US embassy cable - 04ROME4908

UNCLAS ROME 004908 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR TASK FORCE 1, IO/EDA 
USAID FOR DCHA, OFDA GOTTLIEB 
USDA FOR FAS HUGHES 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREF, MOPS, EAGR, XO, WFP 
SUBJECT: TFXO01: EARLY WFP RELIEF EFFORTS - CREATION OF 
TSUNAMI TASK FORCE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
1. USUN Rome Humanitarian Affairs Counselor Earl Gast and 
Program Specialist Philip Lamade were briefed by senior 
World Food Program (WFP) management on December 28, 2004. 
WFP apprised USUN Rome of its active engagement in 
mobilizing a task force in response to the disastrous 
tsunami following the Ache earthquake.  Initially, more 
 
SIPDIS 
than 40 WFP international staff are being deployed to 
affected areas, emergency operations (EMOPS) have been 
approved in advance of the UN's forthcoming consolidated 
appeal, and donor countries are being contacted given the 
expectation that the relief effort recommended by 
assessment teams will be massive. 
 
2. WFP has created a high-level task force consisting of 
senior headquarters staff, Southeast Asia Regional 
Director Anthony Banbury (who has returned to Bangkok and 
has taken charge of the task force), and country 
directors of the affected countries.  More than forty 
additional staff, both from within and also beyond the 
region are already in place or en route to coordinate the 
emergency response.  In addition, WFP provided assurances 
that the additional staff needed for the tsunami relief 
effort will not detract from or jeopardize other 
important projects, e.g., Sudan. 
 
3. UN's OCHA is expected to release an inter-agency flash 
appeal on January 6, 2004, for approximately $10 million. 
Meanwhile, in order to be proactive, WFP has approved 
EMOPs for Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia in the 
amount of $500,000 each, thus permitting WFP to borrow 
against existing stocks.  In addition, WFP is preparing 
EMOPS for Myanmar, India, and the Maldives, as well as a 
regional EMOP. 
 
4. Among other staff being deployed and in conjunction 
with other UN agencies, WFP is fielding assessment teams 
in order to expedite the development of plans and tactics 
for forthcoming relief efforts.  WFP is also conferring 
with donors in view of the expected magnitude of the 
relief efforts. 
 
HALL 
 
 
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	2004ROME04908 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED