US embassy cable - 04ROME2935

UNCLAS  ROME 002935 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
USAID FOR AA/DCHA WINTER, DCHA/FFP LANDIS 
STATE FOR PRM/BROTHERS-JACKSON, IO/EDA KOTOK 
LUANDA FOR AMBASSADOR DELL 
KINSHASHA FOR AMBASSADOR HOOKS 
USDA/FAS FOR CHAMBLISS 
GENEVA FOR USAID/KYLOH 
BRUSSELS FOR LERNER 
NSC FOR JMELINE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, PREF, AO, AF, CD, CG, SU, WFP, UNHCR 
SUBJECT: UNHCR/WFP JOINT DONOR BRIEFING 
 
REF: 02 Rome 3566 
 
1. Summary.  UNHCR and WFP held a joint donor briefing in 
Rome on July 22, 2004.  UN staff discussed troubling 
funding problems that limit WFP's ability to deliver food 
aid to refugees in Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Bangladesh, 
Chad, Eritrea, Georgia, Kenya, Nepal, and elsewhere; 
provided an update on the WFP/UNHCR pilot MOU regarding 
WFP direct delivery of food to the end user; and voiced 
concerns about the security situation in Darfur and 
Eastern Chad. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Funding Issues in Selected Countries 
------------------------------------ 
 
2. Kamal Morjane, the Assistant High Commissioner for 
Refugees, began his remarks by highlighting the good 
cooperation enjoyed by UNHCR and WFP, identifying the 
progress being made in process issues like registration, 
and above all, stressing the importance of food to 
refugees.  "The best thing you can do is to support WFP, 
and by supporting WFP, you are supporting refugees.  Food 
is essential for refugees." 
 
3. Critical funding shortages are being experienced by 
WFP in the following countries: 
 
-- In Algeria, WFP provides assistance to about 155,430 
refugees living in desert camps near Tindouf.  The US 
contribution to the PRRO ending in August 2004 is about 
15 percent of a planned operation of $32.3 million, which 
is experiencing an overall funding shortfall of 35 
percent.  The new PRRO beginning in September 2004 and 
planned through August 2006 has received only 6 percent 
of the planned $39.5 million and nothing yet from the 
USG. 
 
-- Angola, of the 90,000 refugees planned for 
repatriation from Zambia in 2004, only 9,000 have 
actually been repatriated.  The food situation for 
returning refugees remains difficult.  WFP's Angola 
Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) requires 
an additional $58 million to cover needs for all major 
commodities.  The implementation of the return and 
resettlement operation is seriously jeopardized by the 
lack of contributions.  The assurance of food aid is 
considered by UNHCR a crucial factor in encouraging 
further repatriation. 
 
-- The new Armenia PRRO covering the period from July 
2004 through June 2006, is planned at $11.5 million, but 
has a funding shortfall of 96 percent. 
 
-- WFP has been providing assistance in Bangladesh to 
Myanmar refugees since 1992.  Its new PRRO beginning in 
January 2004, planned at $2 million, is experiencing a 
funding shortfall of about 50 percent. 
-- WFP's "Food Assistance to Sudanese Refugees in 
Northeast Chad" EMOP is funded at about 61 percent of the 
planned $30 million. 
 
-- WFP's Democratic Republic of the Congo PRRO is funded 
at 20 percent of a planned $160 million.  Serious 
pipeline breaks are affecting the lives of over 1.4 
million people, including IDPs and refugees.  Food 
distribution in June was 63 percent of requirements 
because of pipeline breaks and widespread insecurity. 
 
-- The Djibouti PRRO targets about 43,400 beneficiaries, 
including refugees.  About 57 percent of the planned $6 
million for the operation has been received. 
 
-- The Eritrea PRRO has received only 60 percent of the 
project estimate of $50 million. 
 
-- The Ethiopia PRRO for refugees is estimated at $41.2 
million.  Ending the last day in 2004, the PRRO has 
received about 60 percent of required funding. 
 
-- For its Georgia PRRO, WFP has received 50 percent of 
the required $24.7 million. 
 
-- The Great Lakes Cluster PRRO for Burundi, Rwanda, and 
Tanzania is operating at 50 percent of the required $289 
million. 
 
-- The Iran PRRO is operating at 50 percent of the 
required $14.8 million. 
 
-- The Kenya PRRO for Somali and Sudanese refugees 
requires $58.8 million, but has a 65 percent funding 
shortfall. 
 
-- The Malawi PRRO for a planned $1.7 million is 
resourced at 65 percent. 
 
-- The Nepal PRRO, renewed in July 2004, provides for 
assistance to Bhutanese refugees.  About 37 percent of 
the planned $7.5 million has been received, and resources 
are needed to prevent a pipeline break. 
 
-- The Sudan PRRO for assistance to Eritrean and 
Ethiopian refugees beginning in April 2004 has received 
confirmed contributions of about $550,000 of the required 
 
$15.5 million. 
 
-- The Uganda PRRO is resourced at 82 percent of the 
required $204 million. 
 
-- The West Africa Bureau EMOP, which provides assistance 
to people affected by the Cote d'Ivoire crisis, is 
resourced at 72 percent of the $38.8 million required. 
 
-- The West Africa Cluster, which assists IDPs and 
refugees in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, is 
resourced at 48 percent of the $81.6 million required. 
 
-- In Yemen, WFP's Food Assistance to Refugees PRRO faces 
pipeline breaks of rice, sugar, and wheat soya blend, 
mostly because of shipment delays.  About 40 percent of 
the planned 11,000 refugees have moved to other regions 
in Yemen or left the country.  Important changes in 
distribution modalities ensure that only the most food 
insecure people receive food rations. 
 
-- The Zambia PRRO provides food assistance for refugees 
from Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  It 
is resourced at 35 percent of the $22.7 million required. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
Progress Report on Pilots for Direct WFP Delivery of Food 
to the End Users 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
4. Per reftel, WFP's Pakistan Emergency Operation (EMOP), 
Assistance to Afghan Refugees, is one of the five pilot 
test projects described in a July 2002 MOU between WFP 
and UNHCR in which WFP assumes full responsibility for 
the final distribution of the basic food ration to 
refugees.  A joint evaluation team is presently in 
Pakistan looking at the effectiveness of this pilot 
operation. 
 
5. Resourced at 67 percent of the estimated $35 million, 
the Pakistan EMOP runs through December 2004.  Both 
agencies agree in general that the pilot test has gone 
well; however, neither indicated when the evaluation of 
the pilot activities as contemplated in the MOU might be 
provided.  US Mission Rome Humanitarian Assistance 
Attache intervened to urge that WFP and UNHCR continue to 
move swiftly with its final report. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Darfur/Eastern Chad Security Concerns 
------------------------------------- 
 
6. Security remains a major concern in Eastern Chad and 
 
Darfur refugee camps.  Conditions in overcrowded camps 
have resulted in recent violence at the Chadian Farchana 
and Breidjing refugee camps, and some humanitarian 
assistance has had to be halted.  WFP's Senior Deputy 
Executive Director speculated that, as the jengaweed 
militia is reined in across the border, they are likely 
to foray into eastern Chad and exacerbate the security 
situation.  Accordingly, WFP and UNHCR are negotiating 
with the Government of Chad to field more security 
personnel in and around refugee camps in Chad. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
7. There is good synergy between UNHCR and WFP.  In USUN 
Rome's view, they have recognized that they truly need 
one another.  UNHCR commented that the continuing funding 
difficulties are leading to a slow but steady erosion of 
minimum standards, including protection, all over Africa. 
This stark realization makes better and deeper 
partnerships imperative. 
 
8. Kabul and Khartoum minimize considered.  Hall 
 
 
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 2004ROME02935 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED