VZCZCXRO1186
PP RUEHRN
DE RUEHRN #0026/01 0541752
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231752Z FEB 10
FM USMISSION UN ROME
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1306
INFO RUEHC/USAID WASHDC
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 0048
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI PRIORITY 0027
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0062
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY 0026
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0333
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0396
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0490
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME 1384

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 UN ROME 000026 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NAIROBI FOR GEORGIANNA PLATT, SUREKA KHANDAGLE, NICK COX AND 
PETE MOHAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: WFP AORC EAID PREF
SUBJECT: WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: SOMALIA OPERATIONS SITUATION UPDATE AS 
OF FEBRUARY 22, 2010 
 
REF: A) 09 STATE 132604; B) UN ROME 01; C) UN ROME 03; D) UN ROME 08; E) UN ROME 10; F) UN ROME 12; G) UN ROME 18 
 
¶1.  (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On February 23, WFP disseminated its latest situation 
report.  The text is pasted in its entirety below: 
 
BEGIN REPORT 
"WFP Somalia Operations Situation 
As of February 22, 2010 
 
Summary Update 
 
-- WFP adjusted its food allocation from 30,000 mt/month to 
29,000 mt/month for next six months with the beneficiary number 
being reduced from 2.8 to 2.5 million. Findings from the 
recently completed interagency assessment indicated improvement 
in overall food security situation in Somalia. As a result, the 
number of people in humanitarian emergency (HE) and acute food 
and livelihood crisis (AFLC) has reduced from 2.1 million to 1.8 
million since the previous assessment in July/August 2009. The 
number of internally displaced people (IDPs) remains 1.39 
million. Based on the above, WFP refined its targeting 
modalities and revised the allocation plan. For the next six 
months, WFP will assist 2.5 million beneficiaries (including 
suspended areas) with 29,000 mt of food per month. 
 
-- The Government of Puntland, a self declared independent state 
in north-east Somalia has issued clearance for WFP's food 
delivery from Berbera port to Galkayo. This agreement was 
reached at a meeting between WFP Head of Sub Office, the Acting 
President of Puntland and line ministers. The Government 
reiterated the need of prior notice on WFP's plan for 
transporting food aid via corridors between Somaliland and 
Puntland for safety and security reasons. An 82 truck convoy, 
which had previously been prevented at Las Anod from moving by 
the government has been given the green light to proceed and 
reached Galkayo this past weekend. 
 
-- During the reporting period, a total of 3,550 mt of assorted 
food was discharged at Bossasso port. A total of 1,876 mt of 
food was distributed to 161,820 beneficiaries in Benadir and 
Mudug through wet feeding, supplementary feeding and general 
food distribution programmes. 
 
-- Food delivery to Afgoye remains challenging. Other than the 
first test deliveries in January 2010, no further deliveries 
have reached final distribution points in Afgoye due to threats 
from Al Shabaab to WFP contracted transporters. 
 
-- WFP received an assurance letter from the district 
commissioner of Doolow District, Gedo Region in South Somalia 
requesting WFP and all the humanitarian agencies to resume 
activities in the district, guaranteeing the safety and security 
of the aid agencies. According to the letter, this is the third 
request calling humanitarian agencies to return. 
 
-- According to Xinhua News Agency, Somali President Sheikh 
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed called for more support from the 
international community to Somalia's transitional government in 
order to solve the country's prolonged and complicated crisis. 
Islamist insurgent groups, which now control most parts of south 
and limited areas of central Somalia have been mounting deadly 
attacks against forces of the transitional government and the 
African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), causing heavy 
casualty in troops and civilians. Piracy is a continued problem 
for the government. A strong government could not be established 
without strong and effective support from the international 
community, the president said. 
 
WFP Security Update 
 
-- According to the information UN received as of early February 
2010, Al Shabaab Al-Islamiya leaders planned to implement a new 
strategy towards Kenya in the coming weeks. The strategy 
included unknown plans to assassinate diplomats and UN staff. No 
 
UN ROME 00000026  002 OF 002 
 
 
further information was provided. 
 
-- According to Sh. M. Network, Al Shabaab officials said that 
WFP will not operate in the areas under the control of their 
administration in Somalia until it takes commandments ordered 
earlier. Sheik Moktar Robow Ali better known as (Abu Mansour), 
high profile of Harakat Al-shabaab Mujahideen told reporters at 
Baidoa town that WFP will never operate in southern Somalia and 
also in any places that are under the control of Al-shabaab 
unless it abides by the conditions displayed earlier. Abu 
Mansour said that among the conditions, it suggested WFP to buy 
the food from the Somali farmers and they will not accept from 
the agency to provide food from USA. 
 
-- In Mogadishu, day missions for international staff members 
are possible but subject to New York Security Clearance. 
National staff members continue to operate from the seaport. 
Most parts of Somaliland have remained accessible for 
humanitarian operations. Due to the prevailing security 
situation, areas such as Las Anod, Buuhoold, Xudun and Taleh 
that are located in the Sool region have remained closed." 
END REPORT 
 
¶3. (SBU) Because WFP remains restricted from operating in South 
and some areas of Central Somalia, USUN Rome has requested that 
WFP include in its next situation report a breakdown between 
actual food allocations for beneficiaries being served and total 
population in need. 
COUSIN