WFP EMERGENCY REPORT
Issued weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme
Report No. 11 / 2001 - Date 16 March 2001


This report includes:
(A)  West and Central Asia: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan
(B)  Great Lakes Region: (1) Burundi, (2) Uganda
(C)  West Africa: (1) Guinea, (2) Sierra Leone, (3) Liberia,
     (4) Guinea Bissau
(D)  Angola
(E)  Northern Caucasus: (1) Ingushetia, (2) Chechnya
(F)  Balkans: (1) Kosovo, (2) Serbia, (3) Montenegro, (4) FYROM,
     (5) Albania
(G)  Bangladesh
(H)  DPR Korea


>From Francesco Strippoli, Senior Humanitarian Adviser; available on the
Internet on the WFP Home Page (www.wfp.org), or by e-mail from
Zlatan.Milisic@wfp.org.

For information on resources, donors are requested to contact
Valerie.Sequeira@wfp.org at WFP Rome, telephone 39 06 6513 2009. 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.


(A)  West and Central Asia: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan

(1)  Afghanistan

a)  WFP launched an appeal for a USD 76-million emergency operation (EMOP)
to save millions of people in Afghanistan from starvation due to a long
and devastating cycle of drought and civil war. There have been three
consecutive years of severe drought in Afghanistan and millions of people
are at risk of starving to death.

b)  WFP is seeking donor support in order to avert further deaths from
hunger and stabilise the population by reducing the mass movements of
people to cities and into neighbouring countries. The new operation will
target 3.8 million people for one year. In order to mobilise its resources
most efficiently, WFP is consolidating its current emergency and
development operations into a single one, in order to effectively reach
the huge and increasing number of hungry poor.

c)  Food distributions in Afghanistan will be stepped up, to prevent the
crisis from getting worse. It is already evident that the upcoming wheat
harvest, due in July, will not meet the food needs of the people.
Thousands of farmers who have fled their home villages to large cities in
Afghanistan or to Pakistan and Iran, in search of food, are unlikely to
return for the new planting season. Seed availability is inadequate as
well.

d)  A recent WFP survey of Afghan refugee families living in Shamshatoo
and Akora Khattak camps near Peshahwar, in Pakistan, indicated that
displacement has occurred as a result of devastating drought, gruelling
civil war and consequent downtrend in the economy. The majority of
refugees have not been caused by a single-factor, but overlapping effects
of war and drought.

e)  About 150,000 Afghans are believed to have fled the country for
Pakistan over the last few months. Judging from their reported date of
departure, it is likely that a large number of refugees originating from
Shamali and the Northeast were initially internally displaced (IDPs)
elsewhere in Afghanistan (north Shamali, Panjshir, Kabul or north-eastern
Afghanistan).


(2)  Pakistan

a)  Less than a month before the start of the main wheat harvest in
Pakistan there are mounting concerns about the failure of the winter rains
and severe shortages of irrigation water. A number of major dams are
reported to be in worrying situation and irrigation canals have only 10-15
percent of the water requirement. The authorities in Punjab province,
where 75 percent of Pakistan wheat is produced, have announced the closure
of canals from 20 March, as water quotas have been fully utilised. The
provincial Government of Sindh, which accounts for 42 percent of the rice
production in Pakistan, has banned sowing of rice in its major rice
growing areas, due to severe water shortage. There is also a concern
regarding the current unseasonably high temperatures.

b)  Although it is not possible to predict the output of the wheat harvest
with any confidence at this stage, it will certainly fall well short of
last year's 21 million tons. The latest official estimate of the harvest
is 18.5 million tons, but some sources are predicting a reduction in
harvest of 25-30 percent.

c)  While there is a carry-over from the bumper harvest of 2000, it is
apparent that Pakistan will have to resume wheat imports later this year
or in early 2002. The Government has also revised its expected GDP growth
for the year from 4.5 to 3.8 percent, due to the effects of the drought.

d)  Acute drinking water shortages in many cities are likely to occur and
rationing of drinking water has already begun in some of the worst
affected areas.

e)  The situation in Balochistan Province, which relies heavily on winter
rains, is poor and deteriorating. For the third consecutive year
precipitation has been significantly below average. Although a number of
districts have received rain and snowfall in February, the late start of
rain is unlikely to improve crop and forage production. Vulnerable people
will be further hard-pressed.

f)  As of 29 January, the government of Pakistan halted verification of
approximately 80,000 Afghan refugees at the Jalozai transit centre. The
condition of these people continues to give rise to concern, as they are
receiving no assistance from the UN. During his recent visit to Pakistan,
the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, expressed his concern about the
conditions in Jalozai and the need to provide humanitarian assistance. Mr.
Annan also visited Shamshatoo refugee camp, where WFP distributions were
taking place.



(B)  Great Lakes Region: (1) Burundi, (2) Uganda

(1)  Burundi

a)  Fighting continued in the northern part of the capital Bujumbura,
between the army and the rebels. More than 220 people have been reported
killed in the confrontations and a number of houses destroyed. Fighting
was also reported in Gitega and Makamba provinces. Due to insecurity in
the northern parts of the capital, more than 62,000 people were displaced
from Kinama, Cibitoke and Kamenge zones. They sought refuge either in the
neighbouring quarters, or in areas at the outskirts of the town. WFP
distributed approximately 200 tons of emergency assistance to the
displaced, of the total 463 tons planed for this activity.

b)  WFP continued to supply Seeds Protection Rations (SPR) and targeted
assistance rations in the northern provinces. More than 1,350 tons of food
were distributed as SPRs to more than 243,600 people in Muramvya, Mwaro,
Muyinga and Kayanza provinces. The operation was seriously hampered by
insecurity in Bujumbura Rural and Makamba provinces and all planned
distributions there were cancelled. WFP started targeted distributions in
Ngozi and Kayanza provinces and will carried out such activity in other
selected provinces shortly. Over 1,420 tons of food were distributed as
targeted assistance to 103,400 people.

c)  Some 357 returnees from Tanzania (reportedly expelled from Lukole
refugee camp) were assisted with WFP food aid. WFP also authorised
dispatch of 285 tons of food to 77 selective feeding projects benefiting
25,260 orphans, physically handicapped people, street children, elders and
chronically ill persons and supplied 1,263 tons of food to various
partners operating nutritional project, mainly in Karuzi and Kayanza
provinces.

d)  Assessment teams carried out household visits in Mugamba region and
collected information for the forthcoming food economy analysis of the
area. Some of the planned missions in Bujumbura Rural province were
postponed due to insecurity. The teams conducted assessments in different
sites in Bujumbura town, where some of the more than 62,000 people have
been displaced by fighting in the capital. Food Economy Assessments were
carried out in 17 (former regroupment) sites, now hosting 14,789 persons.

e)  WFP carried out monitoring visits in Karuzi, Muyinga and Ngozi
provinces to view the impact of SPR distributions. Distributions in seven
selective feeding projects, assisting 2,900 people, were also monitored.
Six new projects assisting orphans and blind persons have been approved
for WFP food assistance, in Kayanza, Kirundo, Gitega, and Bujumbura
Mairie.

f)  The Committee on Food Aid has been established at the country level.
Its first meeting took place on 8 March and was attended by key UN
agencies and NGOs involved in food management and the main donors. The
role of the committee is to facilitate information sharing, collaboration
and coordination between partners. WFP will chair the committee.


(2)  Uganda

a)  WFP appealed to donors to provide the necessary funding for the
emergency operation in Uganda, which is feeding almost 700,000 IDPs and
refugees in the country. Some 45,000 tons of food are urgently needed to
maintain food distributions over the next several months, at the total
cost of operation of USD 27 million.

b)  WFP operation was launched in April last year and remains almost sixty
percent under-funded. It originally aimed to assist 411,500 people, but
the intensified rebel activity last year sent tens of thousands more
fleeing from their homes in search of food and shelter. Coupled with
increasing influxes of new refugees from Sudan, the number of people
receiving WFP food in Northern and Western Uganda has skyrocketed to
673,000.

c)  Resourcing constraints come at a time when a possibility of new
refugee influxes can not be ruled out. In the past three weeks alone, more
than 4,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into north-western Uganda,
seeking food and water as a result of drought and ongoing civil conflict
in South Sudan.

d)  WFP also feeds in Uganda more than 6,000 Congolese refugees who fled
ethnic fighting in the Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo district of
Ituri, in January, and who are now based in camps in Bundibugyo. They are
being assisted under WFP's Great Lakes Regional Operation which is
assisting 1.2 million people in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania until
July. WFP still requires USD 98 million against its requested USD 274
million for the Great Lakes Regional Operation



(C)  West Africa: (1) Guinea, (2) Sierra Leone, (3) Liberia, (4) Guinea
Bissau

(1)  Guinea

a)  Security situation in Guinea has deteriorated with the attacks on the
night of 8 to 9 March on Woidjiba area (between Owendo, Kenema and
Nongoa). Humanitarian agencies have suspended their operations in the
"Parrot Beak" area and the military forces do not allow access there. A
second UN security assessment mission will be organised, as soon as the
security situation allows it.

b)  There have been no distributions to IDPs during the week. ICRC has
convened a coordinating meeting and brought to the notice of the
participants that 35,000 IDPs should be assisted in the near future, in
the forestry region. Nutritional and household surveys suggest that almost
half of the initial number in Kissidougou area fit the vulnerability
criteria. Assessments will continue in March and April to ensure
assistance to the IDPs before the lean season starts in June.

c)  NGO Premiere Urgence has delivered 600 tons of food, provided by WFP,
to the "Parrot Beak" of which 400 tons have already been distributed.

d)  UNHCR is working with the government on settling the refugees that are
coming on foot out of the "Parrot Beak". Around 100,000 persons are
concerned and the operation is expected to start within two weeks. The
refugees who are not able to travel on foot will be transported by truck
at the end of the operation. So far, some 20 000 refugees have been
relocated to the camp of Albadaria, where WFP has delivered 115 tons of
food to assist them.

e)  Registration of beneficiaries in the camp of Massakoundou, where an
estimated number of 35,000 refugees have settled, is expected to start
shortly.

f)  WFP has released to the NGO implementing partners 24 tons of corn-soya
blend (CSB) and humanitarian daily rations (HDR) for assistance to
refugees that have been fleeing the region of Nongoa, which was recently
attacked.

g)  Food distribution is being discussed with UNHCR and the implementing
partner for the camp of Kouankan, where 10,000 Liberian refugees are
settled, as the food security situation has worsened there.

h)  In the transit camp of Conakry, the current number of refugees is
4,177 persons. Some 1,495 refugees have repatriated to Sierra Leone this
week while another 1,564 have registered for return. UNHCR is expecting to
intensify the repatriation process in view of the information that 37
percent of the interviewed refugees are ready to return to Sierra Leone.

i)  UNHCR is preparing two other sites for refugees in Albadaria (Kountaya
2 and 3) with a capacity to accommodate 50,000 people and three sites in
Boureya, with a 10,000 capacity. WFP will set up a mobile storage facility
in Kountaya, this week. The accessibility to the sites by road appears to
be problematic, especially for the rainy season that should start in two
months.

j)  The available food pipeline is expected to be sufficient to meet the
needs of the operation until mid-year.


(2)  Sierra Leone

a)  Security situation has been generally stable, countrywide, with no
reported incidents in either government or RUF-controlled areas. A number
of NGOs and UNAMSIL have made several successful missions into RUF-held
areas, to assess security and humanitarian needs.

b)  Numbers of returnees coming back from Guinea and Liberia continue to
rise, on a daily basis. During the week, over 1,440 returnees arrived by
boat from Guinea and more on foot from both Guinea and Liberia. The
returnees are arriving both spontaneously and through organised
repatriation. The returnees from Liberia are arriving into Daru and Zimmi,
while those from Guinea are arriving through Kono to Kenema.

c)  During the week, WFP distributed a total of 1,585 tons of assorted
food commodities to 141,500 beneficiaries in Sierra Leone, in Freetown, Bo
and Kenema areas.

d)  The Government has declared 20 March as the National Resettlement Day.
In line with the resettlement strategy and to facilitate the activity, WFP
is planning to complete food distributions to IDPs in all camps prior to
this date. In early April, all IDPs returning to areas of origin will
receive a two-month resettlement ration. It has been estimated that up to
25,000 IDPs in the camps could be resettled, but there appears to be
considerable reluctance of some IDPs to move to their places of origin,
due to the lack of local infrastructure there.

e)  March distributions within the Emergency School Feeding Programme
(ESFP) have been completed in Moyamba, where 30 tons of food benefited
almost 5,000 children, and in Bo, where 62 tons were distributed to 12,760
school children in 23 schools.

f)  Food aid support by WFP has been initiated for construction of 500
houses in support of the national resettlement process in Koya chiefdom of
Freetown, involving 2,500 beneficiaries. Rehabilitation of 140 km of
roads, through NGO partners who are providing tools and community groups,
is also starting, and is expected to involve 1,850 people. Food aid was
distributed in support of a road rehabilitation project for 168 mainly
female beneficiaries in Kakua chiefdom in Bo, as well as in Small Bo
chiefdom of Kenema, in support of a shelter and sanitation projects.

g)  Original programme plan of WFP had been to distribute 48,005 tons of
food aid to an estimated 520,000 beneficiaries in Sierra Leone during the
year. However, the requirements have increased to 50,500 tons since, due
to the spontaneous return of refugees from Guinea. The beneficiary
caseload has also increased from the original 520,000 to 544,050 persons.

h)  WFP expects a temporary break in the food pipeline for cereals in
April (2,250 tons), due to unexpected change in the expected time of
arrival for the shipments. Several options to minimise the effect of the
break are being reviewed. Notwithstanding the pipeline break, the cereals
availability has been ensured only until July. New donor contributions are
urgency needed to ensure continuation of the operation. Resourcing
problems are also apparent for other food commodities.


(3)  Liberia

a)  UN Security Council has unanimously passed a resolution to impose
limited sanctions on the Liberian government, starting on 7 May.

b)  Fighting is still continuing in Lofa County. Defence Ministry
announced that the Government forces have recaptured the administrative
seat of the County, Voinjama as well as Kolahun, from the rebels.

c)  WFP carried out several assessment visits to the sites where food
assistance has been requested from WFP. The sites were in Margibi and
rural Montserrado Counties.

d)  In Sinje, an inter-agency team involving WFP verified the actual
number of beneficiaries currently receiving food assistance under the
Grand Cape Mount County vulnerable group projects. Also in Sinje,
distribution of monthly rations to almost 15,000 Sierra Leonean refugees
was complete.

e)  Food distribution to schools in the five districts of Grand Cape Mount
County was also completed during the week.


(4)  Guinea Bissau

a)  Clashes between the Government troops and the MFDC rebels of Casamance
region are still being reported, particularly following the death of 30
people during border confrontations in late January. Insecurity increased
at the end of February, due to the carnival events, also. WFP had to slow
down its activities and postponed some food distributions.

b)  During February, WFP assisted 60,833 people in the country (33,944
female). The distributions were executed as planned. A total of 888 tons
of food have been transported and distributed under the protracted relief
and recovery operation (PRRO) and the EMOP.

c)  Several field missions took place, mainly to identify new projects and
partners. WFP staff noticed cases of severe malnutrition among children in
rural areas. A nutritional programme implemented by Caritas and supported
by WFP is already assisting 556 malnourished children in the area.

d)  Among the Food for Work (FFW) projects, land rehabilitation has been
the main activity. WFP is also assisting school constructions in remote
rural areas. In the sector of Bissora (North), 315 pupils will benefit
from new schools.

e)  Additional 135 new schools have been selected for the School Canteen
Programme during February, so a total of 351 schools received WFP food aid
during the month, for a total of 39,909 students (37 percent female).



(D)  Angola

a)  Security situation remains precarious in most provinces, with a number
of incidents, some involving casualties, reported during the week. Arrival
of new IDPs was reported in the provinces of Benguela, Huambo, Huila,
Kuando Kubango, Lunda Sul, Malange and Moxico.

b)  A mission from the UN Senior Network on Internal Displacement, headed
by the UN Network Coordinator and involving a WFP representative, arrived
to Angola on 11 March. The mission is expected to stay until the 17th, and
visit Huambo, Kuito, Viana and the suburban areas of Luanda. The mission
will review IDP statistics and needs (particularly in regards to women and
children), protection issues, as well as the operational capacities of
relief agencies and their relationship with the Government. The mission is
also expected to evaluate issues that might be affecting international
response to IDP needs and make recommendations to concerned agencies and
the Government.

c)  In Benguela province, WFP and Ministry of Education visited the
project for construction of 100 classrooms and 200 latrines, to review it.
The progress to date has enabled 6,032 children (including 2,764 girls) to
attend primary school. In Cubal, a new beneficiary registration and
verification system was introduced and a seminar held to explain the
system.

d)  In Bie province, a recently concluded MSF nutritional survey in IDP
camps of Kuito reported a global malnutrition rate of 10.4 percent. A
survey in last November showed a rate of 9.1 percent. Since October,
approximately 50,123 new IDPs have arrived to Kuito.

e)  In Huambo, WFP attended the provincial humanitarian coordination
meeting where it was decided to initiate a new sub-group to deal with the
special issues of women and children. An interagency mission visited
Longonjo and Ukuma. The primary objective of the visit for WFP was to
review the partner activities in selective feeding centres in Longonjo and
Ukuma. Both areas have been registering decreased malnutrition, since the
harvest begun.

f)  In Kuando Kubango, the IDPs who arrived more than 12 months ago will
receive a reduced food ration this month, as they have established coping
mechanisms and managed to cultivate an average of 0.5 ha of land per
family. Re-registration of IDPs who have arrived in Menongue since last
October, and have been resettled at Missombo, will begin next week.

g)  In Kuanza Sul, multi-agency mission visited Wako-Kungo municipality to
review the prospects for restarting humanitarian activities, suspended for
the past two years due to security concerns. The provincial group for
humanitarian assistance visited Coma, Ponte Santo, Hote I and II, and
Chivinda, where 16,000 IDPs are located, to evaluate their food security,
health, nutrition and education.

h)  In Malange, Food for Seeds Exchange Programme was temporarily halted
in Cacuso, due to insecurity, but continued in neighbouring areas.
Malnutrition rates have reportedly dropped to below 3 percent.

i)  In Uige province, a new Bengo IDP camp was inaugurated in Negage.
There are currently 40 IDP families staying at the camp. Regular rains
continue, raising hopes for a good harvest.

j)  During the week, WFP delivered by road a total of 346 tons of food to
various provinces of the country and airlifted additional 734 tons of food
and 168 tons of non-food items. WFP has been authorised to land Hercules
aircraft in Uige, once a day. Negage airport is still closed for cargo
aircraft.



(E)  Northern Caucasus: (1) Ingushetia, (2) Chechnya

a)  Five donors have so far pledged contributions for the WFP operation in
the Northern Caucasus, for a total amount of USD 4.14 million. This
represents 17 percent of the annual funding requirement of USD 23.9
million. New contributions are urgently needed to enable WFP operations in
the Northern Caucasus after May.

b)  WFP visited 24 distribution centres during the past month and found
adequate situation during most visits. Operational problems were
identified in a few locations and immediately raised with the implementing
partners. WFP also interviewed representatives of 144 IDP families and
conducted a four market survey in Ingushetia.


(2)  Ingushetia

a)  Chechen Administration reiterated that the return of IDPs from
Ingushetia to Chechnya is one of their main priorities. A meeting of the
Prime Ministers of Chechnya and Ingushetia took place in late February to
discuss ways and means to facilitate the return. It has been agreed to
form a Coordination Council that will include members from both republics.

b)  An IDP Congress was held in Nazran. The position held by IDP leaders
is that a significant return is unlikely to take place until the military
forces are withdrawn, security situation improves and shelter and basic
necessities are available. UNHCR is currently doing a survey in the IDP
camps, to assess the willingness of IDPs to return this summer.

c)  According to UNHCR, about 2,500 new IDPs arrived to Ingushetia during
February. However, registration statistics maintained by Danish Refugee
Council (DRC) indicate that the total number of IDPs has slightly
decreased (from 153,683 on 19 February to 152,062 on 14 March).

d)  EMERCOM has established new Camps B and C in Sleptsovkaya, Ingushetia.
Some 8,000 IDPs from train wagons and other settlements will be moved
there.

e)  During February, DRC and Islamic Relief (IR) distributed rations of
WFP food to 148,400 IDPs in Ingushetia. DRC distributed 2,003 tons of food
to 119,000 people in Nazran city, Sunzha, Malgobek, and Karabulak, and IR
distributed 443 tons of food to 29,400 people in seven settlements of
Nazran region and camps of Alina and Sputnik (Sunzha region).


(3)  Chechnya

a)  Provision of humanitarian assistance in Chechnya resumed on 18
February, after a break of around 40 days. The suspension of aid inside
Chechnya was justified by fears for the safety of humanitarian workers,
following the kidnapping of the Head of MSF Holland in the Northern
Caucasus. He was released unharmed on 4 February.

b)  A UN security assessment mission visited Grozny and Gudermes, where
they met with senior authorities. The mission observed a reduction in the
number of military checkpoints between Kavkaz and Grozny and an increased
number of people in the city.

c)  During February, DRC distributed 430 tons of WFP food to 28,700 IDPs
and vulnerable groups in Staropromislovsky district of Grozny city and
Grozny rural area, while People in Need Foundation (PINF) distributed 583
tons of WFP food to 38,900 IDPs and vulnerable groups in Leninsky,
Oktyabrsky and Zavodskoy districts of Grozny city. A total of 67,600
people were assisted.



(F)  Balkans (1) Kosovo, (2) Serbia, (3) Montenegro, (4) FYROM,
     (5) Albania

(1)  Kosovo

a)  WFP continues to cooperate with the Department of Health and Social
Welfare of UNMIK, in the transition from a food-based to a cash-based
social assistance scheme. The number of the Category II beneficiaries
(those willing and able to work, but unable to find employment and lacking
resources to meet basic needs) has been reduced by 17,720 in February. A
further 20,000 beneficiaries are expected to be phased out from the
assistance scheme in March, to bring down the number to 150,000.

b)  Following security concerns in areas populated by minorities, after
the recent ethnic violence, February distributions were revised to include
commodities planned for March. This double distribution will ensure that
the beneficiaries receive adequate food aid rations in case of continued
violence.

c)  In preparation for phasing out, WFP is building a new database and
information management system for use by its local distribution partners,
to facilitate management of beneficiary statistics, commodity tracking and
reporting. This database will be compared to those at the Centres for
Social Work to ensure that there is no duplication of beneficiaries.


(2)  Serbia

a)  WFP assisted 669,400 beneficiaries in February, including 245,150
refugees and 424,250 social cases. Distribution to municipalities in
southern Serbia was seriously affected by the unstable security situation
along the border with Kosovo.

b)  WFP is overseeing a smooth transfer of a large number of beneficiaries
from the Yugoslav Red Cross (YRC) to international NGOs present in Serbia.

c)  A total of 8,919 tons of food was delivered through YRC. International
NGOs received additional 1,953 tons of food from WFP, for further
distribution to beneficiaries.

d)  A Joint Food Needs Assessment Mission is planned for April/May, in
cooperation with UNHCR and ICRC. Two crop assessment missions are also
envisaged to take place after the winter and summer harvests, in
conjunction with FAO.


(3)  Montenegro

a)  During February, WFP distributed 370 tons of food to IDPs and 160 tons
of food to refugees, both located in collective centres and private
accommodation. WFP monitors visited local Red Cross Branches to review
implementation of distributions.

b)  WFP launched an information campaign to advise all beneficiaries on
the new criteria for food assistance, due to be applied in April. News
releases were sent to local newspapers and TV stations, posters were
printed and information notes posted at distribution centres.


(4)  Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)

a)  During the first two months of the year, WFP provided food assistance
to slightly over 7,800 beneficiaries who continue to receive protection
and assistance under the status of Temporary Humanitarian-Assisted Persons
(THAPS) granted by the host Government. The duration of THAPS status
varies from three to six months, with a current extension to 28 March.

b)  It is possible that the Albanian Kosovars may be excluded from the
THAPS at the end of March, or have their refugee status extended only
until the summer. Should they lose their THAPS status, this group,
numbering 142, would be repatriated.

c)  WFP planning figures for food deliveries in March and April are for
7,600 refugees, 1,450 vulnerable among host families and 9,500 social case
families. The total food allocation planned for the two months is around
161 tons of food. As part of the phasing out exercise, WFP expects to
close its Skopje warehouse in May.


(5)  Albania

a)  During February, Medica Mondiale Tirana distributed 15 tons of WFP
food to 240 female beneficiaries participating in counselling and training
activities. All beneficiaries received family rations, so a total of
around 1,200 people benefited from the food aid.

b)  WFP held meetings with Mercy International (USA) in order to finalise
a one time distribution for the unassisted-unemployed and other vulnerable
population in northern Albania. This relief activity is expected to
include a total of 1,000 tons of wheat flour.



(G)  Bangladesh

a)  The extent of the floods that hit south-west Bangladesh in September
has not been seen for 60 years. Over 2.7 million people in six districts
were affected. WFP responded to the floods with an EMOP which aimed to
assist 964,200 people with a general food aid ration, also providing
supplementary rations of blended food for 157,900 pregnant women and
children under five years and biscuits snacks for 175,000 school children.

b)  Resources received by WFP so far will allow provision of the general
ration to 260,000 beneficiaries, for a period of two months and the
supplementary ration to all 157,900 children under five and pregnant
women. February distributions of the general ration have been completed,
with 3,357 tons of food distributed to 260,000 persons within three
districts (60 Unions). Post distribution monitoring at the household level
has started on 9 March.

c)  Blended food is in the pipeline for distribution to the pregnant women
and children under five. The leaders of the flood-affected Unions are
currently working with WFP and its implementing partner on finalising the
beneficiary lists. It is expected that both the beneficiary lists and food
will be ready for a distribution by the last week of March.

d)  WFP is currently awaiting donor contributions to begin local
production of biscuits for the ESFP component of the EMOP.



(H)  DPR Korea

a)  WFP observed a number of seriously malnourished children in a nursery
in Sinuiju. An immediate delivery of 100 kg of rice-milk blend (RMB) was
organised to the nursery, while the monitoring of their condition will
continue. WFP will try to ensure regular visits to baby homes, as they are
highly vulnerable due to the difficulty to obtain sufficient quantities of
nutritionally adequate food and are thus highly dependant on WFP
assistance.

b)  FFW assessments are ongoing in all provinces. The second FFW Project
Review Committee meeting was held on 7 March, when 33 new projects were
reviewed and approved. With the exception of Chagang province, FFW project
proposals have been received from all provinces. The total number of
projects proposals received to date is 176, representing a food
requirement of 91,000 tons. Review of the submissions will continue over
the coming weeks.

c)  Inclusive of the three factories which underwent pilot production last
week, ten new food producing factories have become operational - two for
production of CSB, five for biscuits, two for corn-milk blend (CMB) and
one for RMB. Hamhung factory for production of CSB will resume operations
early next week, after replacement of damaged parts. Distribution plans
for five biscuit factories (for a total of 3,000 tons) have been issued.

Note: All tonnage figures in this report refer to metric tons

(End WFP Emergency Report No 11)


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