US embassy cable - 02ROME5788

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 005788 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM AMEMBASSY ROME 
 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
USAID FOR DCHA AA, OFDA, FFP 
STATE FOR AF/W, IO, PRM FOR THOME 
USDA FOR FAS/EC/PDD TILLSWORTH AND 
FAS/ICD FOR KRAMER, LEBLANC 
USUN FOR MLUTZ 
NAIROBI FOR REDSO AND OFDA/ARO 
DAKAR FOR FFP NESTES AND KSTURR 
USEU FOR PLERNER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, PREF, EAGR, AORC, PREF, EAGR, AORC, PREF, EU, WFP, UN, EU EAID, WFP, UN, EU EAID, WFP, UN 
SUBJECT:  WFP'S WEST AFRICA REGIONAL AIRCRAFT EXPANDS 
ITS ROUTING TO INCLUDE COTE D'IVOIRE BUT SOON MAY 
HAVE TO SHUT DOWN OPERATIONS DUE TO FUNDING 
SHORTFALLS 
 
REFS:  A)  CONAKRY 1042   B) ROME 5454 
 
--------- 
SUMMARY 
--------- 
 
1. THE U.N. WORLD FOOD PROGRAM (WFP) HAS ISSUED A NEW 
SPECIAL OPERATION (SO) FOR ITS WEST AFRICA PASSENGER 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05788  01 OF 03  021338Z 
AIRCRAFT SERVICE AND LAST WEEK ISSUED A DONOR'S ALERT 
FOR THE SO.  THE NEW SO REQUESTS 1.2 MILLION USD FOR 
TWELVE MONTHS OF SERVICE.  SINCE EARLY NOVEMBER, WFP 
HAS EXPANDED THE FLIGHT SCHEDULE TO INCLUDE COTE 
D'IVOIRE IN ADDITION TO GUINEA, SIERRA LEONE, AND 
LIBERIA.  IN THE LAST YEAR, A TOTAL OF 5,481 
PASSENGERS FROM MORE THAN 152 ORGANIZATIONS USED THE 
PLANE.  IN ADDITION, 17 MEDICAL EVACUATIONS WERE 
FLOWN.  CURRENT FUNDING FOR THE SO WILL SUPPORT THE 
AIR OPERATION ONLY THROUGH MID-DECEMBER.  IF NO NEW 
FUNDING IS PLEDGED WITHIN THE COMING DAYS, WFP WILL 
BE FORCED TO SHUT DOWN THE OPERATION IN DECEMBER. 
SEE FINAL PARA FOR RECOMMENDATION.  END SUMMARY 
I CANNOT GET RID OF THIS STUPID LINE.  CAN YOU?? 
 
------------- 
BACKGROUND 
------------- 
 
2.  AS REPORTED IN REF TEL A, IN OCTOBER 2001 WFP 
LAUNCHED A SPECIAL OPERATION (SO) FOR PASSENGER 
AIRCRAFT SERVICE TO GUINEA, SIERRA LEONE, AND LIBERIA 
TO SUPPORT HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS. THE COST FOR THE 
FIRST YEAR WAS BUDGETED AT 1.2 MILLION USD (10/07/01- 
10/06/02).  IN FISCAL YEAR 2002, STATE/PRM PROVIDED 
400,000 USD AND USAID/DCHA/OFDA GAVE 225,000 USD TO 
THE SO.  THE IRISH AND SWISS ALSO CONTRIBUTED 
$108,070 AND $134,230 RESPECTIVELY.  THE FLIGHT 
OPERATION IS MANAGED BY THE WFP/GUINEA COUNTRY OFFICE 
AND IS BASED IN CONAKRY. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05788  01 OF 03  021338Z 
 
3.  IN LATE SEPTEMBER, 2002, WFP ISSUED A FOLLOW-ON 
SO TO BEGIN ON OCTOBER 7 FOR ANOTHER YEAR.  THE 
BUDGET REQUESTS 1.2 MILLION USD FOR THE SECOND YEAR. 
 
--------------- 
NEW ROUTING 
--------------- 
 
4.  UNTIL RECENTLY, THE WFP REGIONAL PLANE HAD BEEN 
FLYING INTERNALLY TO SITES IN GUINEA FOUR DAYS A WEEK 
AND ONCE A WEEK MADE A REGIONAL ROTATION TO LIBERIA, 
SIERRA LEONE, AND GUINEA.  ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 
WFP ADDED FLIGHTS TO COTE D'IVOIRE, SERVICING ABIDJAN 
AND YAMOUSSOUKRO, AND MAY SOON ADD BOUAKE, IF NEEDED. 
 
5.  UNDER THE CURRENT SCHEDULE, THE PLANE FLIES ON 
MONDAYS FROM CONAKRY TO KISSIDOUGOU AND N'ZEREKORE IN 
THE FOREST REGION OF GUINEA.  FROM N'ZEREKORE IT GOES 
TO YAMOUSSOUKRO AND ABIDJAN, WHERE IT BEDS FOR THE 
NIGHT.  ON TUESDAYS IT FLIES THE SAME SCHEDULE IN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ6153 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05788  02 OF 03  021338Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00  SRPP-00 
      EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00   E-00     UTED-00  FDRE-01  TEDE-00 
      INR-00   IO-00    L-00     NSAE-00  OES-00   OIC-02   OMB-01 
      SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PRM-00   SAS-00 
        /004W 
                  ------------------1144A3  021422Z /38 
P 021211Z DEC 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7128 
INFO USMISSION GENEVA 
NSC WASHDC 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2447 
AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN 
AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 
AMEMBASSY FREETOWN 
AMEMBASSY MONROVIA 
AMEMBASSY ABUJA 
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USEU BRUSSELS 2977 
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3/J4/J5 
HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4-ID-HA 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05788  02 OF 03  021338Z 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 005788 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM AMEMBASSY ROME 
 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
USAID FOR DCHA AA, OFDA, FFP 
STATE FOR AF/W, IO, PRM FOR THOME 
USDA FOR FAS/EC/PDD TILLSWORTH AND 
FAS/ICD FOR KRAMER, LEBLANC 
USUN FOR MLUTZ 
NAIROBI FOR REDSO AND OFDA/ARO 
DAKAR FOR FFP NESTES AND KSTURR 
USEU FOR PLERNER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS:  EAID, EAGR, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, EU 
SUBJECT:  WFP'S WEST AFRICA REGIONAL AIRCRAFT EXPANDS 
ITS ROUTING TO INCLUDE COTE D'IVOIRE BUT SOON MAY 
HAVE TO SHUT DOWN OPERATIONS DUE TO FUNDING 
SHORTFALLS 
 
REVERSE:  ABIDJAN TO YAMOUSSOUKRO TO N'ZEREKORE TO 
KISSIDOUGOU AND RETURNS TO CONAKRY.  WEDNESDAYS ARE 
DEDICATED TO THE REGIONAL FLIGHT TO FREETOWN, KENEMA, 
MONROVIA, AND CONAKRY.  THURSDAY THE PLANE FLIES FROM 
CONAKRY TO KISSIDOUGOU, N'ZEREKORE AND ABIDJAN. 
FRIDAY IT BEGINS IN ABIDJAN AND GOES TO YAMOUSSOUKRO, 
N'ZEREKORE, KISSIDOUGOU AND RETURNS TO CONAKRY FOR 
THE WEEKEND. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05788  02 OF 03  021338Z 
 
6.  WFP/GUINEA DISTRIBUTES THE SCHEDULE WIDELY AND 
PRIDES ITSELF IN MAINTAINING THE ANNOUNCED SCHEDULE. 
BUT AWARE OF THE CHANGING NEEDS IN THE REGION, WFP IS 
WILLING TO ADJUST THE SCHEDULE AS NEEDED TO BE 
RESPONSIVE TO EMERGING NEEDS. 
 
------------------------------ 
PASSENGER INFORMATION 
------------------------------ 
 
7.  IN THE LAST YEAR (OCTOBER 2001 TO OCTOBER 2002), 
A TOTAL OF 5,481 PASSENGERS FROM MORE THAN 152 
ORGANIZATIONS USED THE PLANE FOR A TOTAL OF 981 
FLIGHT HOURS.  2,520 PASSENGERS WERE FROM 
INTERNATIONAL NGOS AND 2,223 FROM U.N. AGENCIES, 
INCLUDING 882 FROM UNHCR, 849 FROM WFP AND 195 FROM 
UNICEF.  IN JULY, THE PLANE TRANSPORTED 648 
PASSENGERS:  ITS HIGHEST NUMBER OF PASSENGERS IN ONE 
MONTH.  IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THE MONTHLY PASSENGER 
AVERAGE WAS 572. 
 
8.  WFP OPERATES A LET-410 THAT IS REGISTERED IN 
BULGARIA AND IS FLOWN BY BULGARIAN PILOTS.  THE 
AIRCRAFT HAS A 17-SEAT CAPACITY, HOWEVER FOR SAFETY 
REASONS RELATED TO THE TEMPERATURE AND ATMOSPHERIC 
CONDITIONS IN WEST AFRICA, WFP ALLOWS ONLY 12 
PASSENGERS PER FLIGHT. 
 
9.  WFP'S SPECIAL OPERATION COVERS PASSENGER COSTS SO 
THERE IS NO CHARGE TO PASSENGERS.   WFP MAINTAINS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05788  02 OF 03  021338Z 
STRICT PASSENGER APPROVAL PROCEDURES SO THAT ONLY 
LEGITIMATE HUMANITARIAN-RELATED PERSONNEL AND 
MISSIONS ARE ALLOWED TO USE THE PLANE. 
 
10.  THE PLANE IS ALSO USED ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS FOR 
MEDICAL EVACUATIONS AND TO DELIVER FOOD OR NON-FOOD 
ITEMS, AS IT DID IN EARLY OCTOBER TO COTE D'IVOIRE. 
WITHOUT DISRUPTING ITS NORMAL SCHEDULE, WFP AIRLIFTED 
FOUR METRIC TONS OF HIGH-PROTEIN BISCUITS FROM STOCKS 
IN CONAKRY TO YAMOUSSOUKRO TO BE USED FOR THE COTE 
D'IVOIRE CRISIS.  IN THE LAST YEAR, IT HAS FLOWN 17 
MEDICAL EVACUATIONS. 
 
---------------- 
OTHER PLANES 
---------------- 
 
11.  AS REPORTED IN REF A, THE U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER 
FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) OPERATES A REGIONAL AIRCRAFT 
WITH A 10-SEAT CAPACITY.  THE SCHEDULE IS COORDINATED 
WITH WFP'S FLIGHT SCHEDULE, HOWEVER MANY USERS 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ6157 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05788  03 OF 03  021339Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00  SRPP-00 
      EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00   E-00     UTED-00  FDRE-01  TEDE-00 
      INR-00   IO-00    L-00     NSAE-00  OES-00   OIC-02   OMB-01 
      SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PRM-00   SAS-00 
        /004W 
                  ------------------1144BE  021423Z /38 
P 021211Z DEC 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7129 
INFO USMISSION GENEVA 
NSC WASHDC 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2448 
AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN 
AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 
AMEMBASSY FREETOWN 
AMEMBASSY MONROVIA 
AMEMBASSY ABUJA 
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USEU BRUSSELS 2978 
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3/J4/J5 
HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4-ID-HA 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05788  03 OF 03  021339Z 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 005788 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM AMEMBASSY ROME 
 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
USAID FOR DCHA AA, OFDA, FFP 
STATE FOR AF/W, IO, PRM FOR THOME 
USDA FOR FAS/EC/PDD TILLSWORTH AND 
FAS/ICD FOR KRAMER, LEBLANC 
USUN FOR MLUTZ 
NAIROBI FOR REDSO AND OFDA/ARO 
DAKAR FOR FFP NESTES AND KSTURR 
USEU FOR PLERNER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS:  EAID, EAGR, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, EU 
SUBJECT:  WFP'S WEST AFRICA REGIONAL AIRCRAFT EXPANDS 
ITS ROUTING TO INCLUDE COTE D'IVOIRE BUT SOON MAY 
HAVE TO SHUT DOWN OPERATIONS DUE TO FUNDING 
SHORTFALLS 
 
COMPLAIN THAT UNHCR'S PUBLISHED SCHEDULE IS 
UNRELIABLE.  IN ADDITION, UNHCR PERSONNEL ARE 
PRIORITY PASSENGERS FOR THE PLANE, CONSEQUENTLY, NGO 
AND OTHER U.N. AGENCY STAFF ARE OFTEN BUMPED FROM THE 
FLIGHT.  INTERESTINGLY, 882 UNHCR STAFF FLEW ON THE 
WFP PLANE IN THE LAST YEAR--THE LARGEST NUMBER OF 
STAFF FROM ANY ONE ORGANIZATION. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05788  03 OF 03  021339Z 
12.  THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS 
(ICRC) ALSO FLIES A REGIONAL AIRCRAFT.  ICRC HAS TOLD 
WFP STAFF THAT THEY MAY USE IT IN EXTRAORDINARY 
CIRCUMSTANCES SUCH AS MEDICAL EVACUATION, BUT IT IS 
NOT AVAILABLE TO NGOS AND OTHER U.N. AGENCIES.  THE 
ICRC PLANE (10-PASSENGER CAPACITY) IS BASED IN 
FREETOWN, AND FLIES TO THE FOREST REGION OF GUINEA 
TWICE A WEEK. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
COSTS AND POSSIBLE SHUT-DOWN OF SERVICE 
------------------------------------------ 
 
13.  THE COSTS OF MAINTAINING AND FLYING THE WFP 
AIRCRAFT ARE 100,000 USD PER MONTH OR 1.2 MILLION USD 
FOR 12 MONTHS, AS WFP'S NEW FLIGHT SCHEDULE INCREASES 
THE FLIGHT HOURS TO 100 HOURS PER MONTH.  IN THE LAST 
YEAR, WFP AVERAGED 80 FLIGHT HOURS PER MONTH OR 
APPROXIMATELY 75,000-80,000 USD PER MONTH, WHICH 
ALLOWED WFP TO STRETCH ITS FUNDING (OF APPROXIMATELY 
867,300 USD) TO COVER THE 12 MONTHS. 
 
14.  BESIDES THE DONATIONS IT RECEIVED, WFP BORROWED 
DURING THE SUMMER SOME FUNDS FROM OTHER OPERATIONS IN 
ORDER TO COVER GAPS IN FUNDING AND CONTINUE THE 
SERVICE FOR A FEW MONTHS.  WFP HAS NOW REACHED A 
POINT WHERE IT EITHER MUST RECEIVE ADDITIONAL 
DONATIONS OR PLEDGES BY DECEMBER 7 OR SHUT DOWN THE 
OPERATION. 
 
---------- 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05788  03 OF 03  021339Z 
COMMENT 
---------- 
 
15.  THE WFP REGIONAL AIRCRAFT SUPPLIES A VALUED 
SERVICE TO THE REGION'S HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY.  ITS 
DISCONTINUANCE WOULD SEVERELY HAMPER HUMANITARIAN 
OPERATIONS, AS HUMANITARIAN WORKERS AND DONORS WOULD 
BE FORCED TO DRIVE LONG DISTANCES.  (THE DISTANCE 
FROM CONAKRY TO N'ZEREKORE IS 950 KILOMETERS AND 
TAKES 15 HOURS TO TRAVEL, ONE WAY, BY VEHICLE.) 
 
16.  AS PROBLEMS IN THE WEST AFRICA REGION CONTINUE 
TO GENERATE REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED 
PERSONS, THE USEFULNESS OF THE PLANE IN REACHING AND 
SERVICING THESE POPULATIONS IS CLEAR.  U.S. 
MISSION/ROME SUGGESTS THAT STATE/PRM AND USAID/DCHA 
STRONGLY CONSIDER ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THIS SO IN 
FY03. 
 
17.  MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.  HALL 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME05788 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED