WFP EMERGENCY REPORT
Issued weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme
Report No. 05 / 2001 - Date 2 February 2001


This report includes:
(A) India
(B) Western and Central Asia: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Tajikistan,
    (3) Pakistan, (4) Iran
(C) Guinea (Conakry)
(D) Horn of Africa: (1) Regional, (2) Kenya, (3) Ethiopia
(E) Angola
(F) Laos
(G) East Timor
(H) Republic of Congo
(I) Bolivia


>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) India

a)  An earthquake measuring 6.9 degrees on the Richter Scale (7.9 by some
estimates) hit western India on 26 January. The epicentre of the
earthquake was around 20 km north of Bhuj, Kutch district, Gujarat State.
Worst affected areas are Bhuj, Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Patan. It has been
reported that estimates place human death toll at 25,000 and the number of
injured at 50,000 with many more missing or feared dead. The Government
estimates that the earthquake has directly affected over 35 million
people.

b)  WFP has already initiated an immediate response Emergency Operation
(EMOP) worth USD 200,000. The operation provides 300 tons of high-energy
biscuits to 100,000 beneficiaries for 15 days. Food distribution is
starting.

c)  On 29 January, WFP mounted an emergency mission to Gujarat for initial
assessment of the local situation. At the same time, deployment of
specialised staff from WFP HQ and other country offices immediately
commenced covering the fields of operations, programming, logistics and
telecommunications. Nutrition and logistics experts are already on the
ground. Other emergency staff will arrive in Gujarat within a few days.

d)  WFP is in process of arranging for immediate logistics needs to
provide emergency food aid in Gujarat. Preparation of another EMOP to
assist the earthquake victims is currently underway. It is expected that
the new EMOP will assist around 298,000 people with over 8,000 tons of
food over a period of four months.

e)  The first WFP chartered freight aircraft, carrying Italian donated
non-food items for OCHA and WHO from the UN Humanitarian Response Depot
(UNHRD) in Brindisi, Italy, landed in Gujarat on 31 January.



(B) Western and Central Asia

(1)  Afghanistan

a)  Some 480 displaced persons, including 220 children, reportedly died in
camps of the western city of Herat from extreme cold on three nights from
29 to 31 January, when the temperature fell to as low as minus 25 degrees
centigrade.

b)  Currently, there are approximately 80,000 displaced persons in six
camps in and around Herat. Five of the camps are already full. Families
started leaving their homes in western Afghanistan in June last year, due
to drought that severely damaged crops and livestock. The influx
continues, with 300 to 500 new people arriving daily. WFP is providing
food to the camp population and serves porridge to children and women on a
daily basis.

c)  An ECHO/WFP supported programme to construct one-room mud shelters is
ongoing and two other similar WFP projects are near completion. However,
the shortage of shelter in Herat is so severe that there are still some
5,000 families sharing 1,700 one-family tents.

d)  The movement of aid workers within Afghanistan has been impeded as
roads are blocked by snow. Herat, Faizabad and Kabul City airports have
been closed for the last three days.

e)  Three days of snowfall and rain in much of Afghanistan have brought
relief to many farmers who are hoping for a break in the worst drought
that hit Afghanistan in recorded history. However, further heavy
precipitation is needed over the next three months to improve the harvest
prospects and there continues to be a serious shortage of wheat seed for
spring planting. Many farmers have already either slaughtered or sold
their livestock, severely limiting their future productivity.

f)  WFP estimates that some 500,000 Afghans have been displaced in the
last six months due to the drought and war between the ruling Taliban
militia and opposition forces. It is feared that the displacement will
further spread inside the country and across international borders. WFP
has repeatedly warned of possible widespread deaths from famine unless the
drought breaks before the May-June harvest or increased international aid
arrives.

g)  In a press conference in Kabul, on 29 January, WFP appealed for
177,000 extra tons of food at a total operational cost of around 87
million dollars to feed 2.2 million starving and vulnerable Afghans for
twelve months starting in April. WFP will have distributed around 161,000
metric tons of food aid during the previous 12 months and will run out of
food supplies by April if new pledges are not received urgently.


(2)  Tajikistan

a)  Following an interagency assessment mission to the Tajik-Afghan border
on 16 January, WFP and UNHCR agreed to supply food aid for the Afghan
internally displaced persons (IDPs) until 30 June. Some 7,500 IDPs will be
assisted.

b)  Following a mission to IDP sites located near the Russian Border
Forces Post number 13, on 24 January, WFP decided to distribute 10 tons of
food to 1,524 IDPs there. These IDPs have depleted their stocks and were
found to be in urgent need of assistance. Shelter materials, blankets and
medical assistance were provided as well by other agencies.

c)  WFP-IFRC (International Federation of Red Cross) collaboration for
distribution of emergency food rations to drought-affected population in
northern Sughd province (ex Leninabad) and southern Kulyab area has been
formalised. Similar agreement is to be reached with Mission Ost before the
end of the month.

d)  Only 24 percent of WFP's drought EMOP requirements (30,738 tons) have
been met as of January.


(3)  Pakistan

a)  During January, WFP provided food to 69,650 refugees, 52,000 in
Shamshatoo and 17,650 in Akora Khattak. WFP has sufficient food stocks to
feed these beneficiaries for another two months, using borrowed
commodities. Only one donor pledge for the operation has been received to
date, covering 12 percent of the refugee feeding requirements.

b)  On 25 January, UNHCR started screening and registering 72,000 refugees
that have been gathering in the Jalozai transit centre since 13 January.
However, on 30 January, the Pakistani authorities closed this registration
site (located in Azakhel, 28 km from Jalozai), leaving nearly 70,000
people in limbo. The Government of Pakistan is advocating with the UN and
donors for establishment of IDP camps in Jalalabad, eastern Afghanistan.

c)  Following the announcement of border closure with Afghanistan, on 9
November, the Government of Pakistan started on 23 January to rigorously
impose this. Pakistani authorities in North West Frontier Province (NWFP)
have begun deporting Afghans who are found to be without proper identity
papers. The situation in and around the city of Peshawar, where more than
150,000 Afghan refugees have converged in recent weeks, has reached a
critical stage. The Representatives of WFP and UNHCR met with the Governor
of NWFP to address the issue.

d)  For a second year, Pakistan has received insufficient winter rains.
Whilst the winter rains were poor last year causing drought conditions in
Baluchistan and Sindh, mountainous northern areas received good snowfall
coverage. This winter however, the winter rains have been up to 50 percent
lower than average, with almost no snowfall in mountainous areas. Less
rain coupled with no snowfall has resulted in a 40 percent shortage of
irrigation water in Pakistan. The Meteorological Department reported
stress conditions for crops.


(4)  Iran

a)  The local BAFIA authorities in Sistan and Baluchistan reported that
approximately one thousand refugees are crossing the border from
Afghanistan on a daily basis. WFP has not been able to confirm these
figures, though MSF (Medecins sans Frontieres) confirms that there is an
influx of Afghan refugees. There is a general concern about a possible
significant influx from Herat, due to the increasing numbers of IDPs
there.

b)  Iran has had rain and snow in most parts of the country, except in the
drought-affected Sistan and Baluchistan regions.



(C) Guinea (Conakry)

a)  The situation in Forest Guinea remains tense. In the past week,
fighting continued in Gueckedou town. This resulted in a closure of all
public institutions such as dispensary, hospital, schools and police
station. In addition, two-thirds of Gueckedou population has fled. WFP
operations have been temporarily suspended.

b)  In Kissidougou District, the Guinean army carried out air raids on
27/28 January. UNHCR security officers, who also evacuated some of their
staff, from Kissidougou to Kankan in Upper Guinea, have declared the
region inaccessible.

c)  The population of Dabola district (Haute Guinea) seems to be hostile
towards the planned transfer of refugees from Forest Guinea to a new camp
in their district and has made threats against UNHCR. Sensitising campaign
among the population is currently under way, in collaboration with local
authorities.

d)  EMOP: Due to inaccessibility of WFP warehouse (EDP) in Gueckedou,
distributions for 9,760 IDPs in the districts of Nzerekore and Lola
(Forest Guinea), implemented by ICRC, were delayed. A census revealed a
total of 10,744 displaced Guineans in Gueckedou. ICRC carried out
distributions in favour of 11,000 IDPs in Dabola district and 6,800 in
Dinguiraye (Upper Guinea). WFP completed food distributions in the
districts of Kerouane, Upper Guinea (for 13,354 vulnerable people among
23,600 IDPs), Siguiri (for 3,741 vulnerable among 10,300 displaced) and in
Mandiana (for 1,700 vulnerable among 2,700 displaced). In Forecariah
(Coastal Guinea), a second food distribution in favour of 5.035 IDPs took
place.

e)  PRRO: Food distribution in the "languette", planned to start on 31
January, was postponed due to security reasons. In Nyaedou camp
(Gueckedou), a food distribution in favour of 17,675 refugees was effected
in collaboration with UNHCR and former workers of CARE. Relocation of
20,000 refugees from Gueckedou district to a new camp of Albadaria
(Kissidougou district) is in preparation. A food distribution in favour of
15,000 refugees located between Kissidougou and Faranah is planned for the
next week.

f)  The number of refugees accommodated in the transit camp in Conakry is
currently reported at 3,042, with an average of 300 new refugees arriving
every day and an average of 350 leaving daily for Sierra Leone. Since the
first food distribution, at the end of December, a total of 6,500 refugees
left Conakry for Sierra Leone via this transit camp.

g)  A budget revision of the West Africa Coastal Protracted Relief and
Recovery Operation (PRRO) has been prepared to cater for the additional
caseload of refugees in need of food assistance in Guinea. The increase is
in the range of ten percent of the original PRRO figures. Following the
joint UNHCR/WFP rapid assessment on 31 January, it is estimated that a
total of 250,000 refugees are in need of food assistance, of whom 130,000
are fully reliant on food aid and need a full ration (containing a daily
energy value of 2,100 kcal).



(D) Horn of Africa

(1)  Regional

a)  UN appealed on Tuesday for USD 353 million to provide food and other
relief supplies to 13 million drought victims in five countries in the
Horn of Africa. New contributions are needed to provide clean water,
health care, seeds and tools, and rebuild livestock herds in Djibouti,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. The UN Appeal was launched by Ms.
Catherine Bertini, the Special Envoy to the region of the UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the Executive Director of WFP. For the
next six months, UN agencies are seeking USD 134.7 million for Ethiopia,
USD 127.1 million for Kenya and USD 20.3 million for Tanzania. Under the
appeal, the UN is also seeking USD 11.3 million for Djibouti and USD 55
million for Eritrea for the whole of 2001.


(2)  Kenya

a)  UNICEF has reported that the rate of global acute malnutrition in the
pastoral districts of northern Kenya ranges between alarming levels of 20
to 40 percent. Turkana, Marsabit and Mandera districts fall within the
upper end of the range.

b)  Although the short-term food security outlook in the arable areas of
the country is fairly positive, the food security outlook beyond the next
couple of months is less clear. National output of key food staples
remains significantly below average. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development has projected that 1.73 million tons of maize would be
harvested between last July and February this year. This compares
unfavourably with the average national maize output for the period
1991-1999, of 2.6 million tons. However, relief food and commercial maize
imports during 2000 have reduced the deficit.

c)  Due to the worsening food security situation in Kenya since July, the
Emergency Operation of WFP is now targeting over 3.2 million people
through general distribution and over 1.1 million school children under
the Expanded School Feeding Programme (ESFP), a total of 4.3 million
beneficiaries. This is an increase of 32 percent from the originally
planned figure.

d)  Donor pledges for the EMOP have so far covered around 59 percent of
the commodity needs until 30 June 2001. A full consignment of maize and
oil is available for the January distribution, but no pulses are available
due to food pipeline delays.

e)  A FEWS (Famine Early Warning System) vulnerability update on 22
January reported that the food security situation has improved
significantly in several areas of the country during the 2000/01 short
rains season, particularly in the arable and agro-pastoral districts.
However, pastoral districts have reported little or no rainfall during
January and continue to be highly vulnerable. The beneficial impact of the
rainfall between October and early January has been limited in pastoral
areas, by exceptionally poor temporal and spatial rainfall distribution.
Substantive interventions by WFP, the Government, UNICEF and NGOs have
significantly moderated the adverse impact of the two-year drought.

f)  Transport problems threaten to delay distributions in Narok, Marsabit,
Samburu and Moyale districts. The problems originate from poor state of
the roads, due to heavy rains. In addition, there are some problems with
secondary transporters striking or refusing to work, requesting higher
payments.

g)  Household assessments began on 15 January. Fifteen of the assessed
districts are currently being served under the EMOP and another five that
are currently receiving food assistance from the Government. The findings
from this assessment will determine whether relief food distribution will
continue or stop in certain districts that have benefited from the short
rains.

h)  In Moyale district, there was a serious disturbance during the second
week of January, when armed forces, reported to be a mixture of Ethiopian
Home Guards and regular military, killed eight police officers in the
Sololo area. The incident caused some temporary population displacement
but the situation has calmed down since. An extra 25 administration police
have been put into the locality. WFP supplied relief food to the displaced
during the disturbance.


(3)  Ethiopia

a)  The Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC) on 22
January released the Government food aid appeal for the year. The appeal
seeks assistance for 6.2 million beneficiaries, down from a 10.2 million
in mid-last year. In response to the Government Appeal, WFP is processing
a new EMOP for approximately 240,000 tons of cereals and supplementary
food, to cover the period between April and December. The needs during the
first quarter are being addressed under the current operation.

b)  WFP monitors have reported unseasonal rainfall in parts of the South
and Southwest of Ethiopia, which bodes well for livestock dependant
populations and has a mixed impact on crop dependant populations, as crops
are currently being harvested. WFP will continue to follow the situation
closely on the ground and their feedback, combined with forecasts from the
Drought Monitoring Centre in Nairobi, satellite imagery and other sources,
will be regularly compiled and analysed by WFP's VAM Unit.

c)  The food supply situation has stabilised in many parts of Somali
Region, due to substantial relief distributions over the past few months
and extensive Deyr rains between mid-September and November in areas south
and west of Jijiga zone. Pockets with severe needs remain among population
displaced by drought and insecurity even in areas of declining overall
food aid needs, such as Afder and Liben zones. WFP will continue to
monitor the long dry season and the recent cutback on food allocations
under the new appeal and report on their impacts on food security

d)  In the Afder zone, good dry season pasture remains in a large area in
the centre of the zone reaching to the Wabi Shebelle River. Livestock is
in a good shape and its prices are increasing. Harvest in cropping areas
of Afder zone, near the rivers, is reported to be good this season, but
there is a concern over the lack of markets in the traditional cereal
market towns of Gode and Hargele. Poor roads in Afder and Liben zones
cause truck breakdowns and delayed deliveries. The Ethiopian NGO and WFP
monitoring partner, PCAE, has done some supplementary food distributions
in the zone, and continues its development projects.

e)  Security is a concern in the northern and central part of Somali
Region. Military activities have increased in the area south of Aware and
more government troops are reported to be moving into the region. UN
agencies are still able to reach refugee camps in the area, but monitoring
by WFP from the air has been curtailed in Degehbour zone.

f)  The need for new donor pledges towards the EMOP has become critical.
While discussions are on going with some donors, only one pledge has been
received for the Natural Disaster operation (EMOP 6218) over the past
three months. With a global break in the pipeline expected in March,
immediate confirmation of donor pledges is essential to avoid gaps in food
distribution.



(E) Angola

a)  During the week, security situation remained precarious in most
provinces. In Bengo four people were killed and 40 reported missing,
following an attack on a truck carrying people and commercial goods on the
Caxito-Uige road. In Bie, four persons were killed and seven injured when
a light vehicle was attacked on the road between Kuito and Chipeta.

b)  Arrivals of new IDPs were reported in Benguela, Bie, Huila, Kuando
Kubango, Malange, Moxico, and Uige, with a particularly high number IDPs
arriving in Bie (2,056).

c)  The current food pipeline of WFP is facing imminent shortfalls. The
two consignments of 15,000 tons of maize and 5,000 tons of pulses form are
expected to arrive at the end of May and in June. As a result, WFP will be
required to reduce maize, pulses and sugar rations in the March and April
distributions, in order to minimise the pipeline break.

d)  Huambo: WFP made a two-day visit to Bailundo, to assess the
possibilities of initiating new programmes and to gather data on
vulnerability and food security. As a result of the visit, four new
community kitchens and a supplementary feeding programme have been
included in the February plan.

e)  Huila: On 24 January, an WFP-organised mission visited Caconda, but
was not able to visit Kusse due to security reasons. Following the visit,
WFP will immediately assist the 3,800 new IDPs at Caconda and plans to do
the same for the 8,000 at Kusse. Moreover, in collaboration with OCHA,
UNICEF and Johanitter, WFP will provide non-food items to the region.

f)  Moxico: In a meeting held at the beginning of the month between the
Ministry of Social Assistance and Reintegration, UN agencies and NGOs it
was decided that three new IDP camps would be opened as soon as possible
in Kanhengue, Catocolo and Cawanga.

g)  Malange: Following last week's visit and recommendation by OCHA to
open the IDP camp in Cambondo/Camabole, an inter-agency meeting was held
to assign specific tasks to implementing NGOs. WFP and World Vision will
be focusing on agricultural and community rehabilitation activities, to be
sustained by food-for-work projects.



(F)  Laos

a)  Until this week, some 30,000 people critically affected by the flood
in 12 districts of Attapeu, Khammouane and Savannakhet provinces have been
assisted with WFP food.

b)  A further 1,200 tons of rice are currently being distributed in 26
targeted districts of Savannakhet, Khammouane, Attapeu, Saravane and
Champassak provinces. During the week, the following food distributions
were carried out: 223 tons to 8,013 beneficiaries in Khammouane, 42 tons
to 1,639 beneficiaries in Attapeu, 63 tons to 2,676 beneficiaries in
Savannakhet, 42 tons to 1,144 beneficiaries in Champasak and 42 tons to
1,690 beneficiaries in Saravane provinces.

c)  An additional 2,453 tons of glutinous rice is being purchased by WFP
in Thailand, to be distributed by mid February to population from 265
villages. WFP is seeking donations for a further 3,987 tons of glutinous
rice to help meet the critical food shortages in flood-affected areas.

d)  A joint WFP/FAO Crop Food Supply Assessment Mission will be carried
out next month, to verify the remaining food shortages and coping
mechanisms in the five provinces most affected by the flood.



(G) East Timor

a)  The overall security situation in East Timor is stable. However, the
social climate is tense and assaults against internationals and urban
crime have increased drastically.

b)  WFP's road deliveries of food during the week included 245 tons, as
follows: Aileu 13 tons, Baucau 25, Dili 5, Gleno 97 and Maliana 105.
Helicopter operations were organised in Fatumean (Covalima district) and
Ambeno enclave. WFP also transported 36 tons of school supplies for East
Timor Transitional Administration (ETTA) Education Department to Aileu,
Ermera, Liquica, Manatutu, Los Palos, Viqueque, Ainaro and Manufahi
districts.

c)  Road conditions have substantially worsened as a result of heavy
rains, particularly in the sector West. Two bridges collapsed, one in
Atabae area, the other in Balibo. Travel and access to Same and Suai
(sector West) is very difficult even with 4x4 vehicles.

d)  In consultation with partners, and in order to avoid dependency of
beneficiaries on food aid, WFP has decided to phase out vulnerable group
feeding (VGF) by the end of March. Helicopter operations will also be
discontinued. The phasing out will be progressive. Following discussions
with partners, WFP also decided to adjust rations for returnees and
food-for-work, according to the pipeline and commodity availability.

e)  Final school feeding assessment was conducted in Ermera, Liquica and
Dili districts. Based on the recommendations from the exercise and
following consultation with ETTA Education Department, WFP decided to
phase in school feeding in six schools (two in each district). Students
should receive their first meal around 5 February and the project is
expected to continue until the end of the school year, in July. WFP will
carry out assessments in other districts (Bobonaro, Oecussi, Manatuto,
Aileu, Manufahi and Covalima) and phase in the school feeding there as
soon as the conditions allow this.

f)  WFP evaluation mission arrived to Dili on 31 January. The mission will
meet with all partners and the Government, and spend 10 days in the field.
The mission will assess the past, present and future role of WFP in East
Timor and work on drafting the PRRO.



(H) Republic of Congo

a)  A workshop was organised in December on WFP policies and goals, for
WFP implementing partners and all national and international NGOs involved
in humanitarian activities. The main objective was to improve the
partnership and collaboration between WFP and its partners, especially in
beneficiary targeting, food distribution and management of income
generating projects. A total of 80 NGOs and institutions participated at
the workshop (most were women committees).

b)  Intensified fighting in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) created a
tense situation in the Betou district during the last week of December,
resulting in a reinforced military presence.

c)  During December, a total of 168 tons of commodities were distributed
to some 33,000 beneficiaries. Food distributions were lower than planned
due to rice shortages and logistics constraints.



(I)  Bolivia

a)  On 19 January, the Government of Bolivia declared an emergency
situation in the four regions of La Paz, Oruro, Cochabamba and Beni. The
Congress forwarded the National Disaster Declaration Bill, which was
approved by the Government on 26 January.

b)  Since the Bill was approved, the Ministry of Finance has assigned
about USD 625,000 for immediate relief for the affected families, but the
responsible service (SENADECI) has not yet received the funds and has
therefore been unable to mobilise a sufficient response.

c)  WFP has responded to the emergency situation by distributing 194 tons
of food to some 2,771 families. The total quantity of food planned for
distribution is 314 tons.

d)  WFP will continue to monitor the situation, coordinate its activities
and share information with the Government and other aid agencies in the
country.

e)  It has been suggested that WFP analyse the results of the ongoing
evaluation missions, and if necessary proceed, in a coordinated manner, to
programme food aid into September, due to the anticipated flood and
drought inflicted crop damages.

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

(End WFP Emergency Report No 05)

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