VZCZCXRO2764
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOU #0872/01 2751206
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021206Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5608
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE IMMEDIATE
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1434
RUEHNM/AMEMBASSY NIAMEY 0161
RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 0253
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 3912
RUEHAB/AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN 0846
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 0986
RUEHCO/AMEMBASSY COTONOU 1732
RUEHPC/AMEMBASSY LOME 2158
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0293
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0717
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OUAGADOUGOU 000872 
 
PLEASE PASS TO USAID 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
AFR/WA FOR NFREEMAN, LDOORES-FENDELL, GBERTOLIN 
OFDA/W FOR ACONVERY, CCHAN, FSHANKS, MSHIRLEY, JMCINTOSH 
FFP/W FOR JBORNS, ASINK, TMCRAE 
DAKAR FOR RDAVIS 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
ROME FOR US MISSION RNEWBERG, HSPANOS 
BRUSSELS FOR USAID PBROWN 
NEW YORK FOR DMERCADO 
NSC FOR CPRATT 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR PREL PHUM ZI UV
SUBJECT:  FY 2010 RENEWAL OF DISASTER DECLARATION FOR FLOODING IN 
BURKINA FASO 
 
OUAGADOUGO 00000872  001.6 OF 002 
 
REFS: 
A) OUAGADOUGOU 694 
B) OUAGADOUGOU 753 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY.  On September 2, post declared a disaster due to the 
effects of severe flooding in the capital, Ouagadougou, following 
unusually heavy rain on September 1 (ref A).  In response, the USG 
has provided nearly USD 2.3 million in emergency assistance to date, 
including more than USD 1.5 million from USAID's Office of U.S. 
Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) and more than USD 750,000 
from USAID's Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP).  However, ongoing 
difficulties concerning relocation of the approximately 53,000 
displaced people currently sheltering in temporary sites, due in 
part to limited Government of Burkina Faso (GoBF) capacity, could 
necessitate additional assistance in the weeks and months to come. 
Accordingly, post re-declares a disaster for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 
due to ongoing humanitarian needs.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------- ---------- ----------- ------- 
CURRENT DISPLACEMENT AND RELOCATION PLANS 
---------- ---------- ------------ ------ 
 
¶2.  On September 2, post declared a disaster due to the effects of 
severe flooding in the capital, Ouagadougou, following unusually 
heavy rain on September 1 (ref A).  Following the floods, 
approximately 53,000 displaced people sought shelter in 88 temporary 
sites, mostly schools.  In addition, an estimated 40,000 people are 
sheltering with host families.  To ensure a timely start to the 
school year on October 1, the GoBF began relocating displaced people 
from the 88 temporary sites to five new temporary sites on September 
¶23.  Of the new relocation sites, the largest is the Hippodrome, a 
sports arena.  As of September 28, the U.N. Office for the 
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that the Hippodrome 
was housing 2712 people.  Provisionally, the GoBF has identified 32 
additional relocation sites throughout the city, bringing the total 
to 37 new sites. 
 
¶3.  Although the GoBF has begun relocating displaced people out of 
schools, early-stage preparation of shelter and water, sanitation, 
and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure has begun in only 10 of the 37 new 
temporary sites.  Currently, many of the new sites do not afford 
displaced people sufficient access to basic WASH services, according 
to USAID/OFDA staff, and the sites will not provide adequate or safe 
shelter as presently constituted during the coming months.  Given 
limited GoBF capacity to meet WASH and other humanitarian needs in 
the new sites, additional USG assistance may be required. 
 
------------ -------- -------- --------- -----------------USG 
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO DATE AND NEW HUMANITARIAN NEEDS 
----------- -------- -------- ---------- ------------------ 
 
¶4.  To date, the USG has provided nearly USD 2.3 million in 
emergency assistance in response to the floods, including more than 
USD 1.5 million from USAID/OFDA and more than USD 750,000 from 
USAID/FFP.  USAID/OFDA assistance includes support for interventions 
in agriculture and food security, economic recovery and market 
 
OUAGADOUGO 00000872  002.4 OF 002 
 
 
systems, and WASH, including the provision of 30 water storage units 
at some of the 88 previous relocation sites.  USAID/OFDA has also 
supported the provision of emergency relief supplies.  USAID/OFDA 
support to date is benefiting approximately 125,000 flood-affected 
individuals.  In addition, USAID/FFP approved the redirection of 
approximately 734 metric tons of USAID/FFP-funded food assistance, 
valued at more than USD 750,000, towards emergency operations in 
response to the floods. 
 
¶5.  In a September 27 visit to one of the school sites, USAID/OFDA 
staff noted that some displaced people prefer not to relocate to the 
37 new sites due to the distance between the new sites and the 
displaced people's former homes or places of employment.  As such, 
flood-affected individuals will likely require ongoing and 
potentially expanded humanitarian assistance to rebuild livelihoods. 
 In addition, USAID/OFDA staff note the need for support to host 
families and communities in order to cope with the volume of 
displacement. 
 
---------- ---------- ------- ------------- 
RENEWAL OF DISASTER DECLARATION FOR FY 2010 
-------- --------- ---------- ------------- 
 
¶6.  Given the scope of ongoing humanitarian needs, and pursuant to 
Section 062, Volume 2, of the Foreign Affairs Manual and USAID ADS 
251, post hereby renews the disaster declaration in response to the 
floods for FY 2010.  Post finds that it is in the best interests of 
the USG to provide continued assistance in response to the disaster 
and that it is beyond the capacity of the host government to provide 
adequate support to flood-affected and displaced people.  In 
addition, the GoBF is actively engaging donor nations to seek 
additional emergency flood relief, and the GoBF will accept 
additional USG humanitarian assistance.  Since September 4, a 
USAID/OFDA acting senior program officer has been stationed in 
Burkina Faso to assess humanitarian needs and to closely monitor 
relief efforts in conjunction with post, USAID/West Africa, 
USAID/FFP, and humanitarian partners.  USAID/OFDA staff will 
continue to assess additional humanitarian needs in the weeks and 
months to come. 
 
LAEUCHLI