This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 005584 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05584  01 OF 02  181330Z 
AMEMBASSY MEXICO CITY FOR CHARGE D'AFFAIRES 
STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, PRM/P, WHA/CEN AND IO/D 
USAID FOR AA/LAC, AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, 
PPC/DC 
USDA/FAS FOR GSM KMILLER, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILLSWORTH 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
USUN FOR CSERWER 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN
SUBJECT:  WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVAL OF PROTRACTED RELIEF 
AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) FOR CENTRAL AMERICA - USD 
56.62 MILLION 
 
REF: (A) ROME 5308 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. AT ITS THIRD REGULAR SESSION (OCTOBER 21-25), THE WORLD 
FOOD PROGRAM EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVED A PROTRACTED RELIEF 
AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) FOR CENTRAL AMERICA - THREE 
YEARS (MARCH 2003-FEBRUARY 2006), VALUED AT USD 56.62 
MILLION, TO ASSIST 690,000 BENEFICIARIES/ANNUM. SEVERE CORN 
CROP LOSSES IN THE FIRST PLANTING CYCLE OF THIS YEAR WILL 
LIKELY FURTHER AGGRAVATE AN ALREADY DIFFICULT SITUATION IN A 
CHRONICALLY FOOD INSECURE REGION. USMISSION PLANS TO WORK 
WITH WFP HEADQUARTERS IN ITS EFFORTS TO SECURE GOVERNMENT OF 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05584  01 OF 02  181330Z 
MEXICO FUNDING SUPPORT FOR THIS PRRO. END SUMMARY. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2. THE WORSENING ECONOMIC SITUATION, PRECIPITATED BY A 
REPORTED 70 PERCENT DROP IN COFFEE PRICES AFFECTING MILLIONS 
OF COFFEE GROWERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, COUPLED WITH 
RECURRING NATURAL DISASTERS HAVE CONTINUED TO TRIGGER 
EXTREME POVERTY AND FOOD INSECURITY AMONG RURAL AND URBAN 
POPULATIONS IN THE FOUR COUNTRIES (GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, EL 
SALVADOR AND NICARAGUA). IN 2000, DROUGHTS, EARTHQUAKES, 
FLOODS AND TROPICAL STORMS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED FOOD 
PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE, AFFECTING SOME 
2.4 MILLION PEOPLE. PEOPLE ARE STILL FEELING THE EFFECTS OF 
THESE SHOCKS IN 2002, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY CONFRONTING A NEW 
ROUND OF DROUGHT AND A CONTINUING CRISIS IN THE COFFEE 
SECTOR. IN ADDITION, PREDICTIONS ARE THAT EL NINO WILL AGAIN 
CAUSE CLIMATIC DISTURBANCES IN 2003. 
 
¶3. LOCALIZED NUTRITIONAL SURVEYS CONFIRM THAT 5 YEARS OF 
DROUGHT AND ECONOMIC CRISIS IS CAUSING DETERIORATION IN 
MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN AGED UNDER FIVE IN CENTRAL 
AMERICA. ACCORDING TO THE UN'S FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL 
ORGANIZATION (FAO), THERE ARE OVER 7.1 MILLION 
UNDERNOURISHED CENTRAL AMERICANS (1998/2000) SHOWING AN 
INCREASE OF 3 PERCENT SINCE 1990/1992. IN GUATEMALA, HUNGER 
INCREASED FROM 14 PERCENT TO 25 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION, 
WITH 69 PERCENT OF CHILDREN CHRONICALLY MALNOURISHED. IN 
NICARAGUA, 33 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS AFFECTED BY FOOD 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05584  01 OF 02  181330Z 
SHORTAGES AND MALNUTRITION. IN ONE DEPARTMENT ALONE, 
MATAGALPA, EMERGENCY FOOD HAD TO BE PROVIDED TO 7,500 
CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM EXTREME HUNGER. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVAL OF CENTRAL AMERICA PRRO 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶4. THE BOARD APPROVED THIS PRRO FOR THREE YEARS (MARCH 2003- 
FEBRUARY 2006), VALUED AT USD 56.62 MILLION, TO ASSIST 
690,000 BENEFICIARIES/ANNUM. THE BOARD AGREED THAT THIS 
PROGRAMMING INSTRUMENT WILL PERMIT WFP TO RESPOND 
EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO SHOCKS, IN ORDER TO PREVENT 
ACUTE MALNUTRITION AMONG FOOD-INSECURE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES 
EXPOSED TO RECURRING CALAMITIES AND ASSIST IN REBUILDING AND 
BUFFERING LIVELIHOODS ERODED BY EXPOSURE TO DISASTERS. 
 
-------------------------- 
US DELEGATION INTERVENTION 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5. THE US DELEGATION HIGHLIGHTED THE FOLLOWING: 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7327 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05584  02 OF 02  181330Z 
ACTION PRM-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00  WHA-00 
      SRPP-00  EB-00    EUR-00   E-00     UTED-00  TEDE-00  INR-00 
      IO-00    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OES-00   OIC-02   OMB-01   SSO-00 
      STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------0A7CFC  181530Z /38 
P 181213Z NOV 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6949 
INFO AMEMBASSY MEXICO 
AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR 
AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA 
AMEMBASSY MANAGUA 
AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY BERN 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2428 
USEU BRUSSELS 2959 
USMISSION GENEVA 
 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 005584 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05584  02 OF 02  181330Z 
AMEMBASSY MEXICO CITY FOR CHARGE D'AFFAIRES 
STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, PRM/P, WHA/CEN AND IO/D 
USAID FOR AA/LAC, AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, 
PPC/DC 
USDA/FAS FOR GSM KMILLER, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILLSWORTH 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
USUN FOR CSERWER 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN
SUBJECT:  WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVAL OF PROTRACTED RELIEF 
AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) FOR CENTRAL AMERICA - USD 
56.62 MILLION 
 
-WHEN PRESIDENT BUSH SPOKE DURING THE SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS 
WITH THE PRESIDENTS OF CENTRAL AMERICA IN QUEBEC CITY ON 
APRIL 20, 2001, HE STRESSED THE "NEED FOR US TO CONTINUE TO 
THINK ABOUT HOW BEST TO HAVE IN PLACE MEASURES THAT WILL 
HELP IN THE CASE OF FUTURE NATURAL DISASTERS;" 
 
-USDEL NOTED THAT THE NEW PRRO PROVIDES WFP THE PROGRAMMATIC 
FLEXIBILITY TO RESPOND TO THE CHANGING DYNAMICS IN EACH OF 
THE FOUR CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES COVERED AND THE 
DIFFERING CHALLENGES THAT EACH PRESENTS; 
 
-WFP WAS PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE IN THE AFTERMATH OF 
HURRICANE MITCH IN: A) ALMOST IMMEDIATELY STRENGTHENING 
STAFF LEVELS BY TRANSFERRING ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL STAFF 
TO THE REGION AS NEEDED; AND B) FORTIFYING TEAMS WITH 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05584  02 OF 02  181330Z 
EXPERTS IN LOGISTICS AND COMMUNICATIONS, VULNERABILITY 
ANALYSIS AND MAPPING SPECIALISTS, AND UN VOLUNTEERS, ETC. 
 
-USDEL URGED CLOSE COORDINATION ON NEEDS ASSESSMENTS AND 
IMPLEMENTATION PLANS WITH THE RESPECTIVE USAID MISSIONS AND 
USDA AGRICULTURAL ATTACHES IN THE REGION. 
 
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COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6. USMISSION SEES A CONTINUING IMPORTANT ROLE FOR WFP AND 
ITS UN SISTER AGENCIES IN RESPONDING TO THE FOOD CRISIS IN 
CENTRAL AMERICA. SEVERE CORN CROP LOSSES IN THE FIRST 
PLANTING CYCLE OF THIS YEAR WILL LIKELY FURTHER AGGRAVATE AN 
ALREADY DIFFICULT SITUATION IN A CHRONICALLY FOOD INSECURE 
REGION. FINALLY, USMISSION PLANS TO WORK WITH WFP 
HEADQUARTERS IN ITS EFFORTS TO SECURE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO 
FUNDING SUPPORT FOR THIS PRRO. MEXICO IS PRESENTLY NOT A 
DONOR TO WFP. HALL 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME05584 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED