US embassy cable - 01HARARE2514

UNCLAS HARARE 002514 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PLEASE PASS USAID FOR A/AID, AA/BHR, AND AFR/SA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, ECON, PHUM, PREF 
SUBJECT: WFP'S ATTENTION TO ZIMBABWE 
 
REF:  ROME 4322 
 
1.  POST WAS CONCERNED BY THE STATEMENT IN REFTEL THAT THE WORLD 
FOOD PROGRAM (WFP) "HAS NO PLANS TO START UP ANY OPERATIONS IN 
ZIMBABWE."  HOWEVER, WE SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED FROM UNDP RESIDENT 
REPRESENTATIVE VICTOR ANGELO ON AUGUST 23 THAT WFP PLANS TO ASSIGN 
TEMPORARILY TWO PROGRAM OFFICERS TO ZIMBABWE FOR A TWO-MONTH 
PERIOD, BEGINNING IMMEDIATELY.  THE TWO-PERSON TEAM APPARENTLY 
WILL CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EXPECTED FOOD SHORTAGE AND DO 
CONTINGENCY PLANNING.  (NB. OTHER THAN A PROCUREMENT OFFICIAL, 
THERE IS NO WFP FOOD EXPERT RESIDENT IN ZIMBABWE.)  WFP HAS A 
CRITICAL ROLE TO PLAY IN COORDINATING THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE; 
WITHOUT ENERGETIC COORDINATION FROM WFP, WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE A 
MOSAIC OF BILATERAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS THEY 
SHOULD BE IN MEETING THE HUMANITARIAN NEED.  WE ARE PLEASED, 
THEREFORE, TO SEE THAT WFP APPEARS TO BE STEPPING UP ITS 
INVOLVEMENT, BUT WASHINGTON WILL NEED TO REMAIN IN CLOSE CONTACT 
WITH WFP ON THE URGENCY OF THE FOOD CRISIS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF 
COORDINATION. 
 
2.  ON A RELATED NOTE, ANGELO TOLD US THAT THE GOVERNMENT SEEMS TO 
BE CHANGING ITS TUNE A BIT ON THE ISSUE OF THE IMPENDING FOOD 
SHORTAGE.  UNTIL RECENTLY, OF COURSE, THE GOZ DENIED THE 
POSSIBILITY OF A SHORTFALL.  EARLIER THIS WEEK, HOWEVER, A SENIOR 
FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL ACKNOWLEDGED TO ANGELO THAT 
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE WOULD BE REQUIRED AND 
INDICATED THAT HE WOULD TRY TO BE HELPFUL IN SECURING GOZ 
COOPERATION ON THIS ISSUE. 
 
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