US embassy cable - 03ROME2716

UNCLAS  ROME 002716 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
AIDAC 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
STATE FOR AS/PRM, PRM/P, EUR/WE, EUR/NE AND IO/EDA 
USAID FOR A/AID, AA/DCHA, AA/AFR, DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, 
PPC/DC 
USDA/FAS FOR CHAMBLISS/TILSWORTH/GAINOR 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
USUN FOR MLUTZ 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
OMB FOR TSTOLL 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, WFP, UN 
SUBJECT: WFP REVIEW OF 2002 GLOBAL FOOD AID FLOWS 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. WFP has just released a report on Global Food Aid 
deliveries in 2002 entitled "2002 Food Aid Flows, May 2003." 
The trends by geographic region are highlighted below. The 
data clearly reveals that the United States, which provided 
64 percent of all global food aid and 50 percent of all 
emergency food assistance this past year, is by far the 
world's leader in food assistance. Yet deliveries by the 
European Commission (all categories), decreased from 960,000 
metric tons in 2001 to 570,000 mts in 2002. Deliveries by 
most European countries also decreased, with the exception 
of Germany, Italy and The Netherlands. Facing continuing 
real needs and growing shortfalls (particularly in 
emergencies), the time appears once again opportune for a 
revitalization of efforts on both sides of the Atlantic to 
move beyond our differences in outlook and perspective on 
food aid. End summary. 
 
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Regional analysis - Sub-Saharan Africa 
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2. Sub-Saharan Africa received some 3 million tons of food 
aid in 2002, about 31 percent of world-wide deliveries. 58 
percent of the food assistance to the region was delivered 
through multilateral channels, 31 percent through non- 
governmental organizations (NGOs) and 11 percent on a 
bilateral basis. Less than two percent was provided in the 
form of consessional sales. Main recipients were: Ethiopia, 
400,000 metric tons (mts); Angola, 240,000 mts; Zimbabwe, 
220,000 mts; Malawi, 200,000 mts; Kenya, 190,000 mts; 
Eritrea, 180,000 mts; Mozambique, 170,000 mts; and Sudan, 
140,000 mts. The main donors were the United States (64 
percent), the European Union (Commission and Member States) 
(21 percent) and Japan (7 percent). WFP delivered 83 percent 
of the emergency food aid provided to sub-Saharan Africa in 
2002. 
 
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Latin America and Caribbean region 
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3. Latin America and the Caribbean received 1.18 million 
tons of food assistance in 2002. 53 percent was channeled 
through NGOs, 39 percent was provided bilaterally and 8 
percent multilaterally. Of the food aid delivered to the 
region, 74 percent was sold on the market; twenty percent of 
the deliveries were direct consessional sales. The main 
recipient countries were: Guatemala (250,000 mts; Peru, 
240,000 mts; and Haiti, 180,000 mts. Other important 
recipents were Bolivia, El Salvador and Ecuador. The major 
donors were the United States (91 percent), Commission and 
member states of the EU (6 percent), and Japan and Canada 
(one percent each). WFP delivered 50 percent of the 
emergency food aid and 11 percent of the project food 
assistance. 
 
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Asia 
---- 
 
4. Food aid deliveries to Asia amounted to 3.7 million tons 
in 2002, 39 percent of global deliveries, of which 2.16 
million mts was for emergency relief. DPR Korea was the main 
recipient country (1.2 million mts) followed by: 
Afghanistan, 530,000 mts; Pakistan, 440,000 mts; India, 
310,000 mts; Philippines, 270,000 mts; Indonesia, 270,000 
 
mts; and Bangladesh, 260,000 mts. The major donors were the 
United States (50 percent), the Republic of Korea (12 
percent), China (9 percent), Commission and member states of 
the EU (9 percent), Australia (7 percent) and Japan and 
Canada (three percent each). WFP delivered 56 percent of the 
emergency food aid and 31 percent of the project food 
assistance. 
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Eastern Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) 
countries 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
5. The deliveries to Eastern Europe and Commonwealth of 
Independent States (CIS) countries in 2002 amounted to 
970,000 mts, 10 percent of global food deliveries. Emergency 
and project food assistance together accounted for 69 
percent of overall deliveries. 40 percent of the food aid 
was channeled through NGOs, 31 percent was provided 
multilaterally and 29 percent bilaterally. The main 
recipient countries were: Tajikistan  (200,000 mts; 
Uzbekistan, 200,000 mts; and Bosnia and Herzegovina, 100,000 
mts. Other recipient countries included the Russian 
Federation, Kyrgzstan, Georgia and Albania. The major donors 
were the United States (82 percent), and the Commission and 
member states of the EU (15 percent). WFP delivered 86 
percent of the emergency food aid, but was not involved in 
project (development) assistance. 
 
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Middle East and North Africa 
---------------------------- 
 
6. Food aid deliveries to the countries of the Middle East 
and North Africa in 2002 amounted to 750,000 metric tons, 
eight percent of global deliveries. Emergency and project 
food aid together represented 59 percent of deliveries. 41 
percent of the food assistance to the region was provided 
bilaterally, 36 percent through NGOs and 23 percent 
multilaterally. The major donors were the United States (72 
percent), Germany (6 percent), European Commission (5 
percent), and France and Italy (three percent each). The 
main recipient countries were: Jordan (220,000 mts; the 
Palestinian Territories, 180,000 mts; Yemen and Lebanon, 
120,000 mts each. WFP delivered 42 percent of the emergency 
food aid and 23 percent of the project food assistance. 
 
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Other salient food aid facts in 2002 
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7. Other highlights of the report are as follows: 
 
-         The United States provided 64 percent of all 
global food aid and 50 percent of all emergency food 
assistance; 
-         The EC and its member states provided 14 percent 
of all global food aid and 19 percent of overall emergency 
food aid in 2002; 
-         Deliveries by the European Commission (all 
categories) decreased from 960,000 metric tons in 2001 to 
570,000 mts in 2002. Of this total, 365,039 mts were for 
emergency relief, 64,431 mts for project development aid, 
and 143,199 mts were donated bilaterally. Deliveries by most 
European countries also decreased, with the exception of 
Germany, Italy and The Netherlands; 
-         WFP delivered 68 percent of world-wide emergency 
food aid in 2002; 
-         About 18 percent of emergency food aid provided in 
2002 was procured through local purchases or triangular 
 
purchases; 
-         88 percent of global food aid in 2002 was on full 
grant terms (8.4 million tons), while 12 percent (1.2 
million tons were provided on consessional terms, largely by 
the United States and the Republic of Korea; 
-         Of the 9.6 million tons of commodities 
constituting food assistance in 2002, about one million tons 
were procured in developing countries; and finally, 
-         99 percent of global food assistance (some 9.5 
million tons) in 2002 went to developing countries of which 
8 million tons (83 percent went to low-income, food- 
deficient countries. 
 
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Comment 
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8. Globally, there is an increasing trend to use food aid to 
target people rather than providing import substitutions. 10 
percent of global food aid is now purchased in developing 
countries. Targeted food aid flows in both emergency and 
development settings are now driven more by case-by-case 
assessment of the urgency of human problems and are 
increasingly provided on a multilateral basis or through 
NGOs. WFP is the dominant player in the delivery of 
worldwide emergency food aid (68 percent in 2002); this 
percentage will only increase in 2003 given WFP's essential 
role in the Iraq humanitarian response. 
 
9. Facing continuing real needs and growing shortfalls 
(particularly in emergencies), and a further decline in 
deliveries by the EC in 2002, the time appears opportune for 
a revitalization of efforts on both sides of the Atlantic to 
move beyond our differences in outlook and perspective on 
food aid. Hall 
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 2003ROME02716 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED