US embassy cable - 03ROME589

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Identifier:	03ROME589
Wikileaks:	View 03ROME589 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Rome
Created:	2003-02-13 12:28:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	EAID EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ROME 000589

SIPDIS

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 00589 01 OF 05 131315Z
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, U/S LARSON,
AFR/SA, PRM/P, EUR/WE, EUR/NE AND IO/EDA WINNICK
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER,
DAA/DCHA/GRIGSBY, AA/AFR, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, PPC/DC
USDA/FAS FOR GSM KMILLER, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILLSWORTH
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE FOR AMBASSADOR HUDDLE
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID
BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER
USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE, CSERWER AND MLUTZ
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
OMB FOR TSTOLL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, EU, WFP, UN, EU EAID, WFP, UN, EU EAID, WFP, UN, EU EAID, WFP, UN, EU EAID, WFP, UN
SUBJECT: FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM
EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 5-7, 2003

REF: (A) ROME 00341

-------
SUMMARY
-------

1. THE WFP BOARD SESSION TOOK PLACE AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF
EVER-INCREASING EMERGENCY NEEDS (PARTICULARLY IN AFRICA
WHERE 38 MILLION PEOPLE FACE STARVATION) AND HOW BEST TO
PROVIDE THE NECESSARY LEVEL OF RESOURCES (4.8 MILLION METRIC
TONS VALUED AT U.S. DOLLARS 2.4 BILLION) TO ENSURE AN
ADEQUATE LEVEL OF EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR WFP. U.S. DOLLARS
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 00589 01 OF 05 131315Z
465.6 MILLION IN PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS
(PRROS) FOR AFGHANISTAN, TAJIKISTAN, NEPAL, DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND SUDAN - WERE APPROVED. WFP AND UNAIDS
(REPRESENTED BY DR. PETER PIOT) CALLED FOR A RADICAL AND
URGENT APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE FATAL LINKS BETWEEN HIV/AIDS,
CHRONIC FOOD SHORTAGES AND MALNUTRITION. US MISSION
AMBASSADOR TONY HALL NOTED THAT AIDS IS RAPIDLY WIPING OUT
DECADES OF DEVELOPMENT WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO REGIONAL
INSTABILITY AND THAT EVERY UN ORGANIZATION AND ALL OF US
NEED TO COMMIT OURSELVES TO COMBATING THIS TERRIBLE
PANDEMIC. END SUMMARY.

--------------------------------------------- ----
WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ENUMERATES 2003 CHALLENGES
--------------------------------------------- ----

2. WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JIM MORRIS LISTED 2003 NEEDS FOR
FOOD ASSISTANCE AS UNPRECEDENTED - 4.8 MILLION METRIC TONS,
AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF U.S. DOLLARS 2.4 BILLION, A 28
PERCENT INCREASE IN BUDGET REQUIREMENTS OVER LAST YEAR. THE
NEEDS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA ALONE, ESTIMATED AT U.S. DOLLARS
1.8 BILLION, EQUAL THE 2002 WORLDWIDE WFP PROGRAM BUDGET.
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS (EMOPS) WILL REQUIRE U.S. DOLLARS 1.2
BILLION (2.4 MILLION MTS), PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY
OPERATIONS (PRROS) U.S. DOLLARS 893 MILLION (1.6 MILLION
MTS), AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES (LARGELY SCHOOL FEEDING AND
MOTHER-CHILD CARE), U.S DOLLARS 340 MILLION (844,000 MTS).
MORRIS ANNOUNCED RECEIPT OF A CASH CONTRIBUTION FROM THE
OPEC FUND OF U.S. DOLLARS 10 MILLION.

3. MORRIS REPORTED ON HIS RECENT TRIPS TO THE HORN, SOUTHERN
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 00589 01 OF 05 131315Z
AFRICA AND ANGOLA. ON ETHIOPIA, HE REMARKED THAT ETHIOPIA
HAS THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA RELIEF INPUT IN THE WORLD AND THE
WORLD'S LOWEST PER CAPITA DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT. FOR
SOUTHERN AFRICA, HE ESTIMATED THAT FOOD AID NEEDS IN 2003
WOULD REMAIN ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS IN 2002, CITING
PARTICULARLY BAD GOVERNANCE IN ZIMBABWE AND THE DEVASTATING
IMPACT OF HIV/AIDS ON AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT THROUGHOUT THE
REGION. HE UNDERLINED THE TRAGEDY ASSOCIATED WITH TODAY'S 11
MILLION HIV/AIDS ORPHANS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. ON DPRK,
MORRIS MENTIONED THAT THE EMERGENCY OPERATION FOR 2003 IS 10
PERCENT FUNDED TO DATE, MEANING THAT IN ALL PROBABILITY WFP
WILL BE UNABLE TO REACH UP TO 2.9 MILLION OF ITS INTENDED
BENEFICIARIES DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR. ON PRIVATE
SECTOR SUPPORT, HE COMMENTED ON A U.S. DOLLAR 5 MILLION
COMMITMENT FROM THE DUTCH CONGLOMERATE TPG WHOSE 150,000
EMPLOYEES WILL SUPPORT CERTAIN WFP SCHOOL FEEDING OPERATIONS
FOR A YEAR.

4. IN THE U.S. INTERVENTION, AMBASSADOR HALL NOTED THAT THE

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3457

PAGE 01 ROME 00589 02 OF 05 131315Z
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
------------------35B97A 131610Z /38
P 131228Z FEB 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8218
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY KABUL
AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY BERN

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
USDA FAS WASHDC 2530
USEU BRUSSELS 3109
USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 05 ROME 000589

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PAGE 02 ROME 00589 02 OF 05 131315Z
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, KUNR, EU
SUBJECT: FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM
EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 5-7, 2003

UNITED STATES HAS COMMITTED MORE THAN 500,000 METRIC TONS OF
FOOD TO FEED FAMINE VICTIMS IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA, WITH
ALMOST HALF OF THAT FOOD HAVING ALREADY BEEN DELIVERED AND
MORE FOOD PLEDGES PENDING. HALL URGED BOTH WFP AND DONORS TO
ENCOURAGE THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP A TRANSITIONAL
FRAMEWORK TO PROTECT AND BUILD ASSETS FOR ITS FOUR MILLION
PREDICTABLY FOOD-INSECURE CASELOAD.

--------------------------------------------- --------
DRAFT ANNOTATED OUTLINE: WFP STRATEGIC PLAN 2004-2007
--------------------------------------------- --------

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 00589 02 OF 05 131315Z
5. WFP PRESENTED ITS DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN ANNOTATED OUTLINE
2004-2007 (REF A) WHICH WILL BE FORMALLY REVIEWED AT THE
OCTOBER 2003 BOARD. WFP LISTS FOUR PROGRAM WORK OBJECTIVES:
A) SUPPORTING UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION AND REDUCING
GENDER DISPARITY IN ACCESS TO EDUCATION; B) SUPPORTING
IMPROVED HEALTH OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE GROUPS THROUGH
NUTRITION EDUCATION; C) SAVING LIVES IN CRISIS SITUATIONS;
AND D) PRESERVING LIVELIHOODS IN CRISIS SITUATIONS. TWO OF
THE FOUR CORE THEMES DESCRIBE HUMANITARIAN OBJECTIVES.
GENDER CONSIDERATIONS APPLY TO ALL THEMES.

6. DAA/DCHA GRIGSBY UNDERLINED USDEL'S CONCERN THAT THE
DRAFT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AS PRESENTED WAS OVERLY
OPTIMISTIC. HE QUESTIONED WFP'S CAPACITY TO PROMOTE LONGER-
TERM SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, GIVEN WFP'S PRIMARY MISSION
(IN USDEL'S VIEW) OF DELIVERING FOOD AND SAVING LIVES IN
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. USDEL SHARED COPIES OF THE DRAFT USAID-
COMMISSIONED "FOOD AID AND FOOD INSECURITY - USAID STRATEGIC
PLAN 2004-2009" (P. WEBB AND B. ROGERS), WHICH FOCUSES
"ATTENTION TO RISKS AND RESILIENCIES (WHICH IN TURN)
FACILITATES ATTENTION TO DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABILITY."

--------------------------------------------- -------------
PROGRAMMING IN THE ERA OF AIDS: WFP'S RESPONSE TO HIV/AIDS
--------------------------------------------- -------------

7. WFP AND UNAIDS (REPRESENTED BY DR. PETER PIOT) SIGNED AN
AGREEMENT ON FEBRUARY 6 WHICH CALLS FOR A RADICAL AND URGENT
APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE FATAL LINKS BETWEEN HIV/AIDS,
CHRONIC FOOD SHORTAGES AND MALNUTRITION. THE BOARD ENDORSED
WFP'S INCORPORATION OF HIV/AIDS CONCERNS IN ALL OF ITS
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 00589 02 OF 05 131315Z
PROGRAMMING CATEGORIES. FOOD INSECURITY DRIVEN BY AIDS CAN
BE ADDRESSED DIRECTLY THROUGH WFP PROGRAMS, AND WFP
ACTIVITIES CAN BE USED AS PLATFORMS FOR OTHER TYPES OF
HIV/AIDS EFFORTS, SUCH AS PREVENTION EDUCATION. WFP WILL
WORK PARTICULARLY CLOSELY WITH UNAIDS CO-SPONSORS AND THE
UNAIDS SECRETARIAT IN THIS REGARD. MOREOVER, WFP WILL ADJUST
PROGRAMMING TOOLS SUCH AS NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, VULNERABILITY
ANALYSIS, THE DESIGN OF RATIONS AND OTHER NUTRITION-RELATED
ACTIVITIES AS INFORMATION AND RESEARCH RESULTS BECOME
AVAILABLE TO REFLECT THE NEW REALITY PRESENTED BY HIV/AIDS.
FINALLY, WHEN HIV/AIDS THREATENS FOOD SECURITY AND
INFLUENCES MORTALITY, WFP WILL CONSIDER HIV/AIDS AS A BASIC
COMPONENT OF A PRRO, CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT WFP POLICY ON
PRROS.

8. AMBASSADOR HALL NOTED THAT AIDS IS RAPIDLY WIPING OUT
DECADES OF DEVELOPMENT WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO REGIONAL
INSTABILITY AND THAT EVERY UN ORGANIZATION AND ALL OF US
NEED TO COMMIT OURSELVES TO COMBATING THIS TERRIBLE

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3456

PAGE 01 ROME 00589 03 OF 05 131315Z
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
------------------35B986 131609Z /38
P 131228Z FEB 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8219
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY KABUL
AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY BERN

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
USDA FAS WASHDC 2531
USEU BRUSSELS 3110
USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 05 ROME 000589

SIPDIS

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 00589 03 OF 05 131315Z
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, KUNR, EU
SUBJECT: FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM
EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 5-7, 2003

PANDEMIC. HE UNDERLINED THAT THE UNITED STATES IS THE
LARGEST PROVIDER OF INTERNATIONAL HIV/AIDS FUNDING - IN FY
2002 SOME U.S. DOLLARS 1.17 BILLION WAS SPENT TO FIGHT THE
GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND WE INTEND TO PROVIDE MORE THAN U.S.
DOLLARS 1.3 BILLION IN 2003. HALL ENCOURAGED WFP TO WORK
CLOSELY WITH ITS UN PARTNERS IN ESTABLISHING STANDARD
INDICATORS AND METHODS FOR INCORPORATING HIV/AIDS IN FOOD
SECURITY, CROP AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS. HE REQUESTED
WFP AND THE UN AGENCIES TO 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
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 00589 03 OF 05 131315Z
AWARENESS, ETC. FINALLY, HALL URGED WFP AND ITS SISTER UN
AGENCIES TO BECOME FORCEFUL ADVOCATES WITH PARLIAMENTARIANS
AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN EVERY COUNTRY TO DEVELOP NATIONAL
POLICIES FOR ORPHANS AND INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS
TO PROVIDE CARE AND SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN
NEED.

--------------------------------------------- --------------
PROGRAM OF WORK: REVIEW OF WFP'S RESOURCE AND LONG-TERM
FINANCING POLICY/EXTERNAL AUDITOR - 2002-2003 BIENNIUM
--------------------------------------------- -------------

9. ON THE 2003 REVIEW OF RESOURCE AND LONG-TERM FINANCING
POLICIES, THE BOARD ENDORSED THE ANNOTATED OUTLINE AS A
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND INSTRUCTED THE BUREAU TO DETERMINE
HOW THE PROGRAM OF WORK SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED. USDEL ASKED
WFP TO REVIEW AND CONFIRM THAT IT HAS A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF
COMPETENT TRAINED PROFESSIONALS BOTH IN HEADQUARTERS AND IN
THE FIELD TO PROPERLY ACCOUNT FOR ITS DIVERSE AND
SUBSTANTIVE RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS.

10. THE UK'S COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL, SIR JOHN
BOURN, STRESSED THE NEWLY-APPOINTED EXTERNAL AUDITOR'S
DESIRE TO "PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO MANAGEMENT OF RISK." IN
PARTICULAR, THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR WILL FOCUS ON WFP'S NEW
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING SYSTEM (WINGS), THE ORGANIZATION'S
DECENTRALIZATION, HOST GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS, AND WFP'S
HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES. USDEL ASKED THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR
TO REVIEW SECRETARIAT'S EFFORTS TO APPLY COST CONTAINMENT
PRINCIPLES TO ALL WFP OFFICES, INCLUDING HEADQUARTERS UNITS,
AND TO COMMENT ON THE PROCEDURE USED BY WFP IN SELECTING
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 00589 03 OF 05 131315Z
FREIGHT FORWARDERS, BROKERS AND/OR AGENTS.

--------------------------------------------- ---------
PRROS - AFGHANISTAN/TAJIKISTAN/NEPAL
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO/SUDAN (ERITREAN REFUGEES)
--------------------------------------------- ---------

11. PRROS: THE BOARD APPROVED PROTRACTED RELIEF AND
RECOVERY OPERATIONS:

-AFGHANISTAN (APRIL 2003-MARCH 2005), U.S. DOLLARS 337.5
MILLION, 6 MILLION BENEFICIARIES IN YEAR ONE - 5.27 MILLION
IN YEAR TWO;
-TAJIKISTAN (JULY 2003-JUNE 2005), U.S. DOLLARS 74.75
MILLION, 1.48 MILLION BENEFICIARIES;
-NEPAL/BHUTANESE REFUGEES (JULY 2003-JUNE 2004), U.S.
DOLLARS 8.64 MILLION, 103,850 BENEFICIARIES;
-DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (BUDGET INCREASE, APRIL-
DECEMBER 2003), U.S. DOLLARS 39.8 MILLION, 264,609

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3461

PAGE 01 ROME 00589 04 OF 05 131316Z
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
------------------35B997 131610Z /38
P 131228Z FEB 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8220
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY KABUL
AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY BERN

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
USDA FAS WASHDC 2532
USEU BRUSSELS 3111
USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 05 ROME 000589

SIPDIS

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 00589 04 OF 05 131316Z
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, KUNR, EU
SUBJECT: FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM
EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 5-7, 2003

BENEFICIARIES;
-SUDAN/ERITREAN REFUGEES (BUDGET INCREASE, JANUARY-DECEMBER
2003), U.S. DOLLARS 4.88 MILLION, 91,000 BENEFICIARIES.

12. THE AFGHANISTAN PRRO DISCUSSION/APPROVAL WILL BE
DISCUSSED SEPTEL. ON NEPAL, USDEL NOTED THE TROUBLING UNHCR
INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORT (NOVEMBER 2002) RELATED TO THE
DISCOVERY OF 16 CASES OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF REFUGEE WOMEN AND
GIRLS BY MEN WORKING FOR THREE UNHCR-FUNDED NGO PARTNERS AND
BY TWO UNHCR-FUNDED LOCAL NEPALESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
WHILE CONCURRING THAT THE UN AGENCIES HAVE MADE SOME
PROGRESS ON PLANS OF ACTION DEALING WITH PROTECTION FROM
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 00589 04 OF 05 131316Z
SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION IN HUMANITARIAN CRISES, USDEL
URGED ACCELER
ATED IMPLEMENTATION OF "ZERO TOLERANCE"
MEASURES TO PREVENT SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, HOLD VIOLATORS
ACCOUNTABLE AND ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF UN OPERATIONS.

13. ON THE DROC REVISED AND EXPANDED PRRO, USDEL COMMENTED
THAT THE DEMANDING AND COMPLEX OPERATING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL
HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS WILL REQUIRE DEPLOYMENT OF
EXPERIENCED AND SAVVY WFP OFFICERS. KEY WILL BE "WIDENING
THE HUMANITARIAN SPACE" IN THE MOST AFFECTED AREAS OF THE
COUNTRY. REACHING THESE "HIDDEN" TARGET GROUPS ON A
CONSISTENT BASIS WILL BE A DAILY TASK, LINKED TO FOSTERING
RAPID INTERVENTION AND INFORMATION SHARING CAPACITIES.

14. ON THE SUDAN/ERITREAN REFUGEES PRRO, USDEL REQUESTED
THAT THE JOINT UNHCR-GOVERNMENT OF SUDAN SCREENING TEAMS
REMAIN FULLY OPERATIVE IN THE EASTERN REGIONS OF KASSALA,
WAD, MADANE AND GEDAREF, IN ORDER TO FURTHER CLARIFY AND
FINALIZE: A) THE NUMBER OF ERITREANS STILL IN NEED OF
INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION; AND B) THE NUMBER APPLYING TO
REMAIN AS IMMIGRANTS.

------------
OTHER ISSUES
------------

15. THE BOARD TOOK NOTE OF WFP PAPERS ON: A) EXIT STRATEGIES
FOR SCHOOL FEEDING; B) COMPARISON STUDY OF WFP AND NON-
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS; C) FOLLOW UP TO ECOSOC AND GA
RESOLUTIONS ON ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARDS
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 00589 04 OF 05 131316Z
OF THE UN FUNDS AND PROGRAMS; AND D) BRUSSELS PROGRAM OF
ACTION FOR LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES FOR THE DECADE 2001-
2010.

16. LATIN AMERICA SCHOOL FEEDING NETWORK - ON THE MARGINS OF
THE BOARD, WFP SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CHILEAN
GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL NETWORK FOR STUDENT SUPPORT (JUNAEB),
AND THE AMERICAN SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATION (ASFSA)
AIMED AT ESTABLISHING AN INDEPENDENT NETWORK TO IMPROVE AND
EXPAND SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMS IN LATIN AMERICA.
THE NETWORK WILL BE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED IN NOVEMBER 2003 AT
A SCHOOL FEEDING CONFERENCE IN SANTIAGO, CHILE. NOTE: ASFSA
HAS A U.S. MEMBERSHIP OF 55,000. END NOTE.

-------
COMMENT
-------

17. THE INTERVENTION OF UNAIDS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DR. PETER
PIOT TO THE BOARD WAS SOBERING AND DRAMATICALLY UNDERSCORED

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3464

PAGE 01 ROME 00589 05 OF 05 131316Z
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
------------------35B9A7 131610Z /38
P 131228Z FEB 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8221
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY KABUL
AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY BERN

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
USDA FAS WASHDC 2533
USEU BRUSSELS 3112
USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

UNCLAS SECTION 05 OF 05 ROME 000589

SIPDIS

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 00589 05 OF 05 131316Z
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, KUNR, EU
SUBJECT: FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM
EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 5-7, 2003

HOW FAR THE UN AGENCIES HAVE YET TO GO IN "RETROFITTING"
THEIR CORE PROGRAMS PARTICULARLY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA TO
ADDRESS THE TRULY CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES OF HIV/AIDS.

18. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. HALL

UNCLASSIFIED

>
2003ROME00589 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

US embassy cable - 03ROME589

FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 5-7, 2003