WFP EMERGENCY REPORT
Issued weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme
Report No. 03 / 2001 - Date 19 January 2001


This report includes:
(A) El Salvador
(B) Mongolia
(C) West and Central Asia: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Tajikistan, (3) Pakistan
(D) West Africa Coastal: (1) Guinea, (2) Sierra Leone
(E) DPR Korea
(F) Ethiopia
(G) Angola
(H) Lao PDR
(I) Russian Federation (Northern Caucasus)
(J) Tanzania
(K) Mozambique
(L) East Timor


>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
de' Medici, 00148 Rome, Italy.



(A) El Salvador

a)  A strong earthquake, measuring 7.6 degrees on the Richter scale, hit
El Salvador on 13 January, killing hundreds and leaving homeless thousands
of people. As an immediate response to the earthquake, from 14 January,
WFP has been distributing food assistance to the affected population,
including the most vulnerable victims of the six hardest-hit communities
of La Libertad, La Paz, Usulutan, Don Rua, Tecoluca and Comasagua. So far,
around 37,000 families (185,000 persons) benefited from WFP's assistance.
Part of the food, delivered by both truck and helicopter, comes from the
initial USD 200,000 emergency response by WFP and the rest from WFP's
stocks in the region.

b)  WFP is currently preparing to launch a further emergency appeal for El
Salvador, to help up to 200,000 people left homeless or without
belongings, following the earthquake. Meanwhile, WFP is undertaking a
thorough assessment of food needs around the country, in advance to the
new Emergency Operation (EMOP).

c)  WFP has available enough supplies in El Salvador to satisfy food needs
for the next two weeks. The planned appeal for food relief and
rehabilitation needs over the next three to six months will, however, need
support from the international community.

d)  The national Pan American Health Organisation has alerted that that as
many as half of the country's six million people are presently without
water supplies.



(B) Mongolia

a)  A tragic helicopter accident occurred in the Mongolian province of Uvs
when the members of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and
Coordination (UNDAC) team, experts from UN member states and hosts from
the Mongolian Government were en route to conduct a rapid assessment of
emergency needs, in response to the urgent request for assistance by the
Government, following severe freeze, snow and drought ("dzud") conditions.
Nine persons lost their lives in the accident and fourteen were injured.

b)  The UN has immediately sent additional staff to the country, to
conclude the emergency assessment of relief needs and propose a response.

c)  The UN Secretary-General , Kofi Annan, called on the international
community to respond generously to the appeal for assistance that the UN
will make shortly, together with the Government.



(C) West and Central Asia

(1)  Afghanistan

a)  The impact of drought and conflict continues to devastate the country.
In an emergency meeting with donors, on 11 January in Islamabad, UN
agencies appealed for immediate funding for their operations in
Afghanistan. Hampered by limited resources, the aid community is unable to
attend to some of the most urgent needs.

b)  The situation in the western province of Herat has worsened
dramatically. The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) is
estimated to have increased to more than 70,000. Of the six existing camps
in Herat, only the Maslagh Camp is still open to new arrivals. The camp is
already overcrowded and aid workers are struggling to cope with the
continues influx. The conditions of the IDPs are alarming. There is an
urgent need for tents, blankets and clothing.

c)  WFP has sent 600 tons of wheat to meet the basic food needs of the
newly arrived IDPs. The wet-feeding project, implemented in cooperation
with UNOCHA and NGO Hewad Reconstruction Services, has been extended to
reach an estimated 15,000 children in the camps. In addition, a nutritious
meal of corn-soya blend (CSB), and sugar will be given every day to
children under the age of five.

d)  Through recently approved Food-for-Work and FOODAC (Food Distribution
for Asset Creation) schemes, WFP in cooperation with other agencies is
working on improving the living conditions in the camps. Through a
recently approved Food-for-Work schemes, in collaboration with NGO
Ockenden International, WFP is hoping to complete a shelter construction
project which would benefit 1,600 families in the Maslagh Camp. Another
project will produce 5,000 quilts to be distributed in all camps.

e)  As the majority of newly arrived IDPs originate from districts of
Ghormach and Morghab, an area of Northern Badghis seriously affected by
the drought, WFP is considering to allocate additional quantities of food
to these districts, to prevent further migration.

f)  In the northern Mazar region, the number of scattered IDPs may be as
high as 80,000 people. The highest concentration is in the urban centers
of Kunduz, Baghlan and Samangan provinces. Many IDPs found shelter among
the local residents, making the task of registering them extremely
difficult. Others are primarily staying in public buildings, which have
poor living conditions.

g)  Recently concluded assessments in two districts of Faryab Province
indicate an alarmingly high death rate among children under five (5.2 in
every 10,000 per day).

h)  In Kandahar, southern Afghanistan, WFP released 500 tons of food to
cover the needs of 10,000 IDPs. The estimated number of displaced people
in the north-eastern province of Badakhshan has increased from 10,000 to
14,000.

i)  WFP is processing another Emergency Operation, planned to start in
April, to avert the looming prospect of famine. Under this new operation,
WFP will seek to distribute over 176,000 tons of foods to the 2.2 million
most vulnerable and needy people in Afghanistan, over 12 months.

j)  UN sanctions on the Taliban came into effect on 19 January. The UN
reduced the number of international staff in Afghanistan, but maintained a
small presence. WFP operation is not expected to be affected by this
action and most staff are expected to return to their duty stations before
the end of the month.


(2)  Tajikistan

a)  WFP stocks in the southern province of Khatlon are almost depleted. As
a result, relief distributions are expected to be postponed until the new
food consignments arrive to the country, in February. Only 24 percent of
the total food requirements for the WFP's EMOP, which includes 30,738 tons
of food aid, have been resourced so far.

b)  WFP and FAO are planning to conduct a preliminary assessment of the
status of the wheat cultivation season and crops, in February and March
2001.

c)  An outbreak of typhoid was recorded in Kolkhozobad district. NGO
MERLIN has already delivered medicines for some 160 patients that have
been taken to the hospital there, but the patients refuse to stay in the
hospital due to the lack of food. WFP will provide a small quantity of
wheat flour to the hospital, to address the most urgent needs of the se
patients.

d)  On 16 January, an inter-agency mission involving WFP, UNHCR, OCHA and
NGOs MERLIN and ACTED visited two sites where Afghan IDPs are located
along the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan and found that the
most urgent needs of the IDPs are food, medical supplies and additional
shelter materials (plastic sheeting and blankets). Plans to distribute
relief assistance are being finalised.


(3)  Pakistan

a)  On 16 January, a donor mission was organised to the new Shamshatoo and
Jalozai refugee camps. Donors were informed about the poor resources
situation and needs for this year of the WFP Emergency Operation assisting
Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

b)  WFP has been struggling to feed more Afghan refugees in Pakistan since
late September, when renewed fighting in the north-east of Afghanistan
took its toll on a population already suffering from severe drought.

c)  WFP is currently providing monthly food rations to about 80,000
refugees in the two camps near Peshawar and under the new operation it
plans to continue feeding them up to the end of the year.



(D) West Africa Coastal

(1)  Guinea

a)  Heavy fighting between government troops and insurgents took place in
south-east Guinea, claiming 93 lives and forcing thousands to flee to
safer areas. These fresh clashes forced WFP and other humanitarian
agencies to temporarily suspend their operations in Gueckedou, pulling
back staff to Kissidougou, only a week after returning to the area.
Consequently, more than 200,000 refugees are once again out of reach.

b)  A joint WFP/UNHCR rapid assessment mission, with the collaboration of
donors and NGOs, will take place as soon as the security situation
permits. The purpose of the assessment will be to establish the extent of
the additional emergency assistance needs among refugees and resident
populations, following the December and January attacks.

c)  Since 9 January, the transit camp in Conakry has been receiving
approximately 300 Sierra Leonean refugees who wish to be repatriated to
Freetown on a daily basis. The total number of refugees in the camp has
now reached 3,675.

d)  WFP and ICRC have agreed on joint efforts to identify displaced people
in "Haute Guinae" and "Guinae Forestiere". A recent census, carried out by
ICRC, discovered 30,000 displaced persons in the districts of Kouroussa,
Dabola and Dinguiraye of Haute Guinae.

e)  A boat left Conakry on 16 January for Monrovia, with more than 410
Liberian refugees returning home further to the instability in Guinea.


(2)  Sierra Leone

a)  Sierra Leonean refugees from Guinea continue to arrive back to
Freetown, from where there are moved into two operating transit camps, Jui
and Waterloo. To date, more than 4,000 Sierra Leonean refugees have
returned from Conakry due to the volatile security situation there.

b)  WFP and UNHCR carried out a food security assessment in the districts
of Sorogbema and Makpele, in an effort to evaluate the overall food
security situation and determine if refugees have started arriving to the
area. Both districts are close to the Liberian border, where reportedly
there have been cross-border attacks.



(E) DPR Korea

a)  December marked the beginning of a very cold period in DPR Korea. The
preparations for the winter, which have occupied the people since the end
of the harvest, were all but over. In the more temperate provinces in the
south, WFP observed some field activities, mainly relating to land
development. In South Hwangae, workers were involved in land restructuring
for paddy. This has been an ongoing priority to level and standardise
paddy, in order to increase production and facilitate mechanisation. It
has been done province by province - in Kangwon in 1999 and North Pyongan
in 2000.

b)  WFP carried out 280 monitoring visits during the month of December,
including those in the county of Kwail (South Hwanghae), which was the
last of the four counties to be announced accessible in November. Together
with the three other newly accessible counties of Paechon, Yonan (in South
Hwanghae) and Hoichang (South Pyongan), Kwail will be allocated with WFP
food. Between January and mid-February, monitoring in the remote province
of Ryanggang will be reduced due to severe weather and icy road
conditions.

c)  During household visits, WFP observed little fresh food available. The
harvest from kitchen gardens is now consumed and the people are reliant on
their "kimchi" stocks, or whatever they have preserved from the summer.
These stocks include edible grasses and leaves collected from the
mountains, or seaweed along the coastal areas. Many households have some
stocks of leafy tops of radishes and cabbage that have been dried.

d)  During December WFP received confirmation of a generous donation of
500,000 tons of rice from Japan. This donation, along with incoming
shipments of cereals from Australia and the US, will ease the cereals
pipeline for 2001. However, donors are urged to pledge pulses and oil.

e)  In mid-January, the temperatures fell to the lowest levels recorded in
the last 50 years. Road networks outside the capital are impassable, and
humanitarian workers have reported that the country is "at a standstill"
outside the capital. This poses serious problems for population weakened
by years of food shortages, with inadequate heating and difficult access
to fuel wood. At the same time, the poor harvest of 2000 means that food
provision through the Public Distribution System will cease by the end of
January in most parts of the country, according to Government reports.



(F)  Ethiopia

a)  The report of the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment mission to
Ethiopia, released on 9 January, has revealed that cereal and crop
production in 2001 is expected to be 12.6 million tons, an increase of 7
percent from last year's production. Nonetheless, the Annual Appeal for
Assistance by Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC),
scheduled to be released on 22 January, is expected to anticipate
relatively high food aid requirements, as populations struggle to recover
from recurrent drought and structural food deficiencies.

b)  WFP is preparing a new Emergency Operation, which is expected to meet
approximately 30 percent of the total cereal relief needs of those
affected by natural disasters in 2001. The exact extent of the WFP
assistance will depend on the DPPC's requirements for the year.

c)  A Surplus Cereals Availability Mission, led by WFP and including
representatives from EU and USAID, is currently underway. The objective of
the mission is to obtain post harvest estimates for surplus producing
areas of Ethiopia and determine how much cereals can be purchased to be
used as food during, without disrupting markets. The Mission findings will
be shared with the Local Purchase Steering Committee and serve as a basis
for coordination of local purchases of food in Ethiopia by the donors.

d)  On 15 January, the United Nations Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea
Special Representative of the Secretary General (UNMEE SRSG) and his
Deputy in Ethiopia conducted a field visit to the border area via Rama and
Adigrat (Ethiopia). Accompanied by WFP and other UN agencies, they met
with regional leaders of the Ethiopian administration and humanitarian
organisations that are conducting operations in Tigray. It was announced
that over 3,100 peacekeepers from 70 different countries have been
deployed to the border area, of the total expected force of 4,200.

e)  Since the signing of the Peace Treaty on 12 December, some 3,600
Ethiopians have returned from Eritrea under the auspices of the ICRC,
1,600 of them on 14 January.



(G) Angola

a)  The funding situation for the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation
(PRRO) in Angola is becoming critical, with the confirmed contributions
towards the operation remaining at slightly over USD 120.3 million, or 58
percent of the total operational requirement. WFP expect a major pipeline
break of cereals in April, ensuing a revision of distribution plans in
order to compensate for the shortfall. Further donor contributions for the
PRRO are urgently needed.

b)  Provincial Vulnerability Assessment and Food Aid Working Groups are
finalising their assessments and reports. First drafts are expected by the
end of the week. The Vulnerability Assessment, which is taking place
during December and January, is expected to provide the basis for the
planning of the implementation of the proposed new WFP country strategy,
starting in May.

c)  During the week, WFP airlifted 957 tons of food and 1,225 tons of
non-food.

d)  Benguela: While visiting Balombo on 10 January, WFP, German Agro
Action (GAA) and local administration agreed to develop a better emergency
registration process, to ensure immediate provision of food and non-food
items to newly arrived IDPs.

e)  Huambo: Following an evaluation visit to Utalamo, WFP has accepted the
proposal to support with food a feeding kitchen for children and the
elderly, starting in February. On 10 January, a meeting was held between
WFP and partners involved in the Family Ration programme to discuss the
distribution process and consider improvements of distribution and
monitoring systems.

f)  Huila: Registration of vulnerable groups in Lubango and Humpata was
completed. A drop in the number of beneficiaries was expected, but due to
the influx of new IDPs to Lubango from Caconda, Kaluquembe, Chicomba and
the Province of Huambo, the final figure of 3, 165 was actually an
increase.

g)  Security situation remained precarious in most provinces. Arrivals of
new IDPs were reported in Benguela, Bie, Huambo, Huila, Lunda Sul, Malange
and Uige, with a particularly high number of new IDPs (4,000) arriving in
Huambo from Ekunha.

h)  Previous restrictions at the Luena airport have been removed and the
airport is now open full time. WFP is still limited to using C-130
aircraft in Kuito, because the runway repairs have not started yet.



(H) Lao PDR

a)  The distribution of 520 tons of food aid, provided through the
immediate response EMOP of WFP, was completed on 17 January. A total of
19,100 people seriously affected by the flood in three districts of
Khammouane and two districts of Champassak have been assisted.

b)  A further 1,200 tons of food provided by WFP is currently being
distributed in eight districts in Savannakhet province, seven districts in
Khammouane, three districts in Attapeu, one district in Saravane and seven
Districts in Champassak province. Another 2,453 tons of glutinous rice is
currently being purchased in Thailand, for distribution to
drought-affected people from 265 villages. WFP is hoping to resource a
further 3,987 tons of glutinous rice for the operation.

c)  A joint FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment mission will start
soon. The mission team will visit flood-affected districts to verify the
remaining food shortages and coping mechanisms in the worst-affected
areas.



(I)  Russian Federation (Northern Caucasus)

a)  WFP suspended food distribution in Chechnya because of renewed fears
for the security of humanitarian workers. This follows the kidnapping on 9
January of Kenny Gluck, Head of the local office of MSF-Holland. WFP will
continue to monitor the security situation in Chechnya, in cooperation
with other agencies present in the field, to ascertain when deliveries can
safely re-start.

b)  As of 15 January, the number of registered Chechen IDPs in Ingushetia
has dropped to about 147,000 people. This is approximately 12,000 people
less than at the end of the last month. However, the total number of IDP
could quickly rise as a result of continued violence in Chechnya.

c)  During the first two weeks of January, WFP provided 887 tons of food
to 58,300 IDPs in Ingushetia, through implementing partners. Some 48,317
beneficiaries received 732 tons of food through DRC in Karabulak, Malgobek
region, Nazran municipal district and Sunzha region and 155 tons of food
was distributed by Islamic Relief to 9,984 IDPs at the Alina and Sputnik
camps in Nazran region.

d)  WFP monitors visited 12 food distribution centres of DRC and Islamic
Relief in Ingushetia, and made 29 end-use beneficiary household visits.
None of the interviewed IDPs expressed intentions to return to Chechnya
during the winter period.

e)  WFP's food stocks and planned arrivals only cover requirements until
the end of February. Cash donations are urgently needed to allow for local
procurement of wheat flour, vegetable oil and sugar. A prolonged
interruption in deliveries would have a severe impact on the nutritional
status of IDPs in Ingushetia and possibly trigger conflict with local
communities.



(J)  Tanzania

a)  After various discussions and consultations between the UN and the
Government of Tanzania at the central, regional and district levels, the
District Commissioner (DC) convened a special meeting with the refugees in
Lukole camp and requested all Heads of Agencies to attend. In the meeting,
the DC announced that the Government has taken a decision to allow
refugees to engage in agricultural activities, declaring that the refugees
can freely engage in crop production together with the mandatory tree
planting, on the available land within the camps. He called on aid
agencies to take advantage of this opportunity to assist the refugees in
an organised cultivation programme.

b)  A meeting has been scheduled for the next week to discuss the
modalities of implementation. This meeting should clarify to what extent
the refugees could utilise land and what would be the supervisory
activities on ensuring effective cultivation and production. The Regional
Commissioner is scheduled to visit Ngara on 17 January, to verify progress
on the issue.

c)  The first bi-weekly general food distribution for the year was carried
out in all refugee camps, except in Ngara where a one-week ration was
distributed to synchronise the bi-weekly cycle. The most vulnerable 4,000
refugees received full rations, as well as the newly arrived refugees,
while the others received 80 percent of the full ration, due to the
continued resource shortfalls.

d)  A total of 2,829 tons of food were distributed through general
distribution to 507,000 refugees in Kigoma Kasulu, Kibondo and Ngara camps
and additional 71 tons to the 20,000-25,000 refugees being assisted
through supplementary and therapeutic feeding and health centres.

e)  A total of 3,960 new refugees arrived to Tanzania from Burundi, DR
Congo and Rwanda during the past two weeks, while UNHCR facilitated
repatriation of 155 Rwandese refugees from Ngara camp.

f)  Karago camp was declared closed for new arrivals, because it reached
its maximum capacity, with the 50,000 refugees residing there. Prior to a
final decision on a new site, all new arrivals in the district will be
accommodated in Nduta camp, where 2,000 plots have been identified.

g)  A special meeting of agencies involved in food distributions was held
in Ngara on 11 January, to discuss possibilities for a simultaneous
general food distribution in the three camps. First simultaneous
distributions have been planned for early February.



(K)  Mozambique

a)  WFP has assisted the planned number of 150,000 beneficiaries during
December, of which 32,650 were recipients of "free food". Some 940 tons of
food commodities were distributed. Distributions were slowed down as a
result of temporarily reduced capacity of implementing partners and the
attendance to seeding activities by the beneficiaries.

b)  Weather has been very dry in Gaza province, with only one rainfall
during the month. Groundwater levels, nevertheless, remains markedly high
in the Chokwe/Macia/Guija lowlands, while the water levels in the Limpopo
River have remained high without flooding. Despite some heavy rains
throughout the provinces of Manica and Sofala, relatively good road
conditions persist, and WFP transporters have not faced serious problem in
reaching delivery points.

c)  Pre-positioning of contingency stocks is almost complete, with only
the districts of Zumbo (Tete province), Buzi and Chibabava (Sofala
province), still awaiting delivery due to logistical constraints.

d)  Findings of a food security survey carried out in December by Action
Contre Le Faim (ACF) in Chibabava indicate that 3,720 families (around
20,000 people) will need food assistance in a near future. Localised
problems of a lack of water in some areas and the invasion of crops by
locusts in others, have exacerbated the situation already fragile due to
seeds shortage. Arrangements are underway to increase deliveries to
Chibabava and carry out an assessment.



(L)  East Timor

a)  During the week, WFP delivered a total of 535 tons of food aid for
distribution to beneficiaries -Aileu (60 tons), Baucau (98), Gleno (36),
Liquica (39), Maliana (166) Same (36), all by road, Oecussi, Ambeno
enclave (100 tons) by barge. WFP also assisted UNICEF and Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with transportation of their
cargo.

b)  Heavy rains have resulted in substantial deterioration of road
conditions throughout the territory, delaying some relief convoys to
Maliana and Same.

c)  Although the rainy season started later than usual, the last two
months of regular and intense rains have been beneficial for the land and
the overall food security situation. In the southern part of the
territory, the maize harvest has already started. Initial reports seem to
indicate that crop yields in this area will be average to good.

d)  In consultation with partner agencies, WFP is planning to phase out
Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme. Food deliveries and rations will
be modified accordingly. Food-for-Work rations will also be modified and
adjusted, according to the new programming plans and food pipeline. School
Feeding project is in the pre-assessment phase.

e)  Programme for the evaluation of the WFP's operation in East Timor is
currently being finalised. The field part of the evaluation mission is
scheduled for the period 1-24 February.

f)  The overall security situation remains stable. Growing social tensions
and increased petty crime and assaults have been the major concern for
both residents and relief workers.

Note: All tonnage figures in this report are expressed in metric tons

(End WFP Emergency Report No 03)


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