WFP EMERGENCY REPORT Issued weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme Report No. 17 of 2000 Date: 28 April 2000
This report includes: A) Horn of Africa drought: region, Somalia and Eritrea B) Mozambique - Cyclone Hudah C) Sudan D) Angola E) Sierra Leone F) Sri Lanka. From Francesco Strippoli, Senior Humanitarian Advisor. Available on the Internet on the WFP Home Page at http://www.wfp.org/ or by e-mail from Natasha.Nadazdin@wfp.org . For information on resources, donors are requested to contact Aleesa.Blum@wfp.org or Marius.deGaayFortman@wfp.org at WFP Rome, telephone 39 06 6513 2004 or 06 6513 2250. Media queries should be directed to Trevor.Rowe@wfp.org telephone 39 06 6513 2602. The address of WFP is Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici, 00148 Rome, Italy. PART I - HIGHLIGHTS (Details below in Part II) A. HORN OF AFRICA - DROUGHT 1. Update a) Regional: On 1 May UN Secretary General named Manuel Aranda da Silva of WFP the UN Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Drought in the Horn of Africa. b) Somalia: a 50-truck WFP convoy with 320 tons of food aid arrives in drought-hit areas of Rabdure and Elberde in Bakool Region; WFP carrying out a food needs assessment in Hodur district, Bakool Region; some 440 tons of WFP cereals, pulses and oil arrived in the Gedo region in early April, distributed to over 44,000 vulnerable people in the Bardera district; second WFP food distribution to the Haud areas of the northwest (Somaliland) to take place; Gu harvest in August may be below normal; some 2,800 tons of WFP food pre-positioned in southern Somali ports in anticipation of monsoon rains which render ports inaccessible in summer months. c) Eritrea: WFP to provide 19,390 tons of food aid for a total of 211,750 drought-affected persons in Anseba and Northern Red Sea regions from April through December 2000; total WFP cost of the new emergency operation (EMOP 6227) USD 8 million; WFP also planning to assist some 333,230 war affected persons in Gash Barka and Debub would face severe food shortages. B. MOZAMBIQUE - CYCLONE HUDAH 1. Update - most information as of 24 April a) Current WFP cereal pipeline secured well into June; WFP requested a total of USD 36 million from donors to provide food assistance to 597,000 people. b) WFP air capacity sustained until the end of April, then gradually phased out in May; air-cell stands at 28 aircraft. c) More areas becoming accessible by road as waters recede in central region. d) WFP provides 8 tons of food to Action Aid and INGC in Quelimane for distribution the victims of Cyclone Hudah. e) WFP delivered a US donation of 3,000 tons of food to Maputo. f) By 21 April, some 15,000 people moved from Chiaquelane and 9,000 from Macia back to Chokwe and other areas of Gaza. g) International reconstruction conference on Mozambique in Rome on May 3-4 to be attended by donor governments, development banks, aid groups and the private sector as well as the Southern African Developing Countries (SADC) bloc. C. SUDAN 1. Update - information as of 29 April a) On 29 April Sudan extended temporary ceasefire in Bahr el-Ghazal region until 15 July; ceasefire to help deliver relief food to the needy. D. ANGOLA 1. Update - information as of 26 April a) According to UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Angola, humanitarian situation alarming and may deteriorate to a crisis; the full text of recent UN assessment report available on <http://www.reliefweb.int go to complex emergencies, go to Angola, then select 'OCHA Angola: Report on Rapid Assessment of Critical Needs - April 2000. b) Joint FAO/WFP crop and food supply assessment currently underway; FAO and WFP team members collaborating with MINADER, USAID, EU and SADC representatives; debriefing on mission findings planned for 3 May. E. SIERRA LEONE 1. Update - information as of 20 April a) A joint Government/UN/NGO needs assessment mission to Kailahun district reported improved access; return of Sierra Leoneans from Guinea and Liberia observed; food security situation worse in interior district towns of Segwemba and Pendembu. b) SLRA and UNAMSIL start rehabilitation of Daru-Kailahun-Buedu road under WFP special operation (SO 6229); WFP implementing food-for-work projects for rehabilitation of 18 feeder roads. c) Distributions started in Bo and Moyamba sites under WFP emergency operation (EMOP 6187) to assist demobilised soldiers. F. SRI LANKA 1. Update - information as of 19 April a) WFP protracted relief and recovery operation (PRRO 6152) to provide relief food assistance to some 85,520 displaced persons and recovery food assistance to 15,000 persons worst affected by the conflict; children below five years of age and nursing mothers receiving supplementary rations; by end 2001 WFP planning to provide a total of 35,337 tons of food aid. b) Military activities hinder return of internally displaced; WFP food-for-work activities implemented in more stable areas hosting IDPs but also among returnees. c) According to recent reports some 7,000 people, mainly from along the Main Supply Route to Elephant Pass camp, fled their homes due to fighting. PART II - DETAILS A. HORN OF AFRICA DROUGHT 1. REGIONAL 1.1 The UN Secretary General has named Manuel Aranda da Silva, a senior WFP staff member, the UN Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Drought in the Greater Horn of Africa. The newly appointed UN Regional Humanitarian Coordinator will travel to the region on 4 April where he will coordinate humanitarian efforts of UN agencies, work closely with Governments and regional organizations, and direct fundraising efforts in cooperation with the donor community. 2. SOMALIA - information as of 30 April 2.1 A 50-truck WFP convoy carrying some 320 tons of food aid arrived in the past few days in the worst hit areas of Rabdure and Elberde in Bakool Region, along the border with Region 5 in Ethiopia. Distribution in Rabdhure has been completed while it is still under way in El Bherde. Some 30,000 people suffering from the effects of the prolonged drought in the area will benefit from the WFP-provided food. 2.2 WFP is also carrying out a food needs assessment of the Hodur district of Bakool Region, following an agreement recently concluded with the authorities on modalities and future use of food in the Bay/Bakool regions. 2.3 Some 440 tons of WFP cereals, pulses and oil transported from Mombasa via El Wak on the Kenyan border arrived in the Gedo region in early April, and have been distributed to over 44,000 vulnerable people in the Bardera district. 2.4 WFP will shortly carry out a second food distribution to the Haud areas of the northwest (Somaliland) experiencing a prolonged drought. This is a pastoral region along the Ethiopian border close to Ogaden. In March, some 300 tons of food aid were distributed to over 20,000 vulnerable pastoralists living there. 2.5 The prospects for the Gu harvest in August continue to be of concern and will depend on rainfall. Recent rainfall forecasts have indicated a 50 percent probability of below normal rainfall during the Gu season for most of Somalia. While good rains have been received in most parts of Somalia during the second half of April, this rainfall will only result in a normal Gu season harvest should rains continue through early June. The Gu season is also critical for replenishing water and pasture resources. 2.6 WFP has recently pre-positioned some 2,800 tons in southern Somali ports in anticipation of the monsoon rains which normally render the Merca port inaccessible from June to August and Elmaan from July to August. Arrangements are also being made for the pre-positioning of an additional 2,000 tons in Mandera on the Kenyan border, for cross-border distribution into southern Somalia. 3. ERITREA 3.1 To alleviate the plight of drought victims in Eritrea, WFP will provide 19,390 metric tons of food aid at a total WFP cost of USD 8 million for an estimated 211,750 drought-affected persons in Anseba and Northern Red Sea regions from April through December 2000 on the basis of the findings of a joint Government/UN humanitarian needs assessment in November/December 1999. The beneficiaries of the new emergency operation (EMOP 6227) are mostly poor peasant farmers with limited access to low productive land, no employable skills and insufficient purchasing power to meet their food needs. For these beneficiaries, food aid will be provided through general distributions. Among them there are 42,000 persons, mainly malnourished children under five, pregnant and nursing mothers and tuberculosis patients who will receive supplementary food through health centres and clinics. WFP requests donors to provide funds for this operation. 3.2 The assessment mission in November and December 1999 also reported that some 333,230 war-affected persons in Gash Barka and Debub would face severe food shortages. WFP estimated total emergency food requirements for the year 2000 at approximately 52,000 tons. Furthermore, a contingency stock of some 12,500 tons is maintained to respond to any population displacement in case hostilities resume or escalate during 2000. A new WFP emergency operation for the war affected populations in Eritrea is under preparation. 3.3 Up to mid-December 1999, WFP supplied 5,325 tons of food commodities, about 12 percent of the total requirements of the ongoing emergency operation (EMOP 6044) for the war-affected due to delayed donor response to the EMOP during most of 1999. However, by the end of December 1999, donor contributions to the EMOP 6044 had increased significantly to over 70 percent of the estimated requirements. The increased donor contributions in late December 1999 enabled WFP to carry over 26,750 tons of food into 2000. B. MOZAMBIQUE 1. UPDATE - information as of 24 April 1.1 With current pledges and confirmed donor contributions WFP's cereal pipeline for Mozambique is secure well into June. 1.2 Over 2,970 tons of WFP commodities were delivered during a two week period between 7 and 21 April by air, boat and road to the five affected provinces of southern and central Mozambique. WFP confirmed that air capacity would be sustained until the end of April. There will be a gradual phasing out during the first two weeks of May. The air-cell still stands at 28 aircraft. 1.3 WFP is in close consultation with ANE (National Roads Administration) on the issue of road rehabilitation. ANE confirmed that the repair of the road EN1 south of Xai-Xai, to allow access from Maputo, will take another 2 months. They hope to have the road via Chibuto repaired within two weeks, thus allowing road access to the north/central regions of Mozambique via road. More areas are becoming accessible as waters recede in the central region of the country. 1.4 WFP provided 8 tons of food to Action Aid and the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC) in Quelimane for distribution the victims of Cyclone Hudah. WFP Nampula reported that in the districts of Angoche and Moma in Nampula province, approximately 2,700 people would need some assistance due to the effects of the cyclone. 1.5 WFP delivered a US donation of 3,000 tons of food to Maputo over the weekend. The same vessel will continue to Beira to deliver further 1,500 tons of food aid. 1.6 The beneficiary figures have been reviewed and resulted in reductions in Maputo city and Inhambane province, but there was an increase of almost 20,000 beneficiaries in the Chibuto area of Gaza province following an assessment by WFP/INGC/SCF. 1.7 The Government of Mozambique is preparing to start the resettlement process which will be supported by WFP. Resettlement has already commenced in Maputo province. By 21 April, some 15,000 people had moved from Chiaquelane and 9,000 from Macia back to Chokwe and other areas of Gaza. 1.8 An international reconstruction conference on Mozambique will be held in Rome on May 3-4. It will be attended by donor governments, development banks, aid groups and the private sector as well as the Southern African Developing Countries (SADC) bloc. The funds raised during the conference are expected to help restore and improve education, health care, infrastructure and agriculture, and to revitalise the private sector. C. SUDAN 1. UPDATE - information as of 29 April 1.1 Sudan has extended a temporary ceasefire in the southern Bahr el-Ghazal region until 15 July. The extension of the cease-fire was announced by the Sudanese Foreign Ministry on 29 April. The decision was taken to help deliver relief to the people of the region following a meeting of the Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail and the WFP representative Mohamed Saliheen. D. ANGOLA 1. UPDATE - information as of 26 April 1.1 On 26 April OCHA presented the findings of a rapid needs assessment undertaken in 31 locations throughout Angola in collaboration with the Government, UN agencies and NGOs. The Report warned that war-ravaged Angola needed urgently further help. Zoraida Mesa, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Angola, pointed out that the humanitarian situation is alarming and if the current trends continue it may deteriorate to the point of crisis. The text of the assessment report is available on <http://www.reliefweb.int go to complex emergencies, go to Angola, then select 'OCHA Angola: Report on Rapid Assessment of Critical Needs - April 2000. 1.2 The joint FAO/WFP mission, which aims at analyzing potential crop production and deficit, food supply and availability and the ability of the population to meet food needs, has started its work in Angola on 17 April. As of 19 April, three groups are travelling throughout the country, each with experts from FAO, WFP, a Representative from MINADER (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Extension) and Observers from USAID, the European Union and SADC. The Mission is expected to complete its field trips on 29 April. The debriefing on mission findings is planned for 3 May 2000. E. SIERRA LEONE 1. UPDATE - information as of 20 April 1.1 WFP in collaboration with UNICEF, UNHCR, UN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinating Unit (UNHACU), International Medical Corps (IMC), IRC, Kailahun District Development Foundation (KADDF) and the Ministry of Education conducted a needs assessment mission in Kailahun district between 10 and 14 April. The mission was able to cover many chiefdoms of Kailahun district, including those that remained inaccessible to humanitarian agencies during the war. Access was reported to be unhindered throughout the assessment as the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has dismantled all the checkpoints between Mano Junction near Kenema through Kailahun to Koindu. Sierra Leonean refugees have started trickling in from neighbouring Guinea and Liberia into Kailahun district. The food security situation was found to deteriorate as the mission moved further away from Kenema and border towns into the interior district towns of Segwemba and Pendembu, where transport and access to markets and bush food is limited or scarce. 1.2 The Sierra Leone Roads Association (SLRA) and the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) have started works for the rehabilitation of the Daru-Kailahun-Buedu road under WFP special operation (SO 6229). During the mission WFP identified food-for-work community groups and in collaboration with KADDF, distributed tools for the rehabilitation of tertiary roads and bridges near Segwema, Daru and areas along the Liberian border where returnees have started to resettle. 1.3 WFP is currently implementing food-for-work projects for the rehabilitation of 18 feeder roads amounting to a total of 210 km in collaboration with four local NGOs and community work groups in Mile 91, Lower Yoni, Tonkolili district. The rehabilitation of these roads will be vital for farmers to access their plots during the agricultural season and for the delivery of food assistance to complement the seeds and tools distributions implemented by various local and international NGOs as well as for the sale of produce in the post-harvest season. 1.4 The WFP emergency operation (EMOP 6187) for assistance to the demobilisation and disarmament programme has commenced on 17 April. Food has been distributed to demobilised soldiers in Bo and Moyamba sites and arrangements are under way for Kailahun, Makeni and Magburaka sites. 1.5 WFP has opened an office in Nitti, Bonthe district, for the Southern Region and is preparing to open an additional office in Port Loko for the Northern Province. 1.6 The UNAMSIL Nigerian battalion has fully deployed around Freetown area and the peninsula. Jordanian and Zambian UNAMSIL battalions have started to arrive in Sierra Leone. UNAMSIL started deploying in Kambia and Kabala where security was precarious for the civilian population as well as in the diamond town of Koidu. F. SRI LANKA 1. UPDATE - information as of 19 April 1.1 WFP is currently implementing its protracted relief and recovery operation (PRRO 6152) to provide relief food assistance to some 85,520 displaced persons and recovery food assistance to 15,000 persons, worst affected by the conflict. They have been forced to flee their homes and are being housed by the Government of Sri Lanka in approximately 270 welfare centres located in eight districts of the North and East provinces. Daily food rations consisting of rice, pulses, sugar, iodized salt and coconut oil (fortified with vitamin A under the project) are being distributed. In addition, children below five years of age and nursing mothers are receiving supplementary rations, mainly consisting of CSB. Until the end of 2001 WFP is planning to provide a total of 35,337 tons of food aid. 1.2 Military activities sometimes impede implementation of recovery activities and dispel thoughts of the return among displaced persons to their places of origin. Food-for-work recovery activities are being targeted not only in welfare centres located in more stable areas but also among returnees in the districts of Mannar, Vavuniya, Trincomalee and Jaffna. Training courses have been organized for the members of the management committees of welfare centres. The course will concentrate on empowering the committees to run the affairs of the committees more effectively and to enable the transition, among the IDPs (internally displaced persons), from relief to recovery. 1.3 The military advances by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) in Elephant Pass have resulted in sudden increases of displaced persons in Kilaly area. It is estimated as many as 7,000 people, largely from along the Main Supply Route to Elephant Pass camp, have left their homes and are currently displaced. The Norweigian Government has offered to act as facilitators for conflict-resolution. Despite the recent international efforts to mediate, war in the North continues. Note: all tonnage figures in this report refer to metric tons (End WFP Emergency Report No. 17 of 2000 - April 28, 2000) distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - World Food Program Reports: http://vwww.vita.org/disaster/wfp