US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA1031

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001031 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C 
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS USDA - MARY CHAMBLISS 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER AND USDA ATTACHE 
 
FROM BRAZZAVILLE EMBASSY OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, EAID, CF 
SUBJECT:  CONGO/B:  Reclamma for Loss of Crucial USDA Food 
for Education Funding 
 
REF A: KINSHASA 00697 
REF B: 04 KINSHASA 00076 
REF C: Sanders-to-Chambliss 4/14/05 email 
 
1.  Post understands that recipient countries for USDA's 
2005 Food for Education program have been selected and, that 
Republic of Congo (ROC) is not slated to receive funding or 
have its program renewed (Ref A).  The Embassy would again 
like to submit as a reclamma the importance of this program 
for the Republic of Congo (as it did last year, Ref B).  In 
addition, it has come to post's attention that important key 
indicators used by USDA to make funding decisions may be 
based on pre-civil war data (from the late 1990s) which is 
no longer accurate.  The current post-conflict situation in 
Congo is accurately reflected in paragraph 3.  The Embassy 
strongly supports this program and would like to request 
that USDA reconsider ROC for the 2005 selection, or if that 
is not possible, we would hope that ROC would be on the list 
for any end of the year or unprogrammed funds. 
 
2.  The USDA Food for Education (FFE) Program has been 
critical in addressing education issues all over the country 
stemming from six years of civil conflict from 1997 to 2001. 
It is one of the major bilateral assistance programs between 
the U.S. and ROC.  Congo/B is a post conflict country with 
dire education needs.  The program reaches more than 5,000 
children, including at-risk groups like pygmies.  In 
addition, a recently jointly launched USDA-African Education 
Initiative (AEI) program aimed at establishing gardening 
projects in schools had anticipated working off the 
synergies of FFE.  Ultimately the goal is to help provide 
food security that could eventually reduce or even eliminate 
the need for direct food assistance programs to the target 
population.  The lack of FFE program not only puts at risk 
the gains already made, but threatens the effectiveness of 
this new USDA-AEI program. 
 
3.  Post would like to submit several updated statistics or 
on-the-ground estimates to provide a more current and 
accurate post-conflict picture of the need for this program 
in the Republic of Congo.  Current data on the program 
criteria listed below are: 
 
    A.  Per capita income below $2,000 - the World Bank 
reported a figure of $650 in 2003. 
 
    B.  Net food importer - latest UN World Food Program 
data indicate that Congo/B is a net food importing country, 
with food imports accounting for as much of 30 percent of 
total annual imports. 
 
    C.  Prevalence of undernourishment among the population 
greater than 20 percent - A 2000 FAO report cites 1995-97 
data that 34 percent of the population is undernourished. 
It should be noted that these data predate the 1997-1999 war 
period and the current post-conflict environment and 
therefore one would expect that the figure is higher at the 
present. 
 
    D.  Free from conflict that would impede implementation 
- Congo/B is a post-conflict country that has made 
significant strides in the last two years, so much so that 
it recently obtained an IMF Poverty Reduction Growth 
Facility (PRGF).  The current FFE project has not/not 
suffered implementation problems and future programs would 
only enhance progress and development. 
 
    E.  Government support for education - The government is 
very supportive of education programs and has worked very 
cooperatively with the Embassy and NGO communities on 
improving the condition of education in the country.  There 
is also a focus on education in the national strategy 
planned under the PRGF. 
 
    F.  Adult female literacy rate below 65 percent - The 
adult literacy rate is not currently known but best post, 
local NGO, and international organization estimates, cited 
in the 2004 Human Rights Report, give a figure of about 40 
percent for all adults.  The rate for women would be 
predicted to be still lower, at about 25 to 30 percent.  The 
sharp decline from earlier relatively high literacy rates is 
due to widespread destruction of the educational system 
during the 1990s civil wars. 
 
    G. Primary education completion rate below 65 percent - 
World Bank's figure for 2002 is 47.2 percent.  It would be 
expected that the figure is probably somewhat worse than 
that figure at present, even though some positive trends are 
beginning to be observed in attendance and completion at the 
primary school level.  The FFE has played a key role in 
improving this figure slightly and future FFE funding could 
help continue this upward trend. 
    H. Rate of underweight children at least 20 percent - 
though there is no national data that post could find on 
this measure, the UN World Food Program has some figures 
from the 1995-97 for several regions that vary from 17 
percent to almost 40 percent.  Post believes that the 
situation has only worsened since that period and that any 
national figure, if it were available, would be at a working 
level of at least 20 percent. 
 
4.  Embassy Brazzaville appreciates all the support over the 
last 2 years by USDA and would like to request that USDA 
reconsider its decision, and renew IPHD's funding for the 
Food for Education Program or consider any fallout funds. 
 
5. Brazzaville Embassy Office - Sanders 
Meece