A 
PROBLEM OF WIDESPREAD CHRONIC MALNUTRITION MEASURED AS A 
RATE OF UNDER-FIVE STUNTING GREATER THAN 25 PERCENT - SOME 
MEMBERS (READ THE LATIN AMERICAN GROUP - GRULAC) - STATED 
THAT THE ADOPTION OF THE INCOME CRITERIA WOULD PENALIZE AT 
LEAST 11 LOW INCOME FOOD-DEFICIT COUNTRIES (LIFDCS). THEY 
THEREFORE STRESSED THAT THE IDENTIFICATION OF COUNTRIES O 
GREATEST NEED SHOULD BE BROADENED TO INCLUDE LIDCS WITH 
    INCOMES GREATER THAN THOSE OF LEAST DEVLOPED COUNTRIES OR 
WITH A PREVALENCE OF CHILD STNTING GREATER THAT 25 PERCENT. 
SOME MEMBERS STATE THAT POCKETS OF HUNGER ALSO EXIST IN 
RELATIVELYWELL-OFF COUNTRIES AND FELT THAT THESE SHOULD 
ALO BE ELIGIBLE FOR DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FROM WFP. 
 
5. NOTE: USDEL'S POSITION ON THIS TOPIC IS GUIDED BY THE 
U.S. FOOD AID AND FOOD SECURITY POLICY PAPER (1995) WHICH 
CLEARLY PRESCRIBES THAT THE FOOD AID FROM THE UNITED STATES 
SHOULD PRIMARILY BE FOCUSED ON SOUTH ASIA AND SUB-SAHARAN 
AFRICA.  MUCH LIKE THE WFP STRATEGY PAPER PRESENTED AT THIS 
SESSION, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT FOOD ASSISTANCE WOULD NOT 
GO TO THE LATIN AMERICA (LAC) REGION.  AS THE WFP STRATEGY 
ACKNOWLEDGES IN SEVERAL PLACS, HIGHLY TARGETED FOOD AID 
INTERVENTIONS WILL B REQUIRED FOR SOME COUNTRIES EVEN WHEN 
THERE ARENO PRESSING NEEDS FOR LARGE TRANSFERS OF FOOD AID. 
EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE AND NATIONAL SAFETY NETMEASURES 
TO COMBAT MALNUTRITION WOULD STILL BE NCESSARY.  MUCH AS 
THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES TOPROVIDE TARGETED BILATERAL 
DEVELOPMENT FOOD AID SSISTANCE THROUGHOUT THE LAC REGION, 
WFP WOULD ALSO MAINTAIN PROGRAMS.  HOWEVER THESE PROGRAMS 
WOULD RELY UPON DIRECTED CONTRIBUTIONS FROM DONORS FOR THESE 
ACTIVITIES. END NOTE. 
 
6. AS EXPLAINED BY THE WFP SECRETARIAT, 90 PERCENT OF WFP'S 
DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES WILL BE FOCUSED BY 2007 IN 36 
COUNTRIES, 29 OF WHICH WILL BE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 
(LDCS). ON FAO'S LIST OF 84 LIFDCS, WFP COMMENTED THAT FAO 
RELIED HEAVILY ON ESTIMATES OF PER CAPITA FOOD AVAILABILITY 
- WITH THE DOWNSIDE THAT THESE AGGREGATES ARE TOO OFTEN 
BASED ON INCOMPLETE DATA FOR BOTH FOOD PRODUCTION AND TRADE. 
    NOTE. FOR SOME COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY IN SUB-SAHARAN 
AFRICA, PRODUCTION STATISTICS FOR CERTAIN SUBSISTENCE CROPS 
TEND TO GET UNDERESTIMATED. FURTHERMORE, MUCH TRADE IN FOOD 
ACROSS INTERNATIONAL BORDERS GOES UNRECORDED. FAO ATTEMPTS 
TO ACCOUNT FOR SUCH DEFICIENCIES AND ARRIVE AT PLAUSIBLE 
ESTIMATES BY RESORTING TO IMPUTATIONS BUT THIS DOES NOT 
IMPLY THAT THE RESULTING PER-CAPITA FOOD AVAILABILITY 
FIGURES ARE FREE FROM ERRORS. END NOTE. 
 
7. SECRETARIAT ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE WORLD HEALTH 
ORGANIZATION (WHO) WAS ON RECORD THAT "STUNTING" WAS AN 
ESSENTIAL INDICATOR FOR MEASURING CHRONIC MALNUTRITION. WFP 
STATED THAT UNICEF DATA FOR THE ANNUAL "STATE OF THE WORLD'S 
CHILDREN REPORT" WOULD ALSO BE FIGURED INTO ITS COUNTRY 
SELECTION CRITERIA ANALYSIS. 
 
8. IN GENERAL, THE BOARD REQUESTED WFP TO PURSUE A FLEXIBLE 
APPROACH TO THE QUESTION OF COUNTRY PRESENCE, WHICH SHOULD 
BE SUITABLY MATCHED TO THE NATURE AND SCALE OF THE PROGRAM 
TO BE MANAGED, TAKING ACCOUNT OF OTHER APPROACHES BEING 
DEVELOPED ELSEWHERE IN THE UN SYSTEM. IN SOME SITUATIONS, A 
SMALL OFFICE HEADED BY A WFP INTERNATIONAL OFFICER, EITHER 
 
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ROPRIATE THAN A FULL 
COUNTRY OFFICE. IN OTHERS, WFP'S PRESENCE MAY CONSIST OF AN 
OFFICE MANNED BY A NATIONAL OFFICER WORKING FROM THE 
PREMISES OF ANOTHER UN AGENCY OR, FOR EXAMPLE, A WFP 
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT MAPPING (VAM) UNIT WORKING WITHIN A 
GOVERNMENT MINISTRY. 
 
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WFP RESOURCE MOBILIZATION 
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9. THE BOARD RECOGNIZED THAT A PRO-ACTIVE RESOURCES STRATEGY 
THAT BROADENS THE DONOR BASE AND ENGAGES THE PRIVATE SECTOR 
WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVES SET OUT IN THE 
    STRATEGIC PLAN. MEMBERS LOOKED FORWARD TO INFORMAL 
CONSULTATIONS EARLY IN 2004 TO FURTHER DISCUSS: THE 
DEFINITION OF EMERGING AND TRADITIONAL DONORS; MECHANISMS 
FOR ENCOURAGING EMERGING DONORS THROUGH LEVERAGING, 
PARTICULARLY TWINNING ARRANGEMENTS; AND THE USE OF CASH 
DONATIONS TO PURCHASE FOOD. THE BOARD EMPHASIZED THAT 
PRIVATE SECTOR RELATIONS MUST BE CONDUCTED WITHIN THE 
PURVIEW OF THE BOARD. THERE NEEDS TO BE DIALOGUE, 
CONSULTATION AND REPORTS BACK TO THE BOARD ON INITIATIVES 
WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. IN THE SAME SPIRIT IT IS IMPORTANT 
THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR DONOR FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE ROLE AND 
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD. 
 
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COMMENT 
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10. THE BOARD FORTUNATELY CAME TO THE REALIZATION THAT "THE 
PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD," THAT THE 2004-2007 
STRATEGIC PLAN IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, A LIVING DOCUMENT 
WHICH WILL REQUIRE FURTHER CONSULTATION WITH THE MEMBERSHIP 
AND DECISIONS BY THE BOARD AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME.  AS THE 
PERUVIAN DELEGATE SUMMED IT UP: "YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN 
FAVOR OF THE PLAN, BUT ONLY AGREEABLE TO LIVING WITH THE 
CAREFULLY CRAFTED COMPROMISE."  HALL 
 
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 2003ROME05076 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED