US embassy cable - 02ROME5133

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ROME 005133 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE FOR AMBASSADOR MEECE AND USAID DIRECTOR 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05133  01 OF 04  220735Z 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, DCHA/FFP, 
USAID/GLOBAL/HEALTH, SA/KPOE AND CWHAGELMAN 
STATE FOR U/S GROSSMAN, U/S LARSON, IO ACTING A/S WOOD, A/S 
PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, AFR/SA 
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, RTILSWORTH AND LREICH 
NSC FOR JWDORKEN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, AORC, PREF, EAGR, AORC, PREF, EAGR, AORC, PREF, EAGR, AORC, PREF, EAGR, EU, WFP, UN, EU    EAID, WFP, UN, EU    EAID, WFP, UN, EU    EAID, WFP, UN 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR TONY P. HALL IN MALAWI - "THE JOURNEY IS 
FAR FROM OVER" 
 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. A TEAM LED BY AMBASSADOR TONY HALL VISITED MALAWI OCTOBER 
11-13 AND FOUND THAT RELIEF PROGRAMS TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER AND 
THE SEVERE FOOD SHORTAGE ARE PROGRESSING WELL, ALTHOUGH THE 
NEED TO EXPAND AND ACCELERATE OPERATIONS REMAINS AS MORE AND 
MORE HOUSEHOLDS GO WITHOUT FOOD. NEARLY THIRTY PERCENT OF 
THE COUNTRY'S POPULATION WILL REQUIRE RELIEF ASSISTANCE OVER 
THE PERIOD JANUARY-MARCH 2003 (3.3 MILLION). THE FOOD CRISIS 
HAS BEEN EXACERBATED BY PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS, 
PARTICULARLY HIV/AIDS AND POVERTY. DESPITE A WELL-ORGANIZED 
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE,  LOGISTICAL CONSTRAINTS 
ARE SIGNIFICANT AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SERIOUSLY DISRUPT 
THE TIMELY FLOW OF RELIEF FOOD. END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
BACKGROUND - "GOING TO FUNERALS IN THIS COUNTRY HAS BECOME 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05133  01 OF 04  220735Z 
PART OF THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF EVERYDAY LIFE" 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
2. AMBASSADOR TONY HALL, US MISSION TO ROME; HUMANITARIAN 
ATTACHE TIM LAVELLE; AND SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE AMBASSADOR 
MAX FINBERG, VISITED MALAWI OCTOBER 11-13. IN ADDITION TO 
MEETINGS IN LILONGWE WITH U.S. EMBASSY/USAID, UN AND GOM 
FUNCTIONARIES, THE TEAM SPENT ONE DAY IN THE RURAL 
COUNTRYSIDE REVIEWING UN AND NGO RELIEF OPERATIONS. 
 
3. MALAWI IS A SMALL, LANDLOCKED COUNTRY WHICH IS DENSELY 
POPULATED (10.5 MILLION PEOPLE), POVERTY-STRICKEN AND ALMOST 
ENTIRELY DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. MALAWI, WHICH 
HAS INITIATED AN ECONOMIC REFORM AGENDA, FACES CHALLENGES ON 
SEVERAL FRONTS, AMONG THEM A RAPIDLY GROWING POPULATION, 
LIMITED NATURAL RESOURCES, HIGH LEVELS OF INEQUALITY, AND 
THE CORROSIVE EFFECTS OF RECURRING DROUGHTS, POOR RESOURCE 
MANAGEMENT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION. IN LATE 2000, 
MALAWI WAS APPROVED FOR ASSISTANCE UNDER THE HEAVILY 
INDEBTED POOR COUNTRIES (HIPC) PROGRAM. 
 
4. MOREOVER, MALAWI HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST HIV/AIDS RATES ON 
THE CONTINENT (31 PERCENT HIV PREVALENCE FOR WOMEN IN ANTI- 
NATAL CLINICS COMPARED TO A 12 PERCENT AVERAGE IN SUB- 
SAHARAN AFRICA). AT THE END OF 2001, THERE WERE 850,000 
PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS IN MALAWI, OF WHOM 7.5 PERCENT 
WERE CHILDREN. APPROXIMATELY 16.5 PERCENT OF THE ADULT 
POPULATION IS ESTIMATED TO BE INFECTED. THE LEADING CAUSE OF 
ADULT DEATH, AIDS HAS SERIOUSLY IMPACTED ON THE REDUCTION IN 
LIFE EXPECTANCY FROM 52 TO 37 YEARS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 
THERE ARE MORE THAN 500,000 ORPHANS WHO HAVE LOST AT LEAST 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05133  01 OF 04  220735Z 
ONE PARENT. THE  DFID REPRESENTATIVE, THE UK'S AID AGENCY, 
OBSERVED THAT "AS MUCH AS 75 PERCENT OF THE DISCRETIONARY 
BUDGET OF MANY GOM MINISTRIES GOES TO FUNERAL EXPENSES FOR 
THEIR EMPLOYEES." EACH USG EMPLOYEE WE MET IN COUNTRY HAD 
RECENTLY ATTENDED A FUNERAL. THE STARK CONNECTION BETWEEN 
THE CURRENT FOOD CRISIS AND THE ALARMING HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC 
WAS CLEARLY EVIDENT IN ONE NGO STAFF'S QUOTE: "POVERTY TAKES 
AWAY HOPE, SO WHY NOT HAVE SEX?" 
 
5. MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN IS ENDEMIC (AROUND 30 PERCENT 
OF CHILDREN UNDER FIVE ARE UNDERWEIGHT). 
 
6. THE WORLD BANK/IMF POINT OUT THAT "WHILE MALAWI HAS A 
NUMBER OF SAFETY NET PROGRAMS, THESE HAVE NOT BEEN 
INTEGRATED INTO A COORDINATED STRATEGY (AND HENCE) AS A 
RESULT THE EXISTING PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS ARE CHARACTERIZED 
BY A DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS, GAPS IN COVERAGE, AND COST 
INEFFECTIVENESS." 
 
---------------------------- 
CURRENT HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT 
---------------------------- 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1095 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05133  02 OF 04  220735Z 
ACTION SSO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AF-00    AID-00   ANHR-00  E-00     UTED-00  TEDE-00 
      IO-00    NEA-00   NSCE-00  OIC-02   P-00     SS-00    TEST-00 
      SA-00    PRM-00   SAS-00     /002W 
                  ------------------FC0C28  220739Z /38 
P 220649Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO AMEMBASSY LILONGWE PRIORITY 
SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6457 
USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 2335 
INFO AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY HARARE 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
USEU BRUSSELS 2861 
USMISSION GENEVA 
 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 04 ROME 005133 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE FOR AMBASSADOR MEECE AND USAID DIRECTOR 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05133  02 OF 04  220735Z 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, DCHA/FFP, 
USAID/GLOBAL/HEALTH, SA/KPOE AND CWHAGELMAN 
STATE FOR U/S GROSSMAN, U/S LARSON, IO ACTING A/S WOOD, A/S 
PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, AFR/SA 
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, RTILSWORTH AND LREICH 
NSC FOR JWDORKEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS:     EAID, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, EAGR, EU 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR TONY P. HALL IN MALAWI - "THE JOURNEY IS 
FAR FROM OVER" 
 
7. DUE TO DROUGHT AND FLOODS (FEBRUARY 2002), THE 2002 
HARVEST TURNED OUT TO BE 28 PERCENT BELOW THE FIVE-YEAR 
AVERAGE, AND SIX PERCENT LOWER THAN 2001. MAIZE IMPORT 
REQUIREMENTS IN 2002/2003 (APRIL/MARCH) WERE CALCULATED BY 
THE FAO/WFP MISSION AT 433,000 TONS, INCLUDING 225,000 TONS 
OF COMMERCIAL IMPORTS AND 208,000 TONS OF FOOD AID. (THE 
FOOD AID NUMBER HAS NOW BEEN FURTHER RATCHETED UP TO 236,500 
MTS.) ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, MANY PRIVATE TRADERS HAVE 
EFFECTIVELY WITHDRAWN FROM MAJOR IMPORTATION DUE TO THE COST 
OF FINANCE (LOCAL INTEREST RATES ABOUT 50 PERCENT), 
UNCERTAINTIES OVER THE USD/MALAWI KWACHA EXCHANGE RATE 
(CURRENTLY 80MK = USD 1) AND UNCERTAINTIES OVER GOVERNMENT 
INVOLVEMENT IN PRICE CONTROLS. GOVERNMENT HAS THEREFORE, AS 
IN 2001, ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMMERCIAL GRAIN (MAIZE) 
IMPORTATION. 
 
8. NOTE: OVER THE PAST 10-15 YEARS, MALAWI HAS SHIFTED FROM 
BEING A NATIONALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT PRODUCER OF MAIZE IN NON- 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05133  02 OF 04  220735Z 
DROUGHT YEARS TO BEING DEPENDENT ON COMMERCIAL FOOD IMPORTS 
AND FOREIGN ASSISTANCE TO ACHIEVE A NATIONAL FOOD BALANCE. 
END NOTE. 
 
9. FROM JUNE 2001 LOCAL MAIZE PRICES ROSE DRAMATICALLY. OVER 
THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, PRICES HAVE DROPPED AND BEGUN TO 
STABILIZE BETWEEN M/10-M/15/KG., WHICH IS 50 PERCENT HIGHER 
THAN LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME. MANY HOUSEHOLDS OVERSTRETCHED 
THEIR COPING MECHANISMS LAST YEAR, REDUCING THEIR RESILIENCE 
AND INCREASING THEIR VULNERABILITY IN THE FACE OF CONTINUED 
FOOD SHORTAGES. 
 
10. DESPITE WIDESPREAD REPORTS THAT THE SALE OF GOM'S 
STRATEGIC GRAIN RESERVE LAST YEAR CAUSED THE PRESENT 
SHORTAGES, USAID REFUTED THESE ARGUMENTS. WHILE NOT 
DISMISSING SOME POSSIBILITY OF CORRUPTION, THE SALE OF 
167,000 METRIC TONS OF MAIZE THIS PAST YEAR HAD SOME 
JUSTIFICATION, INCLUDING AGE OF THE STOCK IN STORAGE, 
STORAGE COSTS, AND LACK OF INDICATION OF MAJOR CROP 
SHORTFALLS FOR 2002. WHILE THE GOM-HELD MAIZE RESERVE MIGHT 
HAVE HELPED THE FOOD CRUNCH THIS YEAR, THE AMOUNT SOLD WAS 
TOO MODEST TO HAVE MADE A SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE 
PRESENT CONTEXT. 
 
----------------- 
WHAT THE TEAM SAW 
----------------- 
 
11. ON OCTOBER 12 THE TEAM VISITED A NUMBER OF SITES IN 
SALIMA DISTRICT AND SPOKE WITH A NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES, 
UN, GOM AND NGO STAFF. IN THE FIELD, USAID AND OTHER DONORS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05133  02 OF 04  220735Z 
ARE WORKING THROUGH WFP AND A CONSORTIUM OF NGOS UNDER THE 
LEADERSHIP OF CARE. TWELVE NGOS HAVE TAKEN UP THE DISTRICT 
CO-ORDINATION ROLE IN THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS OF THE 
COUNTRY. 
 
12. IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE PROBLEM OF FOOD INSECURITY RUNS 
DEEP IN MALAWI, AND WILL REQUIRE A LONG-TERM FOCUS. 
PARTICULARLY MENACING IS THE HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC. WE VISITED A 
CENTER RUN BY A LOCAL NGO, SALIMA AIDS SUPPORT ORGANIZATION 
(SASO), AT CHANKUNGU. BEGUN IN 2000 WITH 60 ORPHANS (WHO 
RECEIVE WEEKLY FOOD SUPPLEMENTS AND CHILD-CARE), THE NUMBER 
OF CHILDREN PRESENTLY ENROLLED EQUALS 604. THE CENTER'S 
ADMINISTRATOR TOLD US THAT THE DISTRICT CONTAINED 1,426 
CHILDREN WHO HAD LOST ONE OR MORE PARENTS, LARGELY DUE TO 
AIDS. 
 
13. WE SAW A GENERAL RELIEF FOOD DISTRIBUTION NEAR SALIMA, 
MANAGED BY SAVE/UK. A NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES REPORTED THAT 
THEY HAD CUT DOWN THEIR FOOD CONSUMPTION TO ONE MEAL A DAY. 
WE INQUIRED OF MANY CHILDREN AS TO WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME 
THEY HAD EATEN A MEAL. MANY SAID, "TWO DAYS AGO;" OTHERS 
SAID, "FIVE DAYS AGO." A CUP OF TEA, A SWEET POTATO OR A 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1096 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05133  03 OF 04  220736Z 
ACTION SSO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AF-00    AID-00   ANHR-00  E-00     UTED-00  TEDE-00 
      IO-00    NEA-00   NSCE-00  OIC-02   P-00     SS-00    TEST-00 
      SA-00    PRM-00   SAS-00     /002W 
                  ------------------FC0C2F  220740Z /38 
P 220649Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO AMEMBASSY LILONGWE PRIORITY 
SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6458 
USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 2336 
INFO AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY HARARE 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
USEU BRUSSELS 2862 
USMISSION GENEVA 
 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 04 ROME 005133 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE FOR AMBASSADOR MEECE AND USAID DIRECTOR 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05133  03 OF 04  220736Z 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, DCHA/FFP, 
USAID/GLOBAL/HEALTH, SA/KPOE AND CWHAGELMAN 
STATE FOR U/S GROSSMAN, U/S LARSON, IO ACTING A/S WOOD, A/S 
PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, AFR/SA 
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, RTILSWORTH AND LREICH 
NSC FOR JWDORKEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS:     EAID, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, EAGR, EU 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR TONY P. HALL IN MALAWI - "THE JOURNEY IS 
FAR FROM OVER" 
 
MANGO - WAS ALL MANY PEOPLE HAD EATEN IN THE PAST WEEK. AND 
THE TRADITIONAL "HUNGRY SEASON" IS STILL TWO MONTHS AWAY. WE 
WERE INFORMED THAT NUTRITION REHABILITATION PROGRAMS ARE 
SUPPORTING AN AVERAGE 35,000 CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE WOMEN 
PER MONTH. 
 
14. UNEMPLOYMENT IS HIGH. RURAL WAGES FOR CASUAL LABOR ARE 
ON THE ORDER OF 30 TO 60 KWACHA PER DAY (I.E., ROUGHLY U.S. 
.38 TO .75 CENTS). WE WERE TOLD THAT MOST OF THE POPULATION 
IS NOT ABLE TO AFFORD THE FULL COMMERCIAL PRICE FOR A BAG OF 
MAIZE. THE GOM'S ANSWER IS UNIVERSALLY SUBSIDIZING THE PRICE 
OF MAIZE AT AROUND 17 KWACHA (U.S. .21 CENTS/KILO), MEANING 
THAT THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR THE COMMERCIAL MAIZE 
ARE ALSO BENEFITING FROM THE SUBSIDY. NOTE: OVER THE PERIOD 
SEPTEMBER 2002-MARCH 2003, THE GOM HOPES TO IMPORT 250,000 
MTS (FINANCED BY COMMERCIAL LOANS). THE GOM WILL NOT PROVIDE 
OR DISTRIBUTE HUMANITARIAN FOOD SUPPLIES, WHETHER FOR NORMAL 
DISTRIBUTION OR FOR FEEDING PROGRAMS (THEY EXPECT 
HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS TO DO THIS). END NOTE. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05133  03 OF 04  220736Z 
 
------------------------------- 
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 
------------------------------- 
 
15. MALAWI NEEDS A BETTER SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING AREAS OF 
THE COUNTRY DUE TO LOWER THAN NORMAL PRODUCTION AND/OR AN 
UNEXPECTED FALL IN PURCHASING POWER. AS OF NOW, THERE IS 
LITTLE EMPIRICAL BASIS FOR TARGETING FOOD AID, INSOFAR AS 
DISAGGREGATED INFORMATION ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY IS 
LACKING. 
 
16. THERE NEEDS TO BE A BETTER RATIONALIZATION AND 
PRIORITIZATION OF BOTH NEW AND EXISTING SAFETY NET PROGRAMS. 
 
17. MALAWI WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT FROM A REGULAR TITLE II 
FEEDING PROGRAM, WHICH SHOULD BE DIRECTLY COORDINATED 
THROUGH USAID/MALAWI. SPECIFICALLY, THERE IS A COMPELLING 
NEED TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS OF UNDER-NUTRITION IN 
INFANTS AND EXPECTANT MOTHERS. UNLIKE OTHER COUNTRIES SUCH 
AS INDIA, MALAWI HAS NO PROGRAM THAT DELIVERS A COMBINATION 
OF SERVICES (FOOD SUPPLEMENTS, MICRO-NUTRIENTS, HEALTH 
INPUTS, IMMUNIZATIONS, ETC.) TARGETED TO THE MOST 
NUTRITIONALLY DISADVANTAGED GROUPS IN THE POPULATION (E.G., 
INFANTS AND PREGNANT WOMEN). 
 
18. THE LONG-TERM VALUE OF EDUCATION, PARTICULARLY FOR 
GIRLS, TO IMPROVED NUTRITION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS CANNOT 
BE OVERSTATED. IN THIS CONTEXT, SCHOOL FEEDING INTERVENTIONS 
SHOULD BE SYSTEMATICALLY RATCHETED UP. WFP AND OTHER UN 
AGENCIES SHOULD ACTIVELY PURSUE ADDITIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05133  03 OF 04  220736Z 
COMPLEMENTARY FUNDING TO COVER NON-FOOD COSTS AND ENSURE 
HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION. 
 
19. BOTH THE UN AND NGOS NEED TO QUICKLY INTENSIFY AND 
EXPAND ACTIVITIES TO STRENGTHEN HIV/AIDS INFORMATION 
CAMPAIGNS, CARE FOR ORPHANS, AND TRAINING FOR SERVICE 
PROVIDERS TO BETTER MANAGE THIS TERRIBLE SCOURGE. 
 
20. WFP AND THE UN AGENCIES SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FOOD 
DELIVERIES (WHERE LARGE NUMBERS OF BENEFICIARIES OFTEN WAIT 
FOR HOURS TO RECEIVE THEIR RATION) TO IMPART MOTHER-CHILD 
CARE HEALTH TRAINING AND NUTRITION EDUCATION MESSAGES, 
HIV/AIDS AWARENESS, ETC. WITHOUT MORE COMPLEMENTARY 
PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY REGARDING HIV/AIDS, FOOD AID ALONE WILL 
HARDLY PRODUCE THE RESULTS WE ALL DESIRE. 
 
21. MALAWI IS LIKELY GOING TO BE A NET IMPORTER OF MAIZE IN 
THE FUTURE, BUT THIS NEED NOT BE VIEWED AS A FAILURE. THE UN 
(PARTICULARLY FAO) SHOULD ASSIST WITH DIVERSIFICATION INTO 
HIGHER-VALUE CROPS, AS OPPOSED TO THE CURRENT MONO FOCUS ON 
MAIZE PRODUCTION. NOTE: GIVEN THE RESTRICTIONS ON PROMOTING 
TOBACCO CULTIVATION, OTHER CASH CROPS SHOULD RECEIVE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1097 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05133  04 OF 04  220736Z 
ACTION SSO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AF-00    AID-00   ANHR-00  E-00     UTED-00  TEDE-00 
      IO-00    NEA-00   NSCE-00  OIC-02   P-00     SS-00    TEST-00 
      SA-00    PRM-00   SAS-00     /002W 
                  ------------------FC0C3C  220740Z /38 
P 220649Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO AMEMBASSY LILONGWE PRIORITY 
SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6459 
USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 2337 
INFO AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY HARARE 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
USEU BRUSSELS 2863 
USMISSION GENEVA 
 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 04 ROME 005133 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE FOR AMBASSADOR MEECE AND USAID DIRECTOR 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05133  04 OF 04  220736Z 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, DCHA/FFP, 
USAID/GLOBAL/HEALTH, SA/KPOE AND CWHAGELMAN 
STATE FOR U/S GROSSMAN, U/S LARSON, IO ACTING A/S WOOD, A/S 
PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, AFR/SA 
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, RTILSWORTH AND LREICH 
NSC FOR JWDORKEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS:     EAID, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, EAGR, EU 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR TONY P. HALL IN MALAWI - "THE JOURNEY IS 
FAR FROM OVER" 
 
ATTENTION. END NOTE. 
22. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST KEEP UP THE "DRUM BEAT" 
THAT MALAWI'S HEAVY PARASTATAL INVOLVEMENT IN AGRICULTURAL 
MARKETING NEEDS SUBSTANTIVE REVAMPING TO ALLOW MORE PRIVATE 
SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN THE HANDLING AND DISTRIBUTION OF 
MAIZE AND OTHER STAPLE FOODS TO INCREASE SUPPLIES, LOWER 
PRICES, AND ENSURE GREATER AVAILABILITY TO THOSE WHO CAN 
AFFORD TO PURCHASE. 
 
23. THE REPAIR OF THE NACALA RAIL LINE (BOTH THE 77 
KILOMETERS IN MOZAMBIQUE AND THE 65 KILOMETERS ON THE MALAWI 
SIDE) - NEEDS TO BE A MAJOR PRIORITY OF BOTH THE GOM AND THE 
INTERNATIONAL DONOR COMMUNITY. EVEN RELATIVELY MAJOR REPAIRS 
COULD BE SELF-FINANCING THROUGH SAVINGS ON HUMANITARIAN 
DELIVERIES. 
 
24. WHILE PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON THE BIOTECH FOOD ISSUE, 
THERE IS AT PRESENT LIMITED MILLING CAPACITY IN-COUNTRY. 
THESE LIMITATIONS NEED TO BE FACTORED IN TO ANY 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05133  04 OF 04  220736Z 
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR MILLING GM MAIZE. 
 
25. FINALLY, MALAWI IS FACING A 2002/2003 OVERALL CEREALS 
FOOD AID NEED OF 236,500 MTS AS CONFIRMED BY THE 
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE REPORT ISSUED LAST MONTH. 
USAID/MALAWI RECOMMENDS AN ADDITIONAL USG COMMITMENT OF 
47,568 METRIC TONS OF FOOD ASSISTANCE (BEYOND THE 79,400 MTS 
ALREADY AUTHORIZED), CITING A POSSIBLE PIPELINE BREAK IN 
FEBRUARY 2003.  WE STRONGLY ENDORSE THIS REQUEST. 
HALL 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME05133 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED