Disclaimer: This site has been first put up 15 years ago. Since then I would probably do a couple things differently, but because I've noticed this site had been linked from news outlets, PhD theses and peer rewieved papers and because I really hate the concept of "digital dark age" I've decided to put it back up. There's no chance it can produce any harm now.
| Identifier: | 02ROME5778 |
|---|---|
| Wikileaks: | View 02ROME5778 at Wikileaks.org |
| Origin: | Embassy Rome |
| Created: | 2002-11-29 15:11:00 |
| Classification: | UNCLASSIFIED |
| Tags: | EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EUEAID WFP UN EUEAID WFP UN |
| Redacted: | This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks. |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 005778
SIPDIS
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME
STATE FOR A/S IO HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY, IO/EDA WINNICK
USAID FOR AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, DCHA/PPE LYNCH
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILSWORTH
USUN NEW YORK FOR CSERWER
NAIROBI FOR REDSO
TOKYO FOR USAID REP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, PREF, EAGR, AORC, PREF, EAGR, AORC, PREF, EU, WFP, UN, EUEAID, WFP, UN, EUEAID, WFP, UN
SUBJECT: WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVAL OF PROTRACTED RELIEF
AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) FOR WEST AFRICA COASTAL REGION
- USD 56.81 MILLION
REF: (A) ROME 5308
-------
SUMMARY
-------
1. AT ITS THIRD REGULAR SESSION (OCTOBER 21-25), THE WORLD
FOOD PROGRAM EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVED A PROTRACTED RELIEF
AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) FOR THE WEST AFRICA COASTAL
REGION - ONE YEAR (JANUARY- DECEMBER 2003), VALUED AT USD
56.81 MILLION, TO ASSIST 789,430 (INCLUDING 50,000
CONTINGENCY CASELOAD) BENEFICIARIES/ANNUM. THE WEST AFRICA
COASTAL REGION HAS BEEN IN A STATE OF DEEP CRISIS FOR MANY
YEARS. LIBERIA IS ONCE AGAIN AT THE EPICENTRE OF A CONFLICT
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 ROME 05778 01 OF 03 291636Z
THAT COULD CONTINUE TO SPREAD TO THE REGION. THE CURRENT
CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE HAS ALREADY CAUSED MAJOR INTERNAL
DISPLACEMENTS WITHIN THE COUNTRY (180,000 PEOPLE SINCE 19
SEPTEMBER 2002) AND MAY RESULT IN EVEN LARGER POPULATION
DISPLACEMENTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE WEST AFRICAN REGION,
EFFECTIVELY EXPANDING THE THREAT TO PEACE AND SECURITY WELL
BEYOND COTE D'IVOIRE. END SUMMARY.
----------
BACKGROUND
----------
2. WITH NO SUSTAINABLE POLITICAL SOLUTION IN SIGHT IN
LIBERIA, THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION THERE IS EXPECTED TO
REMAIN CRITICAL THROUGH 2003 AND THE PROSPECTS FOR RECOVERY
IN NEIGHBORING GUINEA AND SIERRA LEONE ARE LIKELY TO SUFFER
AS A RESULT.
3. SIGNIFICANT NEW INFLUXES OF LIBERIAN REFUGEES HAVE BEEN
RECORDED IN SIERRA LEONE, GUINEA AND COTE D'IVOIRE (UP TO A
CERTAIN EXTENT, BEFORE THE CRISIS), DUE TO THE
INTENSIFICATION OF CONFLICT IN LIBERIA, WHICH HAS CREATED A
NEW POPULATION OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (135,300 AS
OF SEPTEMBER 2002). MOREOVER, DEPENDING ON THE EVOLUTION OF
THE CURRENT CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE, POPULATION INFLUXES IN
GUINEA AND LIBERIA ARE TO BE EXPECTED.
4. THE CURRENT PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY (PRRO)
OPERATION (10064.0) IS FACING A SHORTFALL OF 12,688 MT, OR
12 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL REQUIREMENTS. AS THE EARLY RESPONSE
MECHANISMS PROVIDED FOR UNDER THIS REGIONAL OPERATION HAVE
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 04 ROME 05778 01 OF 03 291636Z
BEEN ACTIVATED TO RESPOND TO URGENT FOOD NEEDS IN COTE
D'IVOIRE (INCLUDING THE USE OF WFP AIRCRAFT BASED IN CONAKRY
TO AIRLIFT HIGH-ENERGY BISCUITS TO YAMOUSSOUKRO),
CONTRIBUTIONS ARE URGENTLY NEEDED TO REPLENISH THE PIPELINE
OF THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH "LOANED" RESOURCES TO COTE
D'IVOIRE.
5. SHORTFALLS WILL BECOME PARTICULARLY CRITICAL AT THE
BEGINNING OF 2003, WHEN THE NEW PRRO WILL START. LIBERIA
WILL REPORTEDLY FACE SHORTFALLS FOR MOST OF THE COMMODITIES
AS EARLY AS JANUARY 2003. GUINEA WILL LACK CEREALS, PULSES
AND OIL FROM MARCH 2003 ON. SIERRA LEONE WILL FACE A BREAK
IN ITS PIPELINE IN EARLY 2003, AS REQUIREMENTS ARE LIKELY TO
INCREASE DUE TO THE CURRENT TREND IN THE INFLUX OF LIBERIAN
REFUGEES (75,000 ESTIMATED AT THE END OF 2002). AS FOR COTE
D'IVOIRE, REINTEGRATED IN THE REGIONAL OPERATION AS OF
JANUARY 2003, FOOD COMMODITIES ARE URGENTLY NEEDED INTER
ALIA TO TAKE CARE OF THE CASELOAD OF LIBERIAN REFUGEES IN
NICLA.
--------------------------------------------- -----------
WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVAL OF WEST AFRICA COASTAL PRRO
--------------------------------------------- -----------
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3088
PAGE 01 ROME 05778 02 OF 03 291637Z
ACTION IO-00
INFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 CTME-00
WHA-00 SRPP-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 E-00 UTED-00
TEDE-00 INR-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OIC-02 OMB-01
SSO-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PRM-00 SAS-00
/003W
------------------107D47 292059Z /38
P 291511Z NOV 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7115
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
AMEMBASSY DAKAR
AMEMBASSY BERN
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
USDA FAS WASHDC 2441
USEU BRUSSELS 2971
USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 ROME 05778 02 OF 03 291637Z
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 005778
SIPDIS
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME
STATE FOR A/S IO HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY, IO/EDA WINNICK
USAID FOR AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, DCHA/PPE LYNCH
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILSWORTH
USUN NEW YORK FOR CSERWER
NAIROBI FOR REDSO
TOKYO FOR USAID REP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, EU
SUBJECT: WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVAL OF PROTRACTED RELIEF
AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) FOR WEST AFRICA COASTAL REGION
- USD 56.81 MILLION
6. THE BOARD APPROVED THIS PRRO FOR ONE YEAR (JANUARY
-DECEMBER 2003), VALUED AT USD 56.81 MILLION, TO ASSIST
789,430 BENEFICIARIES (INCLUDING 50,000 CONTINGENCY
CASELOAD). THE BOARD AGREED THAT THIS PROGRAMMING INSTRUMENT
WILL PERMIT WFP TO RESPOND EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO
THE COMPLEX NATURE OF THIS OPERATION. SIMPLY, THE CONTINUOUS
INSTABILITY OF THE REGION REQUIRES MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY IN
THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES, WHERE WFP HAS TO FREQUENTLY
RESPOND TO UNEXPECTED MASS MOVEMENTS OF PEOPLE.
--------------------------
US DELEGATION INTERVENTION
--------------------------
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 ROME 05778 02 OF 03 291637Z
7. USDEL TOOK NOTE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF NON-FOOD ITEMS
(NFIS) IN ANY REFUGEE/IDP OPERATION AND ENCOURAGED WFP TO
WORK CLOSELY WITH UNHCR TO ENSURE THAT THESE ITEMS ARE BEING
PROVIDED BY THE PROPER U.N. AGENCY, SO THAT HIGH-VALUED FOOD
COMMODITIES ARE NOT BARTERED FOR NFIS. THIS, AS WELL AS
POST-DISTRIBUTION MONITORING (THAT CONSTITUTE PART OF THE
REVISED WFP/UNHCR MOU), ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT REQUIRE
CONSTANT VIGILANCE AND DEDICATION BETWEEN THE TWO UN
AGENCIES. USDEL NOTED WFP'S EFFORTS TO BEGIN POST-
DISTRIBUTION MONITORING IN MANY OF ITS OPERATIONS IN WEST
AFRICA, BUT ALSO POINTED OUT THAT SUCH MONITORING IS STILL
MISSING FROM PARTICULAR REFUGEE AND IDP OPERATIONS AND ASKED
THAT THIS BE PROMPTLY RECTIFIED.
8. USDEL FURTHER NOTED THAT ON A RECENT MISSION TO GUINEA
AND LIBERIA, A USAID TEAM FOUND DELAYS AND PROBLEMS WITH
REGISTRATION OF LIBERIAN REFUGEES IN GUINEA AND OF IDPS IN
LIBERIA. IN EACH CASE, THE WFP TEAM IS QUITE AWARE OF THE
PROBLEMS AND WORKING TO RESOLVE THEM, BUT USDEL HIGHLIGHTED
THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMPETENT REGISTRATION PROCESS AS A
PREREQUISITE TO A DISCIPLINED FOOD DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.
9. MOREOVER, USDEL REQUESTED THAT THE RATION SIZE FOR IDPS
IN LIBERIA BE ASSESSED TO ENSURE THAT THE BASIS FOR THE
DISTINCTION BETWEEN 2,100 KILOCALORIES (KC) AND 1,800 KC IS
SOUND. WE EXPECTED THAT THE RESULTS FROM THE UPCOMING FOOD
SECURITY ASSESSMENT OF THE REFUGEES IN GUINEA WOULD ALLOW
FOR A DECREASE IN RATIONS, INSOFAS AS REFUGEES HAVE HEARTILY
ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION.
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 04 ROME 05778 02 OF 03 291637Z
10. FINALLY, IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT THE USAID MISSION TO
GUINEA OBSERVED THE FRUITS OF FAO/WFP COLLABORATION IN AND
AROUND THE REFUGEE CAMPS IN ALBADARIAH IN THE FOREST REGION
(AS FUNDED BY STATE/PRM). AS A RESULT OF THIS INVESTMENT,
THE SIERRA LEONEAN REFUGEES WILL BE RETURNING HOME WITH A
SIGNIFICANT HARVEST. WE EXPRESSED SATISFACTION IN WITNESSING
THE TWO AGENCIES WORKING TOGETHER ON A STRATEGY FOR FOOD
SECURITY IN SIERRA LEONE AND USDEL STRONGLY ENCOURAGED THE
CONTINUATION OF THESE LINKAGES.
-------
COMMENT
-------
11. USMISSION SEES A CONTINUING VITAL ROLE FOR WFP AND ITS
UN SISTER AGENCIES IN RESPONDING TO THE CONTINUING CRISIS IN
THE WEST AFRICA COASTAL REGION. CLEARLY, THE DETERIORATION
OF THE SECURITY SITUATION IN NORTHERN LIBERIA, COUPLED WITH
THE RECENT SECURITY DEVELOPMENTS IN COTE D'IVOIRE, WILL
FURTHER WEAKEN THE ALREADY DEVASTATED SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE REGION. THE CURRENT CRISIS IN COTE
D'IVOIRE HAS ALREADY CAUSED MAJOR INTERNAL DISPLACEMENTS
WITHIN THE COUNTRY (180,000 PEOPLE SINCE 19 SEPTEMBER 2002)
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3093
PAGE 01 ROME 05778 03 OF 03 291637Z
ACTION IO-00
INFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 CTME-00
WHA-00 SRPP-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 E-00 UTED-00
TEDE-00 INR-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OIC-02 OMB-01
SSO-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PRM-00 SAS-00
/003W
------------------107DA7 292100Z /38
P 291511Z NOV 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7116
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
AMEMBASSY DAKAR
AMEMBASSY BERN
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
USDA FAS WASHDC 2442
USEU BRUSSELS 2972
USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 ROME 05778 03 OF 03 291637Z
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 005778
SIPDIS
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME
STATE FOR A/S IO HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY, IO/EDA WINNICK
USAID FOR AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, DCHA/PPE LYNCH
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILSWORTH
USUN NEW YORK FOR CSERWER
NAIROBI FOR REDSO
TOKYO FOR USAID REP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, EU
SUBJECT: WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVAL OF PROTRACTED RELIEF
AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) FOR WEST AFRICA COASTAL REGION
- USD 56.81 MILLION
AND MAY RESULT IN EVEN LARGER POPULATION DISPLACEMENTS IN
OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE WEST AFRICAN REGION, EFFECTIVELY
EXPANDING THE THREAT TO PEACE AND SECURITY WELL BEYOND COTE
D'IVOIRE. 2003 WILL ONCE AGAIN ENGAGE THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY IN REACHING OUT TO SAVE LIVES. HALL
UNCLASSIFIED
>
2002ROME05778 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Latest source of this page is cablebrowser-2, released 2011-10-04