US embassy cable - 02ROME2727

UNCLAS ROME 002727 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION ROME 
 
LUANDA FOR USAID RHELLYER AND HEVANS 
GENEVA FOR RMA FOR NANCE KYLOH 
BRUSSELS FOR KFULLER AND KDEBLAUW 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
USUN FOR LSHESTACK 
NAIROBI FOR ARO AND FFP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, PREF, WFP, UN 
SUBJECT: WFP LOGISTICS-MOVING FOOD AND NON-FOOD ITEMS IN 
ANGOLA 
 
REF:  A) ROME 2065  B) 2711 
 
--------- 
SUMMARY 
--------- 
 
1.  SENIOR EMERGENCY COORDINATOR IN THE U.S. MISSION IN 
ROME TO THE U.N. AGENCIES TRAVELED TO ANGOLA APRIL 13-- 
20 TO REVIEW THE OPERATIONS OF THE U.N. WORLD FOOD 
PROGRAM (WFP) AND THE EMERGENCY COORDINATION UNIT OF THE 
FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATION OF THE U.N. 
(FAO/ECU), AS WELL AS TO LOOK AT THE COMPLEMENTARITY 
BETWEEN THE TWO.  WFP'S PROGRAMS AND FAO/ECU ACTIVITIES 
WERE REPORTED IN REF TELS.  THIS REPORT FOCUSES SOLELY 
ON WFP LOGISTICS ACTIVITIES. 

2.  IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS, WFP WAS ABLE TO INCREASE 
THE PERCENTAGE OF ROAD TRANSPORT VERSUS AIR FOR MOVING 
ITS FOOD COMMODITIES.  WFP IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING A 
REVIEW OF ITS LAND TRANSPORT RATES, IN THE HOPES THAT 
THEY WILL DECREASE IN THE POST-WAR ENVIRONMENT.  FOR THE 
TIME BEING, WFP CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN ITS SECURITY 
SAFEGUARDS FOR ROAD AND AIR TRANSPORT.  THE POOR 
CONDITION OF SOME AIRSTRIPS CONTINUES TO HAMPER WFP'S 
OPERATIONS AND BE A SAFETY CONCERN.  WFP IS MAKING 
CONTINUAL STRIDES TO TIGHTEN AND STRENGTHEN ITS TWO 
SPECIAL OPERATIONS:  THE AIR PASSENGER SERVICE AND THE 
AIRLIFT OF NON-FOOD ITEMS.  SUCH SERVICES ARE CRITICAL 
TO THE OVERALL HUMANITARIAN EFFORT IN ANGOLA AND MERIT 
CONTINUED USG SUPPORT.  SEE PARA 18 FOR RECOMMENDATIONS. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------ 
AIR VERSUS ROAD 
------------------ 
 
3.  THE SEC MET WITH WFP'S LOGISTICS CHIEF, CHRIS NIKOI, 
TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CURRENT CHALLENGES 
FACING WFP'S OPERATIONS.  WFP'S LOGISTICS UNIT ARRANGES 
FOR AND OVERSEES THE MOVEMENT OF ITS FOOD COMMODITIES BY 
ROAD AND AIR, AND ALSO RUNS TWO SPECIAL OPERATIONS 
(SOS), NAMELY THE PASSENGER AIR SERVICE AND THE AIRLIFT 
OF NON-FOOD ITEMS (NFIS) FOR THE HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY. 
 
4.  IN 2001, THE RATIO OF AIR TO ROAD TRANSPORT WAS 60 
PERCENT AIR AND 40 PERCENT ROAD.  SINCE JANUARY OF THIS 
YEAR, WFP WAS ABLE TO INCREASE ROAD TRANSPORT BY ABOUT 
13 PERCENT, SO THAT THE RATIO HAS IMPROVED TO 47 PERCENT 
AIR AND 53 PERCENT ROAD. 
 
5.  GIVEN THE NEW OPERATIONAL SCENARIO IN-COUNTRY, I.E., 
NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR ROAD TRANSPORTATION, NEWLY 
ACCESSIBLE AREAS IN NEED OF HUMANITARIAN AID, THE 
POSSIBLE RETURN OF REFUGEES, AND THE NEED FOR FOOD 
ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES OF EX-UNITA COMBATANTS, WFP'S 
TRANSPORT CHALLENGES MAY INCREASE ALONGSIDE THE 
PROGRAMMATIC CHALLENGES AS REPORTED IN REF TEL A. 
NONETHELESS, WFP RE-TENDERED THE CONTRACTS FOR ROAD 
TRANSPORT IN THE LAST PART OF MAY TO SURVEY THE 
TRANSPORT MARKET IN THE CHANGED ENVIRONMENT.  IN TANDEM, 
WFP IS CONDUCTING A LAND, TRANSPORT, SHIPPING AND 
HANDLING (LTSH) REVIEW TO SEE IF THERE ARE CORRIDORS 
WHERE THE LTSH RATE CAN BE REDUCED.  WFP HOPES THE 
INCREASED POSSIBILITIES FOR ROAD TRANSPORT WOULD RESULT 
IN A REDUCTION IN THE LTSH RATE, NOTWITHSTANDING 
CHALLENGES IMPOSED BY THE VERY POOR STATE OF ROAD 
INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COUNTRY AND THAT AREAS TO BE 
SERVICED HAVE NOW INCREASED. 
 
6.  NOTE:  WITH THE NUMBER OF INCREASED NEEDS AND SITES, 
SOME OF WHICH ARE LOCATED IN REMOTE LOCATIONS, IT IS 
FORESEEABLE THAT THE NEED FOR AIR TRANSPORT COULD 
INCREASE IN THE SHORT TERM.  THE POTENTIAL FOR BANDITRY 
IS ALSO A VALID CONCERN.  END NOTE. 
 
-------------------------------- 
LINGERING SECURITY PRECAUTIONS 
-------------------------------- 
 
7.  IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT FOR REASONS OF SECURITY, THE 
COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTERS CONTINUE TO USE ARMED FORCES OF 
ANGOLA (FAA) ESCORTS FOR SOME CORRIDORS.  IN ADDITION, 
WFP PLANES CONTINUE TO SPIRAL INTO THE PROVINCIAL 
CAPITALS WHEN ARRIVING AND DEPARTING.  WFP PLANS TO 
MAINTAIN THESE SAFETY PRACTICES FOR THE FORESEEABLE 
FUTURE, BUT HAS BEGUN INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THE 
POSSIBILITY OF REVISING THESE SAFETY OPERATIONAL 
PROCEDURES. 
 
---------------------------------- 
AIRSTRIPS-THE PERENNIAL PROBLEM 
---------------------------------- 
 
8.  THE POOR CONDITION OF MANY OF THE AIRSTRIPS HAS BEEN 
A MATTER OF PERPETUAL DIALOGUE IN ANGOLA.  DURING THE 
SEC'S VISIT, WFP HAD JUST RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE 
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS THAT OUTLINED A SCHEDULE FOR 
MAINTENANCE OF THE KUITO AIRSTRIP, WHEREBY THE AIRSTRIP 
WILL BE OPEN FOR 10 DAYS FOR FLIGHTS AND THEN CLOSED FOR 
TWO WEEKS OF MAINTENANCE.  THE MINISTRY INTENDS TO 
CONTINUE THIS SCHEDULE FOR THE COMING MONTHS.  (COMMENT: 
THIS IS A VERY WELCOME GESTURE FROM THE MINISTRY, AS THE 
APPALLING CONDITION OF THE KUITO AIRSTRIP HAS BEEN A 
MATTER OF MANY DEBATES OVER THE PAST YEARS.  LET'S HOPE 
THE GRA'S INTENTIONS ARE GENUINE.  END COMMENT.) 
 
9.  THE LOGISTICS CHIEF VOICED A SIMILAR CONCERN ABOUT 
THE LUENA AIRSTRIP, AS IT ALSO REQUIRES MAINTENANCE. 
THE TONNAGE NEEDS IN LUENA ARE SO HIGH, SHUTTING DOWN 
THE AIRSTRIP FOR EVEN A FEW DAYS COULD HAVE A 
DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE STATUS OF THE BENEFICIARIES. 
THUS, REGULAR MAINTENANCE IS NECESSARY, BUT THE AIRSTRIP 
CANNOT BE CLOSED FOR SEVERAL CONSECUTIVE DAYS.  WFP IS 
FLYING TWO TO THREE FLIGHTS A DAY, FIVE TO SIX DAYS A 
WEEK INTO LUENA AS IT IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY AIR.  DUE TO 
THE PHYSICAL DISTANCE THAT EXISTS BETWEEN LUENA AND A 
PORT, WFP CANNOT BEGIN ROAD DELIVERIES INTO LUENA UNTIL 
SEVERAL BRIDGES IN SEVERAL PROVINCES ARE REPAIRED.  THE 
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OF THE BRIDGES BELONGS TO 
THE GRA. 
 
10.  WHERE POSSIBLE, WFP TRIES TO KEEP A BUFFER STOCK OF 
TWO WEEKS IN THE PROVINCES TO PROVIDE FOR UNFORESEEN 
CLOSURES OF THE AIRSTRIPS. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
SPECIAL OPERATIONS:  AIR PASSENGER SERVICE 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
11.  UNDER THIS SO, WFP RUNS FOUR KING AIR AND ONE 
CARAVAN AIRCRAFT.  THIS IS A SERVICE THAT WFP HAS 
MANAGED FOR MANY YEARS IN ANGOLA, AND HAS BEEN FUNDED 
CONSISTENTLY BY USAID/DCHA/OFDA. 
 
12.  NIKOI EXPLAINED THAT HE HAS BEEN TRYING TO BE MORE 
AGGRESSIVE ABOUT ENSURING THAT THE PEOPLE WHO FLY ON THE 
PLANE ARE INDEED LEGITIMATE PASSENGERS, I.E. FROM THE 
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY.  HE HAS ASKED NGOS, EMBASSIES, 
AND U.N. AGENCIES TO SUBMIT POSSIBLE NAMES OF TRAVELERS, 
THAT THEN CAN BE CROSS-CHECKED WITH SUBMITTED NAMES FOR 
EACH SCHEDULED FLIGHT.  IN ADDITION, WFP IS CONSIDERING 
A "NO-SHOW" POLICY, WHEREBY AN ORGANIZATION IS PENALIZED 
FOR RESERVING A SEAT, BUT NOT SHOWING UP FOR THE FLIGHT. 
 
13.  FOLLOWING THE VISIT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CIVILIAN 
AVIATION ORGANIZATION (ICAO) LAST YEAR, WFP HAS REMOVED 
FROM ITS ROSTER SOME AIR OPERATORS THAT DID NOT PASS 
ACCREDITATION.  ONCE THE OPERATORS CAN PROVE THAT THE 
NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS FOR ACCREDITATION HAVE BEEN MADE, 
THEY WILL BE REINSTATED TO WFP'S LIST. 
 
14.  COMMENT:  IN LATE 1999 AFTER THE CRASH OF THE WFP 
PLANE IN KOSOVO, THE U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL REQUESTED 
ICAO TO REVIEW THE AIR OPERATIONS (OPS) OF ALL U.N. 
AGENCIES.  ICAO BEGAN ITS REVIEW OF WFP AIR OPS IN THE 
FOURTH QUARTER OF 2000, AND SINCE THEN, WFP HAS MADE 
TREMENDOUS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE ITS SAFETY AND OPERATING 
PROCEDURES IN ALL ITS AIR OPS WORLDWIDE.  WFP/ANGOLA'S 
EFFORTS OUTLINED ABOVE ARE PROOF OF ITS CONTINUING 
STRIDES TO IMPROVE.  END COMMENT. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
SPECIAL OPERATIONS:  AIR TRANSPORT OF NON-FOOD ITEMS 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
15.  THIS SO BEGAN IN 1997 BUT HAS SUFFERED FROM 
CONTINUED FUNDING PROBLEMS.  IT IS ALSO A RATHER 
COMPLICATED OPERATION.  NGOS AND UN AGENCIES SUBMIT 
REQUESTS TO WFP TO AIRLIFT A PARTICULAR QUANTITY OF NFIS 
TO ONE OR MORE LOCATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR OPERATIONS. 
AS ONE NGO'S OR UN AGENCY'S GOODS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO 
FILL A PLANE (17 TONS), WFP CONSOLIDATES THE REQUESTS IN 
ORDER TO SEND FULL PLANE LOADS TO A DESTINATION. IN 
ADDITION, THE NFIS MUST BE PRIORITIZED, AND SOMETIMES 
PRIORITIES CHANGE WITH THE SEASON WHICH AFFECTS THE 
TIMING OF THE TRANSPORT. 
 
16.  WFP DOES NOT LIKE TO TRANSPORT NFIS ON THE SAME 
PLANE AS THE FOOD FOR TWO REASONS:  1) DOING SO SLOWS 
DOWN THE TURN-AROUND TIME FOR THE PLANES IN LOADING AND 
UNLOADING FOOD AND 2) DELIVERY OF NFIS TO THE AIRPORT BY 
NGOS TENDS TO BE UNRELIABLE AND THEREFORE CREATES 
OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS IF SCHEDULED WITH FOOD FLIGHTS. 
GENERALLY, NFI FLIGHTS ARE SCHEDULED ON SATURDAYS, 
EXCEPT WHEN THE ITEMS ARE OF AN EMERGENCY NATURE. 
 
17.  SEVERAL NGOS, AS WELL AS THE FAO/ECU, EXPRESSED 
FRUSTRATION TO THE SEC REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF THE 
WFP PLANE FOR NFI TRANSPORT.  IN AN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS 
THE CRITICISMS AND FRUSTRATION, NIKOI WANTS TO ARRANGE 
QUARTERLY PRIORITIZATION MEETINGS WHERE IT IS DECIDED 
WHAT ITEMS WOULD BE THE PRIORITY FOR THE UPCOMING THREE 
MONTHS.  THIS WOULD HELP TO DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF 
DISGRUNTLEMENT.  WFP ALSO IS TRYING TO COMMISSION A 
SOFTWARE PACKAGE FOR TRACKING NFIS, SO THAT 
COMMUNICATION REGARDING THE POTENTIAL MOVEMENT AND PAST 
MOVEMENTS OF NFIS IMPROVES BETWEEN THE REQUESTING BODY 
AND WFP. 
 
------------------ 
RECOMMENDATIONS 
------------------ 
 
18.  RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 
 
-  THE USG SHOULD SUPPORT WFP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN ITS 
QUEST TO GET THE GRA TO REPAIR CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION 
LINKS IN THE PROVINCES, MOST NOTABLY AIRSTRIPS AND 
BRIDGES. 

-  IT IS SUGGESTED THAT USAID/DCHA/OFDA CONTINUE ITS 
SUPPORT OF BOTH WFP SPECIAL OPERATIONS, AS THEY ARE 
PLAYING A CRITICAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE 
HUMANITARIAN EFFORT, AND WILL BE NEEDED FOR SOME TIME 
YET.  HEILEMAN