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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 005778 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR A/S IO HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY, IO/EDA WINNICK 
USAID FOR AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, DCHA/PPE LYNCH 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILSWORTH 
USUN NEW YORK FOR CSERWER 
NAIROBI FOR REDSO 
TOKYO FOR USAID REP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EUEAID WFP UN EUEAID WFP UN
SUBJECT: WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVAL OF PROTRACTED RELIEF 
AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) FOR WEST AFRICA COASTAL REGION 
- USD 56.81 MILLION 
 
REF: (A) ROME 5308 
 
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SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. AT ITS THIRD REGULAR SESSION (OCTOBER 21-25), THE WORLD 
FOOD PROGRAM EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVED A PROTRACTED RELIEF 
AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) FOR THE WEST AFRICA COASTAL 
REGION - ONE YEAR (JANUARY- DECEMBER 2003), VALUED AT USD 
56.81 MILLION, TO ASSIST 789,430 (INCLUDING 50,000 
CONTINGENCY CASELOAD) BENEFICIARIES/ANNUM. THE WEST AFRICA 
COASTAL REGION HAS BEEN IN A STATE OF DEEP CRISIS FOR MANY 
YEARS. LIBERIA IS ONCE AGAIN AT THE EPICENTRE OF A CONFLICT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05778  01 OF 03  291636Z 
THAT COULD CONTINUE TO SPREAD TO THE REGION. THE CURRENT 
CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE HAS ALREADY CAUSED MAJOR INTERNAL 
DISPLACEMENTS WITHIN THE COUNTRY (180,000 PEOPLE SINCE 19 
SEPTEMBER 2002) AND MAY RESULT IN EVEN LARGER POPULATION 
DISPLACEMENTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE WEST AFRICAN REGION, 
EFFECTIVELY EXPANDING THE THREAT TO PEACE AND SECURITY WELL 
BEYOND COTE D'IVOIRE. END SUMMARY. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2. WITH NO SUSTAINABLE POLITICAL SOLUTION IN SIGHT IN 
LIBERIA, THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION THERE IS EXPECTED TO 
REMAIN CRITICAL THROUGH 2003 AND THE PROSPECTS FOR RECOVERY 
IN NEIGHBORING GUINEA AND SIERRA LEONE ARE LIKELY TO SUFFER 
AS A RESULT. 
 
¶3. SIGNIFICANT NEW INFLUXES OF LIBERIAN REFUGEES HAVE BEEN 
RECORDED IN SIERRA LEONE, GUINEA AND COTE D'IVOIRE (UP TO A 
CERTAIN EXTENT, BEFORE THE CRISIS), DUE TO THE 
INTENSIFICATION OF CONFLICT IN LIBERIA, WHICH HAS CREATED A 
NEW POPULATION OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (135,300 AS 
OF SEPTEMBER 2002). MOREOVER, DEPENDING ON THE EVOLUTION OF 
THE CURRENT CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE, POPULATION INFLUXES IN 
GUINEA AND LIBERIA ARE TO BE EXPECTED. 
 
¶4. THE CURRENT PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY (PRRO) 
OPERATION (10064.0) IS FACING A SHORTFALL OF 12,688 MT, OR 
12 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL REQUIREMENTS. AS THE EARLY RESPONSE 
MECHANISMS PROVIDED FOR UNDER THIS REGIONAL OPERATION HAVE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05778  01 OF 03  291636Z 
BEEN ACTIVATED TO RESPOND TO URGENT FOOD NEEDS IN COTE 
D'IVOIRE (INCLUDING THE USE OF WFP AIRCRAFT BASED IN CONAKRY 
TO AIRLIFT HIGH-ENERGY BISCUITS TO YAMOUSSOUKRO), 
CONTRIBUTIONS ARE URGENTLY NEEDED TO REPLENISH THE PIPELINE 
OF THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH "LOANED" RESOURCES TO COTE 
D'IVOIRE. 
 
¶5. SHORTFALLS WILL BECOME PARTICULARLY CRITICAL AT THE 
BEGINNING OF 2003, WHEN THE NEW PRRO WILL START. LIBERIA 
WILL REPORTEDLY FACE SHORTFALLS FOR MOST OF THE COMMODITIES 
AS EARLY AS JANUARY 2003. GUINEA WILL LACK CEREALS, PULSES 
AND OIL FROM MARCH 2003 ON. SIERRA LEONE WILL FACE A BREAK 
IN ITS PIPELINE IN EARLY 2003, AS REQUIREMENTS ARE LIKELY TO 
INCREASE DUE TO THE CURRENT TREND IN THE INFLUX OF LIBERIAN 
REFUGEES (75,000 ESTIMATED AT THE END OF 2002). AS FOR COTE 
D'IVOIRE, REINTEGRATED IN THE REGIONAL OPERATION AS OF 
JANUARY 2003, FOOD COMMODITIES ARE URGENTLY NEEDED INTER 
ALIA TO TAKE CARE OF THE CASELOAD OF LIBERIAN REFUGEES IN 
NICLA. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVAL OF WEST AFRICA COASTAL PRRO 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ3088 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05778  02 OF 03  291637Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AF-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00 
      WHA-00   SRPP-00  EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00   E-00     UTED-00 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OES-00   OIC-02   OMB-01 
      SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PRM-00   SAS-00 
        /003W 
                  ------------------107D47  292059Z /38 
P 291511Z NOV 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7115 
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN 
AMEMBASSY FREETOWN 
AMEMBASSY MONROVIA 
AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 
AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
AMEMBASSY BERN 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2441 
USEU BRUSSELS 2971 
 
USMISSION GENEVA 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05778  02 OF 03  291637Z 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 005778 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR A/S IO HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY, IO/EDA WINNICK 
USAID FOR AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, DCHA/PPE LYNCH 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILSWORTH 
USUN NEW YORK FOR CSERWER 
NAIROBI FOR REDSO 
TOKYO FOR USAID REP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EUEAID WFP UN EUEAID WFP UN
SUBJECT: WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVAL OF PROTRACTED RELIEF 
AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) FOR WEST AFRICA COASTAL REGION 
- USD 56.81 MILLION 
 
¶6. THE BOARD APPROVED THIS PRRO FOR ONE YEAR (JANUARY 
-DECEMBER 2003), VALUED AT USD 56.81 MILLION, TO ASSIST 
789,430 BENEFICIARIES (INCLUDING 50,000 CONTINGENCY 
CASELOAD). THE BOARD AGREED THAT THIS PROGRAMMING INSTRUMENT 
WILL PERMIT WFP TO RESPOND EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO 
THE COMPLEX NATURE OF THIS OPERATION. SIMPLY, THE CONTINUOUS 
INSTABILITY OF THE REGION REQUIRES MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY IN 
THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES, WHERE  WFP HAS TO FREQUENTLY 
RESPOND TO UNEXPECTED MASS MOVEMENTS OF PEOPLE. 
 
-------------------------- 
US DELEGATION INTERVENTION 
-------------------------- 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05778  02 OF 03  291637Z 
 
¶7. USDEL TOOK NOTE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF NON-FOOD ITEMS 
(NFIS) IN ANY REFUGEE/IDP OPERATION AND ENCOURAGED WFP TO 
WORK CLOSELY WITH UNHCR TO ENSURE THAT THESE ITEMS ARE BEING 
PROVIDED BY THE PROPER U.N. AGENCY, SO THAT HIGH-VALUED FOOD 
COMMODITIES ARE NOT BARTERED FOR NFIS.  THIS, AS WELL AS 
POST-DISTRIBUTION MONITORING (THAT CONSTITUTE PART OF THE 
REVISED WFP/UNHCR MOU), ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT REQUIRE 
CONSTANT VIGILANCE AND DEDICATION BETWEEN THE TWO UN 
AGENCIES.  USDEL NOTED WFP'S EFFORTS TO BEGIN POST- 
DISTRIBUTION MONITORING IN MANY OF ITS OPERATIONS IN WEST 
AFRICA, BUT ALSO POINTED OUT THAT SUCH MONITORING IS STILL 
MISSING FROM PARTICULAR REFUGEE AND IDP OPERATIONS AND ASKED 
THAT THIS BE PROMPTLY RECTIFIED. 
 
¶8. USDEL FURTHER NOTED THAT ON A RECENT MISSION TO GUINEA 
AND LIBERIA, A USAID TEAM FOUND DELAYS AND PROBLEMS WITH 
REGISTRATION OF LIBERIAN REFUGEES IN GUINEA AND OF IDPS IN 
LIBERIA.  IN EACH CASE, THE WFP TEAM IS QUITE AWARE OF THE 
PROBLEMS AND WORKING TO RESOLVE THEM, BUT USDEL HIGHLIGHTED 
THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMPETENT REGISTRATION PROCESS AS A 
PREREQUISITE TO A DISCIPLINED FOOD DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. 
 
¶9. MOREOVER, USDEL REQUESTED THAT THE RATION SIZE FOR IDPS 
IN LIBERIA BE ASSESSED TO ENSURE THAT THE BASIS FOR THE 
DISTINCTION BETWEEN 2,100 KILOCALORIES (KC) AND 1,800 KC IS 
SOUND. WE EXPECTED THAT THE RESULTS FROM THE UPCOMING FOOD 
SECURITY ASSESSMENT OF THE REFUGEES IN GUINEA WOULD ALLOW 
FOR A DECREASE IN RATIONS, INSOFAS AS REFUGEES HAVE HEARTILY 
ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05778  02 OF 03  291637Z 
¶10. FINALLY, IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT THE USAID MISSION TO 
GUINEA OBSERVED THE FRUITS OF FAO/WFP COLLABORATION IN AND 
AROUND THE REFUGEE CAMPS IN ALBADARIAH IN THE FOREST REGION 
(AS FUNDED BY STATE/PRM). AS A RESULT OF THIS INVESTMENT, 
THE SIERRA LEONEAN REFUGEES WILL BE RETURNING HOME WITH A 
SIGNIFICANT HARVEST. WE EXPRESSED SATISFACTION IN WITNESSING 
THE TWO AGENCIES WORKING TOGETHER ON A STRATEGY FOR FOOD 
SECURITY IN SIERRA LEONE AND USDEL STRONGLY ENCOURAGED THE 
CONTINUATION OF THESE LINKAGES. 
 
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COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶11. USMISSION SEES A CONTINUING VITAL ROLE FOR WFP AND ITS 
UN SISTER AGENCIES IN RESPONDING TO THE CONTINUING CRISIS IN 
THE WEST AFRICA COASTAL REGION. CLEARLY, THE DETERIORATION 
OF THE SECURITY SITUATION IN NORTHERN LIBERIA, COUPLED WITH 
THE RECENT SECURITY DEVELOPMENTS IN COTE D'IVOIRE, WILL 
FURTHER WEAKEN THE ALREADY DEVASTATED SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC 
INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE REGION. THE CURRENT CRISIS IN COTE 
D'IVOIRE HAS ALREADY CAUSED MAJOR INTERNAL DISPLACEMENTS 
WITHIN THE COUNTRY (180,000 PEOPLE SINCE 19 SEPTEMBER 2002) 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ3093 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05778  03 OF 03  291637Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AF-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00 
      WHA-00   SRPP-00  EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00   E-00     UTED-00 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OES-00   OIC-02   OMB-01 
      SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PRM-00   SAS-00 
        /003W 
                  ------------------107DA7  292100Z /38 
P 291511Z NOV 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7116 
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN 
AMEMBASSY FREETOWN 
AMEMBASSY MONROVIA 
AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 
AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
AMEMBASSY BERN 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2442 
USEU BRUSSELS 2972 
 
USMISSION GENEVA 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05778  03 OF 03  291637Z 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 005778 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR A/S IO HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY, IO/EDA WINNICK 
USAID FOR AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, DCHA/PPE LYNCH 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILSWORTH 
USUN NEW YORK FOR CSERWER 
NAIROBI FOR REDSO 
TOKYO FOR USAID REP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EUEAID WFP UN EUEAID WFP UN
SUBJECT: WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVAL OF PROTRACTED RELIEF 
AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) FOR WEST AFRICA COASTAL REGION 
- USD 56.81 MILLION 
 
AND MAY RESULT IN EVEN LARGER POPULATION DISPLACEMENTS IN 
OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE WEST AFRICAN REGION, EFFECTIVELY 
EXPANDING THE THREAT TO PEACE AND SECURITY WELL BEYOND COTE 
D'IVOIRE. 2003 WILL ONCE AGAIN ENGAGE THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY IN REACHING OUT TO SAVE LIVES. HALL 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME05778 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED