US embassy cable - 02ROME5324

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 005324 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, U/S LARSON, 
AFR/SA, PRM/P, EUR/WE AND IO/D 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, AA/AFR, 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05324  01 OF 03  310832Z 
D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, PPC/DC 
USDA/FAS FOR GSM KMILLER AND RTILLSWORTH 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
USUN FOR LSHESTACK 
NSC FOR JDWOKEN 
OMB FOR TSTOLL 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, EU, WFP, UN, EU EAID, WFP, UN, EU EAID, WFP, UN 
SUBJECT:  WFP'S SURGING FOOD AID REQUIREMENTS FOR 2003 - 
REPORT OUT ON WFP'S RESOURCES CONSULTATION OF OCTOBER 25 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. WFP'S PROJECTED 2003 NEEDS (ALL PROJECTS AND OPERATIONS) 
ARE ESTIMATED AT 5.3 MILLION TONS (MTS). EMERGENCY 
OPERATIONS ARE FORECASTED TO REQUIRE 2.6 MILLION MTS, 
EXCLUDING NORTH KOREA, WESTERN SAHEL REGION AND COTE 
D'IVOIRE WHERE ASSESSMENTS ARE STILL IN PROGRESS. PROJECTED 
REQUIREMENTS FOR PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS 
(PRROS) WILL INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY TO 1.9 MILLION MTS, UP 
FROM 1.2 MILLION TONS THIS YEAR. WITH THIS LARGE NUMBER OF 
HIGH PROFILE AND NEEDY OPERATIONS, 2003 IS EXPECTED TO PUT 
CONSIDERABLE STRAIN ON WFP'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS THE FOOD AID 
REQUIREMENTS OF LESS HIGH-PROFILE, YET NO LESS NEEDY PRROS. 
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT NEEDS ARE CALCULATED AT 846,580 MTS, 
RELATED TO 35 APPROVED COUNTRY PROGRAMS, AND STAND-ALONE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05324  01 OF 03  310832Z 
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN 22 COUNTRIES. AMBASSADOR HALL 
AFFIRMED CONTINUING STRONG USG SUPPORT TO WFP'S 
INTERVENTIONS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
WFP RESOURCES CONSULTATION - OCTOBER 25, 2002 - SNAPSHOT OF 
2002 CONTRIBUTIONS 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
2. ON THE FINAL DAY OF THE THIRD REGULAR SESSION OF THE WFP 
EXECUTIVE BOARD (OCTOBER 25), EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JIM MORRIS 
PROVIDED A REVIEW FOR THE DONOR COMMUNITY OF 2002 
CONTRBUTIONS AND ANTICIPATED WFP FOOD AID NEEDS FOR 2003. IN 
2002, DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGH OCTOBER 21 EQUALED USD 
1.51 BILLION, TOWARDS WHICH THE U.S. HAS CONTRIBUTED USD 
846.5 MILLION (56 PERCENT). THIS FUNDING, TOGETHER WITH 
CARRY-OVER PLEDGES AND REPROGRAMMING OF SAVINGS FROM 
PREVIOUS YEARS, HAS MOBILIZED ROUGHLY 3.5 MILLION METRIC 
TONS (MTS) OF FOOD. 
 
3. IN 2002, WFP EMERGENCY FOOD AID REQUIREMENTS AMOUNT TO 
2.8 MILLION MTS, WORTH SOME USD 1.4 BILLION. 36 PROTRACTED 
RELIEF AND RECOVERY (PRRO) OPERATIONS WORLDWIDE REQUIRE AN 
ADDITIONAL 835,623 MTS, VALUED AT USD 493 MILLION. AND 
DEVELOPMENT, REHABILITATION AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS 
PROGRAMS HAVE RECEIVED USD 186 MILLION IN FUNDING, PROVIDING 
608,000 MTS, ABOUT 20 PERCENT SHORT OF THE ANTICIPATED 
DELIVERY LEVEL OF 748,000 MTS. 
 
----------------------- 
WFP'S 2003 REQUIREMENTS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05324  01 OF 03  310832Z 
----------------------- 
 
4. WFP'S PROJECTED 2003 NEEDS (ALL PROJECTS AND OPERATIONS) 
ARE ESTIMATED AT 5.3 MILLION TONS, EXCLUDING ANTICIPATED 
EMERGENCY REQUIREMENTS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC 
OF KOREA AS WELL AS WFP EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CURRENTLY UNDER 
FORMULATION IN THE DROUGHT-AFFECTED WESTERN SAHEL REGION AND 
IN COTE D'IVOIRE WHERE ASSESSMENTS ARE STILL IN PROGRESS. 
GLOBAL PROJECTED REQUIREMENTS ARE SOME 1.4 MILLION TONS 
HIGHER THAN THOSE THAT WERE FORECASTED THIS TIME LAST YEAR. 
2003 ESTIMATED WFP NEEDS INCLUDE 2.6 MILLION METRIC TONS 
(MTS) FOR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS, 1.9 MILLION MTS FOR 
PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS AND 847,000 MTS 
FOR DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS. APPROXIMATELY 75 
PERCENT OF THE 2003 EMERGENCY FOOD REQUIREMENTS ARE 
ATTRIBUTED TO THE MASSIVE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN SOUTHERN 
AFRICA AND THE WIDESPREAD DROUGHT IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA. 
 
5. PROJECTED REQUIREMENTS FOR PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY 
OPERATIONS (PRROS) WILL INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY, UP FROM 1.2 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ2322 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05324  02 OF 03  310832Z 
ACTION SSO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AF-00    AID-00   ANHR-00  EUR-00   E-00     UTED-00 
      TEDE-00  IO-00    NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   SS-00    TEST-00 
      PRM-00   SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------0133E5  310918Z /38 
P 310727Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6675 
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMEMBASSY BEIJING 
AMEMBASSY SEOUL 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY BERN 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2383 
USEU BRUSSELS 2905 
USMISSION GENEVA 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 005324 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, U/S LARSON, 
AFR/SA, PRM/P, EUR/WE AND IO/D 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, AA/AFR, 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05324  02 OF 03  310832Z 
 
D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, PPC/DC 
USDA/FAS FOR GSM KMILLER AND RTILLSWORTH 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
USUN FOR LSHESTACK 
NSC FOR JDWOKEN 
OMB FOR TSTOLL 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS:  EAID, EAGR, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, KUNR, EU 
 
SUBJECT:  WFP'S SURGING FOOD AID REQUIREMENTS FOR 2003 - 
REPORT OUT ON WFP'S RESOURCES CONSULTATION OF OCTOBER 25 
 
MILLION TONS THIS YEAR. THIS IS DUE IN PART TO THE EXPANDING 
PRRO PORTFOLIO, NOW NUMBERED AT 36 OPERATIONS WORLD-WIDE, 
AND IS A RESULT OF DRAMATICALLY INCREASED RELIEF NEEDS IN 
SELECTED OPERATIONS SUCH AS ANGOLA, IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE 
2002 PEACE ACCORD. SIMILARLY, INCREASED PRRO NEEDS ARE 
REPORTED IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND SRI LANKA. IN 
UGANDA, THE ESCALATION IN THE CONFLICT IN THE NORTH HAS 
EXACERBATED THE VULNERABILITY OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED 
PERSONS (IDPS) AND REFUGEES. FUNDING FOR THE ALGERIA PRRO 
(WESTERN SAHARAN REFUGEES) IS BEING REPORTED SEPTEL. 
 
6. WITH THIS LARGE NUMBER OF HIGH PROFILE AND NEEDY 
OPERATIONS, 2003 IS EXPECTED TO PUT CONSIDERABLE STRAIN ON 
WFP'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS THE FOOD AID REQUIREMENTS OF LESS 
HIGH-PROFILE, YET NO LESS NEEDY PRROS, SUCH AS: BANGLADESH, 
ETHIOPIA, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA (EXCLUDING KOSOVO), 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05324  02 OF 03  310832Z 
GUINEA BISSAU, IRAQ, IRAN, KENYA, MYANMAR, NEPAL, SOMALIA 
AND YEMEN. MOST OF THESE OPERATIONS ASSIST VULNERABLE 
REFUGEES AND IDPS WHO DEPEND ALMOST ENTIRELY ON WFP FOR 
THEIR SUSTENANCE. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
AMBASSADOR HALL'S AFFIRMATION OF CONTINUING U.S. SUPPORT TO 
WFP 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
7. AMBASSADOR TONY HALL, IN RESPONDING FOR THE U.S. 
DELEGATION, AFFIRMED THAT WFP CONTINUES TO BE AN IMPORTANT 
PARTNER IN ENSURING THAT MILLIONS OF CHILDREN AROUND THE 
WORLD HAVE A MEAL EVERY DAY.  HE NOTED THAT PRESIDENT BUSH 
SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED WFP IN HIS OCTOBER 23 PROCLAMATION 
FOR UNITED NATIONS DAY, LAUDING WFP FOR "HELPING TO AVERT A 
SEVERE FAMINE THAT THREATENED AFGHANISTAN." 
 
8. HALL CONFIRMED THAT USAID HAD AGREED TO PROVIDE USD 200 
MILLION TO WFP FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF THE TWENTIETH BIENNIUM 
PLEDGE PERIOD (2003-2004).  THIS REPRESENTS A 23 PERCENT 
INCREASE TO USAID'S ANNUAL PLEDGE AMOUNT, AND INCLUDES A 
DOUBLING OF USAID'S CASH CONTRIBUTION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE 
COSTS.  HE REMINDED THAT THIS AMOUNT REPRESENTS A FLOOR FOR 
USAID SUPPORT, NOT A CEILING. 
 
9. HALL ALSO HIGHLIGHTED USAID'S DECISION TO INITIALLY 
PROVIDE 100,000 METRIC TONS OF WHEAT - WITH A VALUE OF USD 
40 MILLION DOLLARS - FOR THE LOOMING CRISIS IN ETHIOPIA, 
WHILE REMINDING THAT THE NEEDS OF THE ENTIRE HORN OF AFRICA 
REGION ARE LIKELY TO BE FAR GREATER. "YET EVEN WITH THESE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05324  02 OF 03  310832Z 
COMMITMENTS, THE U.S. WOULD BE REMISS IN NOT POINTING OUT 
THAT WORLD MARKET PRICES FOR COMMODITIES THIS YEAR HAVE 
SKYROCKETED.  THE PRICE FOR MAIZE AND RELATED PRODUCTS IS UP 
65 PERCENT, WHEAT 60 PERCENT.  DONATIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO 
KEEP PACE WITH THE PRICE INCREASES AND THE OVERALL AMOUNT OF 
ACTUAL FOOD PROVIDED FOR 2003 WILL CERTAINLY BE LESS THAN 
PREVIOUS YEARS.  SURPLUSES AROUND THE WORLD HAVE DWINDLED. 
THE NUMBER OF HUNGRY PEOPLE HAS NOT." 
 
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OTHER DONORS 
------------ 
 
10. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION INCREASED ITS SUPPORT TO WFP IN 
2002 TO APPROXIMATELY USD 154 MILLION, A 50 PERCENT INCREASE 
COMPARED WITH 2001. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM 
HAVE GONE UP FROM USD 27.6 MILLION TO USD 56.7 MILLION. 
GERMANY'S CONTRIBUTIONS ARE UP BY EIGHT PERCENT, AUSTRALIA 
BY 39 PERCENT, NORWAY BY 34 PERCENT AND BOTH SWEDEN AND 
IRELAND BY 26 PERCENT. FINALLY, SAUDI ARABIA HAS DOUBLED ITS 
CONTRIBUTION THIS YEAR TO USD 4.2 MILLION. YET DESPITE THESE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ2324 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05324  03 OF 03  310833Z 
ACTION SSO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AF-00    AID-00   ANHR-00  EUR-00   E-00     UTED-00 
      TEDE-00  IO-00    NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   SS-00    TEST-00 
      PRM-00   SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------0133F9  310918Z /38 
P 310727Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6676 
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMEMBASSY BEIJING 
AMEMBASSY SEOUL 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY BERN 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2384 
USEU BRUSSELS 2906 
USMISSION GENEVA 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 005324 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, U/S LARSON, 
AFR/SA, PRM/P, EUR/WE AND IO/D 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, AA/AFR, 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05324  03 OF 03  310833Z 
D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, PPC/DC 
USDA/FAS FOR GSM KMILLER AND RTILLSWORTH 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
USUN FOR LSHESTACK 
NSC FOR JDWOKEN 
OMB FOR TSTOLL 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS:  EAID, EAGR, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, KUNR, EU 
 
SUBJECT:  WFP'S SURGING FOOD AID REQUIREMENTS FOR 2003 - 
REPORT OUT ON WFP'S RESOURCES CONSULTATION OF OCTOBER 25 
 
ENCOURAGING SIGNS, AS OF OCTOBER 21 (COMPARED 
WITH MID-OCTOBER 2001), OVERALL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DOWN BY 
USD 64.1 MILLION. IT IS NOTED THAT HISTORICALLY STRONG 
SUPPORTERS CANADA AND FRANCE HAVE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY 
LESS THIS YEAR. 
 
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COMMENT 
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11. WAR AND DROUGHT (PARTICULARLY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA) 
HAVE DRASTICALLY RATCHETED UP HUMANITARIAN FOOD AID NEEDS. 
IN 2002, 32 COUNTRIES FACED EXCEPTIONAL FOOD EMERGENCIES, 
WITH AN ESTIMATED 67 MILLION PEOPLE REQUIRING EMERGENCY FOOD 
AID AS A RESULT. UNFORTUNATELY, AS PER WFP'S ESTIMATES, 2003 
PORTENDS MORE OF THE SAME.  HALL 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05324  03 OF 03  310833Z 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002ROME05324 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED