US embassy cable - 03ROME1984

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 001984 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, IO A/S HOLMES, IO/EDA WINNICK, E 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01984  01 OF 03  081328Z 
FOR CPENCE 
SECSTATE PASS TO SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS, RTILSWORTH AND TWEDT 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, AA/EGAT 
ESIMMONS, D/DCHA/OFDA BMCCONNELL, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS AND 
WWHELEN 
USUN FOR MLUTZ 
USAID DAKAR FOR ESTES 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
BRUSSELS FOR USEU 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, AORC, PREF, EAGR, ECON, KUNR, AORC, PREF, EAGR, ECON, KUNR, AORC, PREF, EAGR, ECON, KUNR, UN, WFP    EAID, UN, WFP    EAID, UN, WFP 
SUBJECT:  U.S. DOLLAR 480,000 PROPOSAL FOR LINKING FAO/WFP 
JOINT CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENTS WITH THE SUB-SAHARAN 
REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CILSS AND SADC - REQUEST FOR USAID 
FUNDING 
 
REF: (A) ROME 1511 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. U.S. MISSION RECEIVED AN UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL VALUED AT 
U.S. DOLLAR 480,000 AIMED AT MORE TIGHTLY LINKING FAO/WFP 
JOINT CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENTS WITH THE SUB-SAHARAN 
REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CILSS AND SADC. US MISSION STRONGLY 
ENDORSES THIS OUTREACH BY FAO AND WFP TO STRENGTHEN UN 
LINKAGES WITH TWO IMPORTANT SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN REGIONAL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01984  01 OF 03  081328Z 
ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE U.S. THROUGH USAID HAS LONG 
SUPPORTED. WE BELIEVE THAT A RELATIVELY MODEST USAID 
INVESTMENT WOULD PUSH UN EMERGENCY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS IN THE 
DIRECTION OF TRULY BECOMING CONSENSUS 
BUILDING PROCESSES, AND BETTER ENSURING THAT ASSESSMENT 
RESULTS ARE FULLY CREDIBLE AND ACTIONABLE. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
TEXT OF PROPOSAL LETTER RECEIVED FROM FAO-WFP RELATED TO 
ENHANCED UN LINKAGES TO SUB-SAHARAN REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 
FOR CONDUCTING CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENTS 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
2. BEGIN TEXT OF FAO-WFP LETTER TO US MISSION. "DEAR MR. 
LAVELLE: 
 
AS YOU KNOW, THE FAO AND WFP FREQUENTLY ORGANIZE JOINT CFSA 
(CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENT) MISSIONS TO CARRY OUT 
RAPID OVERALL ASSESSMENTS OF THE FOOD SUPPLY AND DEMAND 
SITUATION IN COUNTRIES IN A STATE OF CRISIS. THESE MISSIONS 
RELY TO A GREAT EXTENT UPON SECONDARY DATA AND LOCAL 
EXPERTISE; REPRESENTATIVES FROM NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OR 
DONOR AGENCIES ARE ALSO INVOLVED, ALTHOUGH THE ULTIMATE 
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ASSESSMENT RESTS WITH THE UNITED 
NATIONS. WE EXPECT TO DO SIX SUCH MISSIONS IN SOUTHERN 
AFRICA IN APRIL/MAY OF THIS YEAR, AND WILL DO OVER TWENTY IN 
THE COURSE OF 2003, INCLUDING SOME TO SUDAN, ETHIOPIA, THE 
KOREA DPR AND AFGHANISTAN. 
 
DONOR AGENCIES RELY ON VARIOUS INFORMATION SOURCES TO MAKE 
DECISIONS ON FOOD AID AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIVITIES, BUT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01984  01 OF 03  081328Z 
THE FAO/WFP ASSESSMENTS USUALLY FIGURE PROMINENTLY, 
PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THEIR RECOGNIZED INDEPENDENCE AND 
UNBIASED JUDGMENT. NEVERTHELESS, THERE IS A CLEAR SENSE 
AMONG ALL PARTIES, INCLUDING WITHIN FAO AND WFP, THAT THE 
CFSAS MUST BECOME MORE PRECISE AND RELIABLE. THIS IS DUE 
PARTLY TO THE INCREASINGLY COMPLEX NATURE OF MANY 
EMERGENCIES, AND TO THE RECOGNITION THAT THESE ASSESSMENTS 
OUGHT TO BE MORE COMPREHENSIVE, FOR EXAMPLE, BY USING MORE 
SYSTEMATICALLY NATIONAL FOOD BALANCE RATHER THAN CEREAL 
BALANCE SHEETS. 
 
THE RELEVANT SERVICES AT FAO AND WFP HAVE ALREADY TAKEN A 
NUMBER OF STEPS TO IMPROVE THEIR RESPECTIVE CFSA 
METHODOLOGIES AND THE PROCESS THROUGH WHICH THEY UNDERTAKE 
THESE JOINT MISSIONS. FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE: 
 
- DEFINED THE COMMON PURPOSE OF CFSAS AND THE SPECIFIC 
OBJECTIVES OF BOTH PARTIES; 
- IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES TO BE REFINED, 
BOTH ON THE FAO AND WFP SIDES (E.G. ESTIMATES OF COMMERCIAL 
IMPORTS TO FILL A DOMESTIC FOOD SUPPLY GAP, MORE 
COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL FOOD BALANCE ANALYSES, 
DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN CHRONIC AND TRANSITORY FOOD 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ8763 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01984  02 OF 03  081328Z 
ACTION AID-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  CIAE-00  COME-00  INL-00 
      USNW-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  WHA-00   SRPP-00  EAP-00   EB-00 
      EUR-00   OIGO-00  FAAE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00 
      IO-00    VCE-00   NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OES-00   OIC-02   PER-00 
      IRM-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  ECA-00   PRM-00   DRL-01   NFAT-00 
      SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------61DDC0  081329Z /38 
P 081328Z MAY 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9748 
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 
AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
USEU BRUSSELS 3216 
USMISSION GENEVA 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 001984 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, IO A/S HOLMES, IO/EDA WINNICK, E 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01984  02 OF 03  081328Z 
FOR CPENCE 
SECSTATE PASS TO SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS, RTILSWORTH AND TWEDT 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, AA/EGAT 
ESIMMONS, D/DCHA/OFDA BMCCONNELL, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS AND 
WWHELEN 
USUN FOR MLUTZ 
USAID DAKAR FOR ESTES 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
BRUSSELS FOR USEU 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS:     EAID, AORC, UN, PREF, EAGR, ECON, KUNR, WFP 
SUBJECT:  U.S. DOLLAR 480,000 PROPOSAL FOR LINKING FAO/WFP 
JOINT CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENTS WITH THE SUB-SAHARAN 
REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CILSS AND SADC - REQUEST FOR USAID 
FUNDING 
 
INSECURITY, SCOPE FOR MARKET-BASED SOLUTIONS); 
- IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC PROCESS ISSUES TO BE IMPROVED: FOR 
INSTANCE, PREPARING FOR COUNTRY MISSIONS, TRAINING/BRIEFING 
FAO AND WFP TEAM MEMBERS, WORKING WITH LOCAL PARTNERS 
(GOVERNMENTS, DONOR AGENCIES, NGOS), COUNTRY BRIEFINGS, 
RESOLVING DIFFERENCES AND PREPARING FINAL REPORT; 
- UNDERTAKEN PRE-CFSA VISITS TO NINE COUNTRIES IN SOUTHERN 
AFRICA IN 2003 TO COLLECT INFORMATION, ESTABLISH OR RENEW 
TIES WITH LOCAL PARTNERS, AND GATHER INPUT ON HOW THE CFSA 
PROCESS IS PERCEIVED BY ALL PARTIES AT THE COUNTRY LEVEL. 
 
IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE ARE UNDERTAKING WITHIN FAO AND WFP 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01984  02 OF 03  081328Z 
-- AND BETWEEN THE TWO INSTITUTIONS -- WE PROPOSE TO 
ORGANIZE AND MANAGE A WIDER EXPERT CONSULTATION PROCESS, TO 
TAKE PLACE OVER A PERIOD OF UP TO ONE YEAR AND A HALF. THIS 
WOULD INCLUDE SPECIALISTS FROM FAO, WFP, DONOR AGENCIES, 
SPECIALISTS FROM REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (FROM THE SOUTHERN 
AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC) OR THE (CILSS) THE SAHEL 
PERMANENT INTER-STATE ANTI-DROUGHT COMMISSION) AND 
INDEPENDENT EXPERTS. THE EXPERT CONSULTATION WOULD DRAW UPON 
INTERNAL RESOURCES AT FAO AND WFP, WOULD BE MANAGED JOINTLY 
BY THESE TWO INSTITUTIONS (WITH SEPARATE AND CLEARLY DEFINED 
SCOPES AND BUDGETS), AND WOULD REQUIRE SEVERAL WORKING 
MEETINGS/WORKSHOPS. THIS EXPERT CONSULTATION COULD INCLUDE, 
AMONG OTHER THINGS: 
 
- SEVERAL SHORT COMMISSIONED PAPERS, PRESENTATIONS; 
 
- COLLABORATION BETWEEN SEVERAL FAO SERVICES AND CILSS TO 
FINALIZE ONGOING WORK TO MOVE FROM CEREAL BALANCE TO FOOD 
BALANCE SHEETS FOR SELECTED COUNTRIES IN THE CILSS REGION. 
THE PRECISE NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE WORK NEED TO BE 
DETERMINED THROUGH DISCUSSIONS THE CILSS; 
 
- COLLABORATION BETWEEN SEVERAL FAO SERVICES AND SADC ON THE 
INTEGRATION OF EARLY WARNING INFORMATION INTO THE FAO'S 
CONTINUOUS MONITORING OF THE FOOD SITUATION AT THE COUNTRY 
LEVEL, AND INTO THE FAO/WFP JOINT CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY 
ASSESSMENTS. HERE TOO, THE PRECISE NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE 
WORK NEED TO BE DETERMINED THROUGH ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS 
WITH SADC; 
 
- IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS WITH ALL PARTIES ON ALL ELEMENTS OF 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01984  02 OF 03  081328Z 
THE PROCESS: PREPARATION AND BRIEFING OF TEAMS, IN-COUNTRY 
ASSESSMENTS, PARTICIPATION, IN-COUNTRY BRIEFING, FINALIZING 
THE CONCLUSIONS AND REPORT. 
AMONG SPECIFIC OUTPUTS, OR TANGIBLE RESULTS, FROM THIS 
EXPERT CONSULTATION, WE ENVISAGE THE FOLLOWING: 
 
- UPDATED VERSIONS OF THE CURRENT FAO AND WFP METHODOLOGIES 
ON JOINT CFSAS; 
 
- A COMMON HANDBOOK FOR FAO/WFP TEAMS (AND PARTNERS) ON 
PRACTICAL STEPS TO JOINT CFSAS.  THIS HANDBOOK WOULD REFER 
TO, BUT BE MUCH MORE CONCISE, THAN THE RESPECTIVE 
METHODOLOGIES, AND WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN THREE LANGUAGES 
(ENGLISH, FRENCH AND SPANISH, MOST LIKELY); 
 
- THE JOINT DEVELOPMENT OF MORE COMPREHENSIVE FOOD BALANCE 
SHEETS FOR SELECTED CILSS COUNTRIES; 
 
- CLARIFICATION OF RESPECTIVE ROLES, AND SPECIFIC 
COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH SADC'S EARLY WARNING UNIT ON 
CFSAS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA; 
 
- TRAINING OF A FIRST GROUP OF 20 PERSONS IN THE USE OF THE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ8761 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01984  03 OF 03  081328Z 
ACTION AID-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  CIAE-00  COME-00  INL-00 
      USNW-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  WHA-00   SRPP-00  EAP-00   EB-00 
      EUR-00   FAAE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      L-00     VCE-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OES-00   OIC-02 
      IRM-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  PRM-00   DRL-01   NFAT-00  SAS-00 
        /004W 
                  ------------------61DDC8  081328Z /38 
P 081328Z MAY 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9749 
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 
AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
USEU BRUSSELS 3217 
USMISSION GENEVA 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 001984 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, IO A/S HOLMES, IO/EDA WINNICK, E 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01984  03 OF 03  081328Z 
FOR CPENCE 
SECSTATE PASS TO SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS, RTILSWORTH AND TWEDT 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, AA/EGAT 
ESIMMONS, D/DCHA/OFDA BMCCONNELL, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS AND 
WWHELEN 
USUN FOR MLUTZ 
USAID DAKAR FOR ESTES 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
BRUSSELS FOR USEU 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS:     EAID, AORC, UN, PREF, EAGR, ECON, KUNR, WFP 
SUBJECT:  U.S. DOLLAR 480,000 PROPOSAL FOR LINKING FAO/WFP 
JOINT CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENTS WITH THE SUB-SAHARAN 
REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CILSS AND SADC - REQUEST FOR USAID 
FUNDING 
 
NEW CFSA GUIDELINES AND HANDBOOK. 
 
IN ADDITION, WE ENVISAGE THAT THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE CFSA 
PROCESS, AND THE TESTING OF NEW MATERIAL WOULD TAKE PLACE 
UNDER `REAL LIFE' CONDITIONS, WITH RESULTS BEING COMPILED IN 
A SPECIAL REPORT GATHERING COMMISSIONED PAPERS, PROCEEDINGS 
FROM WORKSHOPS, UPDATED METHODOLOGY AND CFSA HANDBOOK. 
 
AT THIS TIME, WE ARE CONSIDERING PROPOSALS TO USAID AND TO 
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, BECAUSE OF THEIR MAJOR CONTRIBUTION 
TO, AND INTEREST IN, ASSESSING AND RESPONDING TO FOOD 
SECURITY EMERGENCIES. OUR FIRST ESTIMATE OF THE COST OF THIS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01984  03 OF 03  081328Z 
EXPERT CONSULTATION OVER UP TO ONE YEAR AND-A-HALF IS 
SLIGHTLY OVER U.S. DOLLARS OR EUROS 480,000, INCLUDING ALL 
MEETINGS, COMMISSIONED PAPERS, TRANSLATIONS, TRAINING 
WORKSHOPS, ETC. 
 
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS EXPERT CONSULTATION WOULD BE A VERY 
EFFICIENT, PARTICIPATORY AND TRANSPARENT WAY TO IMPROVE A 
KEY COMPONENT OF DECISION MAKING THROUGH WHICH VERY LARGE 
FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS ARE MADE, TO ASSIST NEEDY POPULATIONS. 
 
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU; PLEASE LET US KNOW IF 
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. BEST REGARDS,   HENRI P. JOSSERAND, 
CHIEF, GLOBAL INFORMATION AND EARLY WARNING SERVICE, FAO- 
ROME (SIGNED) AND WOLFGANG HERBINGER, CHIEF, EMERGENCY NEEDS 
ASSESSMENT, WFP-ROME (SIGNED)."  END TEXT OF APRIL 29, 2003 
FAO-WFP LETTER TO US MISSION. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
4. US MISSION STRONGLY ENDORSES THIS OUTREACH BY FAO AND WFP 
TO STRENGTHEN UN LINKAGES WITH TWO IMPORTANT SUB-SAHARAN 
AFRICAN REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE U.S. THROUGH USAID 
HAS LONG SUPPORTED. (WE NOTE THE MAY 7 ISSUANCE BY SADC OF A 
LANDMARK STUDY ENTITLED: "TOWARDS IDENTIFYING IMPACTS OF 
HIV/AIDS ON FOOD INSECURITY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA AND 
IMPLICATIONS FOR RESPONSE - FINDINGS FROM MALAWI, ZAMBIA AND 
ZIMBABWE.")  WE BELIEVE THAT A RELATIVELY MODEST USAID 
INVESTMENT OF U.S. DOLLARS 480,000 WILL PUSH UN EMERGENCY 
NEEDS ASSESSMENTS IN THE DIRECTION OF TRULY BECOMING 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01984  03 OF 03  081328Z 
CONSENSUS BUILDING PROCESSES, AND BETTER ENSURING THAT 
ASSESSMENT RESULTS ARE FULLY CREDIBLE AND ACTIONABLE. HALL 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2003ROME01984 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED