US embassy cable - 02ROME886

UNCLAS ROME 000886 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR A/S/PRM, PRM/P, EUR/WE, AND IO/D 
USAID FOR A/AID, AA/DCHA, AA/ANE, DCHA/FFP, PPC/DP, PPC/DC 
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS, BGAINOR AND VHUNTER 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID 
BRUSSELS FOR USEU AMBASSADOR AND USAID/KFULLER 
USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE AND LSHESTACK 
PARIS FOR OECD 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/REDSO, BAMAKO FOR USAID/NESTES 
OMB FOR TSTOLL 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, WFP, UN 
SUBJECT:  FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM 
EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 11-14, 2002 
 
SUMMARY 
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1. DESPITE OBJECTIONS TO THE PROCESS, THE BOARD WELCOMED 
THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL AND THE 
DIRECTOR GENERAL OF FAO'S INTENTION IS APPOINT JAMES T. 
MORRIS (AMCIT) AS THE NEXT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WORLD FOOD 
PROGRAM. ON WFP'S SIZABLE CASH AND INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, 
THE BOARD REQUESTED THAT A DETAILED ANALYSIS BE PROVIDED OF 
THE REASONS FOR THE CURRENT LEVEL OF CASH BALANCES AND THAT 
AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CASH BALANCES BE INDICATED BY WFP'S 
SECRETARIAT LATEST OCTOBER 2002. THE UNITED STATES AND THE 
 
SIPDIS 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION REQUESTED THAT A REVISED INDIRECT 
SUPPORT COST (ISC) RATE, BASED ON ACTUALS FROM THE 2000- 
2001 BIENNIUM, BE PRESENTED TO THE MAY 2002 BOARD SESSION 
AND THAT ADJUSTMENTS BE MADE AT THAT TIME APPLICABLE FOR CY 
2002 ISC CHARGES. WFP COUNTRY PROGRAMS FOR YEMEN AND BHUTAN 
TOTALING USD 54.7 MILLION WERE APPROVED, AS WELL AS A 
COUNTRY STRATEGY OUTLINE (CSO) FOR MAURITANIA. PROTRACTED 
RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS (PRROS) FOR UGANDA, 
ETHIOPIA, INDONESIA, BURMA, NEPAL AND SUDAN, TOTALING USD 
248.1 MILLION WERE APPROVED EN BLOC. BOTH USAID 
ADMINISTRATOR ANDREW NATSIOS AND EC COMMISIONER POUL 
NEILSON ADDRESSED THE BOARD. THIS SESSION MARKED THE FINAL 
BOARD APPEARANCE OF CATHERINE BERTINI WHOSE TENURE AS WFP'S 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AFTER TEN YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE, 
ENDS APRIL 5. END SUMMARY. 
 
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CATHERINE BERTINI'S REPLACEMENT - "IN LOGIC PROCESS AND 
RESULTS ARE EQUIVALENT. (THEREFORE NO SURPRISES)." 

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2. ON MONDAY AFTERNOON FEBRUARY 11, THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF 
FAO DR. JACQUES DIOUF ADDRESSED THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND 
ANNOUNCED THE INTENTION OF THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL AND 
HIMSELF AS DG FAO TO APPOINT JAMES T. MORRIS (AMCIT) AS THE 
NEXT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WORLD FOOD PROGRAM EFFECTIVE 
APRIL 2002. SEVERAL OECD MEMBERS TOOK STRONG OBJECTION TO 
THE ANNOUNCEMENT CLAIMING THAT THE SPIRIT OF WFP'S GENERAL 
REGULATION (ARTICLE VII.2) WHICH REQUIRES THAT "THE 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE SECRETARY 
GENERAL AND THE DIRECTOR GENERAL (FAO) AFTER CONSULTATION 
WITH THE BOARD" HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY FOLLOWED. 
 
3. THE LEGAL COUNSEL OF FAO WAS ASK TO APPEAR BEFORE THE 
BOARD AND PROVIDE A LEGAL OPINION ON THE MEANING OF 
"CONSULTATION." THE OPINION RENDERED IS AS FOLLOWS: "WITH 
REFERENCE TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THE TERM 'CONSULTATION', 
THE OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS HAS CONSISTENTLY TAKEN THE 
POSITION THAT THE MEANING OF THE EXPRESSION 'IN 
CONSULTATION WITH' AND 'AFTER CONSULTATION WITH' IN THE 
PRACTICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE 
VIEWS OF THE PARTIES CONSULTED ARE SOUGHT OR ASCERTAINED, 
AND THAT IT MUST BE DISTINGUISHED FROM 'AGREEMENT', 
'CONCURRENCE' OR 'CONSENT'." 
 
4. THE BOARD WAS HOWEVER CAREFUL TO SEPARATE THE SPECIFIC 
CANDIDACY AND QUALIFICATIONS OF JAMES T. MORRIS FROM THIS 
ARGUMENT ON PROCESS, AND "REQUESTED THE PRESIDENT OF THE 
BOARD TO ADDRESS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND TO INFORM 
HIM OF THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD TO WORK WITH HIM IN CLOSE 
AND HARMONIOUS COLLABORATION." 
 
5. ON A SEPARATE ITEM UNDER "OTHER BUSINESS," THE BOARD 
"REGRETTED THAT THE CURRENT APPLICATION OF ARTICLE VII.2 
HAD NOT MADE IT POSSIBLE TO CONDUCT A CLEAR AND 
SATISFACTORY CONSULTATION," AND "PROPOSED THAT MEASURES BE 
TAKEN TO CARRY OUT FUTURE CONSULTATIONS IN A CONSTRUCTIVE 
MANNER. TO THAT END, IT REQUESTED THE BUREAU TO EXAMINE THE 
MATTER AND TO REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD." 
 
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BERTINI ANALYZES "A DECADE OF CHANGE" AT WFP 
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6. CATHERINE BERTINI OPENED THE BOARD SESSION ON FEBRUARY 
11 BY DESCRIBING KEY CHANGES AT WFP OVER THE PERIOD 1992- 
2002, AND SUMMARIZED THE CHALLENGES THAT REMAIN. SHE 
FOCUSED ON HOW WFP HAS BUILT ITS CAPACITY TO DELIVER FOOD 
AID TO THE HUNGRY POOR. KEY STEPS INCLUDE THE USD 40 
MILLION FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (FMIP), 
EXTENSIVE DECENTRALIZATION, INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF GENDER 
EQUALITY, SHARPENING THE GEOGRAPHIC TARGETING OF FOOD AID 
FOR DEVELOPMENT, AND THE ORGANIZATION'S ENHANCED EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE CAPABILITY. 

 
7. IN 2001, BERTINI COMMENTED THAT WFP SHIPPED 3.9 MILLION 
METRIC TONS, MEETING 83 PERCENT OF OVERALL TONNAGE 
REQUIREMENTS. CONFIRMED CONTRIBUTIONS TOTALED NEARLY USD 
1.9 BILLION. BERTINI REGRETTED THAT FOOD AID FOR WFP'S 
DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO HAD FURTHER DECLINED TO USD 273 
MILLION (14.4 PERCENT OF THE OVERALL PROGRAM) DESPITE THE 
SUBSTANTIAL CY 2001 U.S. GLOBAL FOOD FOR EDUCATION 
INITIATIVE CONTRIBUTION. SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE TOP FIVE 
DONORS (UNITED STATES, EUROPEAN COMMISSION, JAPAN, THE 
NETHERLANDS AND GERMANY) HAD CONTRIBUTED 80 PERCENT OF 
WFP'S 2001 BUDGET AND REMARKED ON WFP'S NEED TO BROADEN ITS 
DONOR BASE WITH OTHER OECD COUNTRIES. 
 
8. BERTINI DIRECTLY ADDRESSED A NUMBER OF CONTROVERSIAL 
TOPICS. ON THE ISSUE OF "SURPLUS COMMODITIES" (FROM THE 
UNITED STATES UNDER SECTION 416(B)), SHE ASKED: "WHAT IS 
WRONG WITH SURPLUS WHEN IT IS TARGETED TO CHRONICALLY FOOD 
INSECURE POPULATIONS?" SHE RENEWED HER APPEAL FOR GREATER 
UN SECURITY ATTENTION FOR HUMANITARIAN STAFF IN 
EMERGENCIES, COMMENTING THAT "OF THE 200 PLUS UN STAFF 
KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY OVER THE PAST DECADE, ONLY 3 
CULPRITS WERE EVER HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DEATHS OF THESE 
UN STAFFERS." 

 
9. SHE ALSO HAD A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS ON UN REFORM 
ISSUES. BERTINI REITERATED THAT ALL UN ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD 
HAVE TERM LIMITS; THAT DONOR GOVERNMENTS SHOULD REQUIRE 
CLOSER COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE WORLD BANK/IMF AND UN 
DEVELOPMENT/RELIEF AGENCIES; THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR 
GREATER STAFF INTERCHANGE BETWEEN THE THREE UN AGENCIES 
BASED IN ROME; THAT DONORS SHOULD CALL A HALT TO THE EVER 
INCREASING NUMBER OF UN "SUMMITS;" AND THAT THE BOARD 
SHOULD FOCUS MORE ON BROAD STRATEGIC ISSUES (E.G., 
INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS, UN AGENCIES WORKING WITH THE 
MILITARY IN RELIEF OPERATIONS) RATHER THAN ON INDIVIDUAL 
PROJECT APPROVALS. 
 
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ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS AND EC COMMISSIONER NEILSON RESPOND 
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10. BOTH USAID ADMINISTRATOR ANDREW NATSIOS AND EC 
COMMISSIONER (DEVELOPMENT) POUL NEILSON ADDRESSED THE BOARD 
ON FEBRUARY 11. NATSIOS ON BEHALF OF THE USG THANKED 
BERTINI FOR TEN YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE ON BEHALF OF THE 
WORLD'S HUNGRY POOR, COMMENTING THAT "THE OUTSTANDING 
EFFORTS OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND HER STAFF OVER THIS 
PAST DECADE HAVE GREATLY ADVANCED BOTH WFP'S INTERNAL 
REFORMS AND THE OVERALL UN REFORM AGENDA." NATSIOS NOTED 
THAT OVERALL DONOR SUPPORT TO WFP 1992-2001 TOTALED USD 
15.54 BILLION, OF WHICH THE UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTED USD 
6.38 BILLION (41 PERCENT). NOTE: WITHIN THE UN-SYSTEM, ONLY 
THE UNDP SURPASSES WFP IN DONOR SUPPORT. END NOTE. 
 

11. NATSIOS SPECIFICALLY CITED WFP EFFORTS IN AFGHANISTAN 
WHERE, SINCE SEPTEMBER 11, WFP HAD DELIVERED NEARLY 300,000 
METRIC TONS OF FOOD AT AN UNPRECEDENTED RATE AVERAGING MORE 
THAN 2,000 TONS PER DAY TO ASSIST SOME 6.6 MILLION PEOPLE. 
HE FURTHER NOTED THAT NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF THE FOOD THAT 
WENT INTO AFGHANISTAN OVER THIS PERIOD THROUGH WFP CAME 
FROM THE UNITED STATES. IN GENERAL, HE LAUDED THE 
SIGNIFICANT STEPS TAKEN BY WFP OVER THE PAST DECADE TOWARDS 
STRENGTHENING ITS EMERGENCY RESPONSE (SERC) CAPACITY. 
 
12. NATSIOS ASSURED MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD THAT THE 
U.S. REMAINS COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING LEADERSHIP IN 
SUPPLYING FOOD AID TO VULNERABLE PEOPLE. HE COMMENTED THAT 
SUPPORT FOR FOOD AID IS EVEN MORE VITAL IN THIS NEW ERA OF 
TERRORIST THREATS AS HUNGER LEADS TO DESPERATION, AND 
POTENTIALLY, VIOLENCE. HE UNDERLINED HOWEVER THAT IT IS 
INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT THAT WFP BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE 
MEASURABLE PROGRESS AND REAL IMPACT IN ITS FOOD ASSISTANCE 
EFFORTS. 
 
13. EC COMMISSIONER (DEVELOPMENT) POUL NIELSON REMARKED 
THAT THE EC, WHILE "AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTOR TO WFP," WAS 
NOT "AN EASY PARTNER." HE QUESTIONED THE PRESENT MODE OF 
CALCULATING INDIRECT SUPPORT COSTS, POSTULATED THAT THE 
PRESENT ISC RATE WAS "TOO HIGH," AND REQUESTED THAT A 
REVIEW AND REVISION OF THE RATE BE INSTITUTED BY OCTOBER 
2002. 
 
14. NEILSON PROCEEDED TO CLARIFY THE EC POSITION ON FOOD 
AID AS FOLLOWS: "WE DO NOT REGARD FOOD AID AS AN 
APPROPRIATE INSTRUMENT TO CREATE LONG-TERM FOOD SECURITY, 
BUT RATHER AS AN ESSENTIAL INSTRUMENT FOR EMERGENCY AND 
HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTIONS TO LINKING RELIEF, 
REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND AS AN ELEMENT OF SAFETY 
NET STRATEGIES FOR PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE SECTIONS OF THE 
POPULATION." HE INDICATED THAT THE EC WOULD MAKE SURE THAT 
DEVELOPMENT FOOD AID "BE GIVEN APPROPRIATE ATTENTION IN THE 
WTO TRADE AGENDA." 
 
15. ON WFP'S PRROS, NEILSON URGED FURTHER WFP THINKING, 
PARTICULARLY ON LINKING IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND EMERGENCY 
INTERVENTIONS TO RECOVERY/DEVELOPMENT. ON RESULTS-BASED 
MANAGEMENT, HE OPINED THAT "MOST OF THE DONORS, INCLUDING 
THE EC HAVE NOT YET DELIVERED. EVERYONE IS ASKING FOR 
INDICATORS. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO PRETEND THAT THE 
WORLD IS SIMPLER THAN IT REALLY IS." 
 
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WFP CASH MANAGEMENT AND REVIEW OF WFP FINANCIAL BALANCES OF 
PROJECTS CLOSED PRIOR TO 2001 
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16. THE BOARD NOTED THE PRESENT LEVEL OF WFP'S CASH 
BALANCES, AND REVIEWED THE ORGANIZATION'S LEVEL OF 
FINANCIAL INVESTMENT AND INVESTMENT POLICY. ON CASH 
BALANCES, IT REQUESTED THAT A DETAILED ANALYSIS BE PROVIDED 
OF THE REASON FOR THE CURRENT LEVEL OF CASH BALANCES AND 
THAT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CASH BALANCES BE INDICATED BY 
WFP'S SECRETARIAT LATEST OCTOBER 2002. 
 
17. ON ACCOUNTS CLOSED PRIOR TO 2001 AND RECENTLY MIGRATED 
INTO THE NEW WFP INFORMATION NETWORK AND GLOBAL SYSTEM 
(WINGS), THE BOARD ASK THE SECRETARIAT TO COMPLETE ITS 
ANALYSIS AND ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH INDIVIDUAL DONORS 
TO CLEAR ALL CONTRIBUTIONS AND BALANCES OF CLOSED PROJECTS. 
 
18. ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS COMMENTED THAT THE UNITED STATES 
HAD OFTEN RAISED THE ISSUE OF WFP'S SIZABLE CASH BALANCES 
AND THAT THESE AMOUNTS SHOULD BE REASONABLY MODEST. HE 
ENDORSED THE POSITION OF THE UN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON 
ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY QUESTIONS (ACABQ) THAT THE 
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM PROVIDE SOONEST A DETAILED ANALYSIS AS 
TO THE APPROPRIATE CASH BALANCE LEVEL NEEDED TO CONDUCT ITS 
BUSINESS. 

19. HE SUPPORTED THE POSITION OF THE EC (PARA 13 ABOVE) 
THAT THE WFP PRESENT ITS ANALYSIS OF INDIRECT SUPPORT COSTS 
(ISC) TO THE MAY 2002 EXECUTIVE BOARD AND THAT ADJUSTMENTS 
BE MADE AT THAT TIME IN ITS PERCENTAGE RATE, APPLICABLE FOR 
CY 2002 ISC CHARGES. 
 
20. FINALLY, NATSIOS ALSO FAVORED TASKING WFP'S EXTERNAL 
AUDITOR TO PROVIDE ITS CONSIDERED OPINION ON THE SUBJECT OF 
THE APPROPRIATE CASH BALANCE LEVEL AT THE TIME OF ITS 
PRESENTATION OF THE 2000-2001 BIENNIUM ACCOUNTS IN OCTOBER 
2002. 
 
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PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS - PRROS 
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21. PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS FOR UGANDA 
(USD 102.9 MILLION); ETHIOPIA (USD 40.36 MILLION); 
INDONESIA/INTERNALLY DISPLACED AND URBAN POOR (USD 65.5 
MILLION); BURMA/NORTH RAKINE STATE RETURNEES (USD 6.84 
MILLION); NEPAL/BHUTANESE REFUGEES (USD 8.5 MILLION) 
SUDAN/ERITREAN REFUGEES (USD 7.43 MILLION); AND THE FEDERAL 
REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA (EXCLUDING KOSOVO) (USD 16.53 
MILLION) -TOTALING OVERALL USD 248.13 MILLION- WERE 
APPROVED EN BLOC BY THE BOARD. NOTE: USDEL MET SEPARATELY 
WITH WFP REGIONAL MANAGERS ON THESE AND OTHER MAJOR WFP 
OPERATIONS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE REGIONS. SEPTEL WILL PROVIDE 
AN UPDATE ON THE ALGERIA PRRO - ASSISTANCE TO WESTERN 
SAHARA REFUGEES. END NOTE. 
 
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APPROVED COUNTRY PROGRAMS - 2002-2007 - WFP'S 2002 
DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO FUNDING IN SERIOUS TROUBLE 
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22. THE BOARD APPROVED COUNTRY PROGRAMS FOR THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTRIES: BHUTAN, USD 14.7 MILLION; AND YEMEN, USD 40 
MILLION. IN ADDITION, A COUNTRY STRATEGY OUTLINE FOR 
MAURITANIA WAS APPROVED. 
 
23. ON THE WIDER ISSUE OF GLOBAL FOOD AID NEEDS FOR WFP'S 
DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO FOR CY 2002, THESE ARE CURRENTLY 
ESTIMATED AT 1.2 MILLION TONS VALUED AT USD 389 MILLION. 
BASED ON AN ANALYSIS OF THE EXPECTED LEVEL OF CONTRIBUTIONS 
AND THE AMOUNT OF CARRY-OVER PLEDGES FROM 2001, WFP 
ESTIMATES A CURRENT SHORTFALL OF 571,000 METRIC TONS (USD 
180.2 MILLION), OR 46 PERCENT OF REQUIREMENTS. THE FORECAST 
AVAILABILITY, 660,000 METRIC TONS (USD 208.8 MILLION) 
REPRESENTS THE LOWEST LEVEL OF RESOURCES FOR THE 
DEVELOPMENT CATEGORY OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. 
 
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HARMONIZATION OF PROGRAMMING PROCESSES AMONG THE UN FUNDS 
AND PROGRAMS 
 

 
 
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24. THE BOARD REQUESTED THE SECRETARIAT TO PRODUCE AN 
ADDITIONAL AND MORE DETAILED REPORT PURSUANT TO GENERAL 
ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION A/56/201 "TRIENNIAL POLICY REVIEW OF 
OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED 
NATIONS SYSTEM." IT RECOMMENDED THAT THE RELATIONSHIP 
BETWEEN THE ROME - AND NEW YORK - BASED BOARDS OF THE 
UNITED NATIONS FUNDS AND PROGRAMS BE STRENGTHENED THROUGH 
WFP BOARD PARTICIPATION IN THE JOINT MEETING(S) OF THE 
EXECUTIVE BOARDS OF UNDP/UNFPA AND UNICEF. 
 
25. USDEL APPLAUDED THE RECENTLY ISSUED "IDEAS TO 
STRENGTHEN THE COMMON COUNTRY ASSESSMENT (CCA)/ UNITED 
NATIONS DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK (UNDAF) PROCESS," BY THE 
GOVERNMENTS OF DENMARK, FINLAND, NORWAY AND SWEDEN (OCTOBER 
2001) - THAT MANY COUNTRIES HAVE EITHER DEVELOPED OR ARE 
DEVELOPING BROAD-BASED NATIONAL POVERTY REDUCTION 
STRATEGIES (PRSP) AND HENCE CCA/UNDAF GUIDELINES "BE 
ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THIS MAJOR AND POSITIVE CHANGE." 
 
26. USDEL ALSO SUGGESTED THAT WFP PURSUE WITH OTHER UN 
AGENCIES, AS PART OF THE UNDAF PROCESS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF 
COMMON TOOLS TO MONITOR PROGRESS AND EVALUATE 
OUTCOMES/RESULTS OF THE RESPECTIVE COUNTRY PROGRAMS, AS 
RECOMMENDED AT THE ANNUAL SESSION OF THE UNDP/UNFPA 2001 
EXECUTIVE BOARD. 
 
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PAPER ON NON-FOOD COMPONENTS OF RELIEF INTERVENTION IN THE 
HORN OF AFRICA 
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27. THE PRINCIPAL FINDING OF THIS PAPER RELATED TO THE CY 
2000 DROUGHT IN THE HORN OF AFRICA WAS THAT, IN ORDER TO 
ENABLE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES TO EFFECTIVELY RECOVER FROM 
DROUGHTS OF THIS MAGNITUDE, BOTH FOOD AND NON-FOOD 
SHORTFALLS NEEDED TO BE RESOURCED AS A MATTER OF PRIORITY. 
IN SHORT, IN ADDITION TO FOOD, URGENT DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS 
WERE REQUIRED PARTICULARLY FOR INTERVENTIONS IN THE WATER, 
HEALTH, LIVESTOCK, AGRICULTURAL AND SEED SECTORS. FOOD AID 
ALONE AS AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE IS NOT ENOUGH. 
 
28. USDEL COMMENTED THAT, GIVEN RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, THERE 
IS A CLEAR NEED FOR UN AGENCIES TO BE ABLE TO BETTER 
DEMONSTRATE COST EFFICIENCIES, ECONOMIES OF SCALE, AND THE 
UN'S ABILITY, WHERE APPROPRIATE, TO OBTAIN HOST GOVERNMENT 
SUPPORT. MOREOVER, THE UN AGENCIES NEED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT 
RIGOR IS SYSTEMATICALLY APPLIED TO THE CONSOLIDATED APPEALS 
(CAP) PROCESS IN ORDER TO AVOID "INFLATING THE NUMBERS." 
THE UPCOMING UN CAP REVIEW (MONTREUX) SHOULD PROVIDE A GOOD 
UN INTERAGENCY AND DONOR FORUM TO FURTHER "STREAMLINE" THE 
CAP. 
 
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HOMAGE TO OUTGOING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BERTINI 
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29. ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON FEBRUARY 14, A VIDEO PRESENTATION 
BY UN SECRETARY GENERAL ANNAN, SPEECHES BY IFAD DIRECTOR 
BAGE AND FAO DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL HARCHARIK, WRITTEN 
TESTIMONIES OF UNICEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BELLAMY, UNHCR 
COMMISSIONER LUBBERS, UNDP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MALLOCK 
BROWN, AND THE INTERVENTIONS OF 44 ROME-BASED PERMANENT 
REPRESENTATIONS - CONSTITUTED A MOVING TRIBUTE TO THE TEN 
YEARS OF DEVOTED SERVICE BY CATHERINE BERTINI AT THE HELM 
OF WFP. 
 
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COMMENT 
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30. THERE WAS NO DOWN SIDE TO THIS TRIBUTE. IN SHORT, 
UNIVERSAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF A JOB WELL DONE. INDEED, AS 
ELOQUENTLY EXPRESSED BY UNICEF'S CAROL BELLAMY: "FOR ME, AS 
FOR OTHERS, CATHERINE HAS BEEN MORE THAN A GIFTED LEADER. 
SHE HAS BEEN A GOOD AND LOYAL COLLEAGUE-AND A TRUE FRIEND. 
I WOULD EXPECT NOTHING LESS OF ONE NEW YORK GIRL TO 
ANOTHER-CATHERINE THE UPSTATER AND ME THE CITY GIRL. I 
THINK I SPEAK FOR A MULTITUDE-MILLIONS OF WHOM MAY NEVER 
EVEN KNOW HER NAME-WHO WILL MISS HER VERY MUCH." 
 
31. USAID ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS DID NOT CLEAR THIS CABLE 
PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. HEILEMAN