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

UNCLAS  ROME 005224 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
AIDAC 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
USAID FOR A/NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS 
STATE FOR A/S IO HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY, IO/EDA RBERHEND AND 
SKOTOK 
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS AND BGAINOR 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
USMISSION GENEVA FOR USAID NKYLOH 
USEU BRUSSELS FOR USAID/PLERNER 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF NL FAO UN
SUBJECT: WFP's evolving partnership with U.S. Private 
Voluntary Organizations (PVOs) and International non- 
governmental organizations (NGOs) of U.S. origin 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. WFP has provided an update on its evolving partnership 
with U.S. Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs) and 
International non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of U.S. 
origin. Since the Baltimore meeting of December 3, 2002 
between WFP Executive Director Jim Morris and U.S. PVOs 
(members of the Food Aid Coalition), considerable progress 
has been made. In 2002, of WFP's food volume (3.4 million 
tons) moved worldwide, WFP's five major US PVO partners 
moved more than 1.3 million tons (38 percent). Moreover, the 
43 U.S. PVOs currently working with WFP represent 
approximately 25 percent of WFP's international partners. 
Representatives of US PVOs with a global Memorandum of 
Understanding (MOU) with WFP, regularly participate in WFP's 
annual consultation with NGOs as well as in ad hoc 
consultations, workshops or other technical meetings 
organized by WFP Rome.  Further, more frequent dialogue with 
WFP Rome, mainly with the NGO Unit of the Division of 
External Relations, and WFP Washington is taking place 
throughout the year. US Mission is excited by the progress 
towards a "deeper relationship" between WFP and its U.S. 
partners, including our "faith-based" organizations. End 
summary. 
 
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Background 
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¶2. WFP currently collaborates with about 1200 NGOs, more 
than 1000 local NGOs and nearly 200 international NGO 
partners.  US PVOs or international PVOs of US origin are 
the largest group of international partners.  The 43 US PVOs 
currently working with WFP represent 25 percent of WFP's 
international partners. 
 
¶3. In 2002, of WFP's food volume (3.4 million tons) moved 
worldwide, WFP's five major US PVO partners moved more than 
1.3 million tons (38 percent). The major US PVO partners of 
WFP are: Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), 
CARE, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), World Vision, and Save 
the Children US.   WFP signed global Memorandum of 
Understanding on Collaborative Working Arrangements with all 
of them in the mid nineties.  At country level, standard 
agreements with 43 PVOs are presently operational on a 
project-by-project basis. 
 
¶4. The highest concentration of collaboration over recent 
years has been in East and Central Africa as well as Asia 
(in Afghanistan, WFP collaborates with 17 U.S. PVOs).  The 
most intense relationship has primarily been in execution of 
Emergency Operations (EMOPs) or Protracted Relief and 
Recovery (PRRO) Operations, as recently experienced in 
Southern Africa.  WFP increasingly collaborates with NGOs at 
the project planning stage as well as throughout project 
implementation. 
 
¶5. Representatives of US PVOs with a global MOU with WFP, 
regularly participate in WFP's annual consultation with NGOs 
as well as in ad hoc consultations, workshops or other 
technical meetings organized by WFP Rome.  Further, more 
frequent dialogue with WFP Rome, mainly with the NGO Unit of 
the Division of External Relations, and WFP Washington is 
taking place throughout the year. It is noted in particular 
that World Vision and WFP have been in serious and sustained 
dialogue to move toward the "next generation" of WFP-NGO 
MOU. 
 
¶6. In addition, WFP relates to three US PVO 
Networks/Umbrella Organizations: Food Aid Coalition, Food SECTION 02 OF 03 
ROME 005224 
 
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FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
USAID FOR A/NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS 
STATE FOR A/S IO HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY, IO/EDA RBERHEND AND 
SKOTOK 
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS AND BGAINOR 
NSC FOR 
 
Aid Management (USAID-supported) and InterAction.  All of 
WFP's major U.S. PVO partners are members of the three 
entities.  The Food Aid Coalition, mainly, an advocacy 
network of 15 U.S. PVOs in the area of food aid, met with 
WFP Executive Director Jim Morris twice over the past year 
(in December 2002 in Baltimore and in April 2003 in Kansas 
City). 
 
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"The Baltimore Declaration: Africa in crisis" 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. Following the meeting in Baltimore, WFP and the members 
of the Food Aid Coalition launched a coordinated global 
campaign to assist more than 34 million people at risk of 
starvation in Africa.  The leaders unveiled "The Baltimore 
Declaration: Africa in Crisis," a unified pledge of the non- 
governmental organizations and WFP to act in an effort to 
prevent famine from taking hold in parts of southern, 
eastern and western Africa.  The Declaration also appealed 
to "governments, citizens' groups, private voluntary 
organizations, religious institutions and individual 
citizens to recognize the enormity of the crisis confronting 
Africa and to join in a massive and urgent response." 
 
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The "thorny" issue of cost recovery 
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¶8. In many emergency operations, WFP asks its NGO partners 
to move the food assistance from a regional or zonal level 
(extended delivery point) to the village or refugee camp 
(the final distribution level) and be responsible for the 
distribution to the designated beneficiary. Costs are 
invariably incurred by the NGO in carrying out this task. 
The PVOs asked that better guidance be provided at field 
level with regard to payment of PVOs. After extensive 
consultations, a new standard field level agreement is in 
the process of finalization. 
 
¶9. A key element (still in draft discussion) will be prompt 
and up-front payment by WFP to the NGO for a substantive 
percentage of their anticipated internal transport, shipping 
and handling costs. Specifically, the following is proposed: 
a) WFP commitment to settle NGO invoices within 45-90 days, 
and if there are queries, pay 75 percent and settle the 
balance as soon as an explanation is received; b) WFP 
agreement to pay 3 months or 30 percent advance against an 
estimated support budget of an NGO; c) WFP commitment to 
release funds faster than before and to allow NGO advances 
to be treated and processed in the same way as advances 
against WFP operations; d) agreement to cover NGO costs in 
case of pipeline breakdowns, and a system of giving notice 
of termination when resources fail to materialize and/or 
when changes in the operation require earlier termination; 
and e) schedules for NGO budget submissions to WFP that show 
time-bound (fixed) and tonnage-bound (variable) costs, 
allowing a better projection of NGO costs and more equitable 
recovery (from the WFP) system. Note. Once these draft- 
revised guidelines are finalized (hopefully in time for the 
next WFP-NGO consultation scheduled for December 10-12), 
they will be reported septel. End note. 
 
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Comment 
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¶10. US Mission is excited by the positive movement towards a 
"deeper relationship" between WFP and its U.S. partners, 
including our "faith-based" organizations. As WFP's lead in 
this dialogue, Deputy Executive Director Sheila Sisulu has 
brought both dynamism and vision to a potentially big  "win-4 
 
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FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
USAID FOR A/NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS 
STATE FOR A/S IO HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY, IO/EDA RBERHEND AND 
SKOTOK 
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS AND BGAINOR 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
USMISSION GENEVA 
 
win" situation. On the U.S.-side, World Vision, CARE and 
Save the Children US are equally keen to make this "truer 
partnership" work. And as it succeeds, it will be the hungry 
poor around the world who will benefit the most. Hall 
 
 
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 2003ROME05224 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED