WFP EMERGENCY REPORT
Issued weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme
Report No. 17 / 2003 - Date 25 April 2003


This report includes:

A) Middle East and Central Asia: (1) Iraq, (2) Iran, (3) Afghanistan,
   (4) Pakistan
B) East and Central Africa:  (1) Burundi, (2) DR Congo, (3) Eritrea,
   (4) Ethiopia, (5) Kenya, (6) Rwanda, (7) Sudan, (8) Uganda
C) West Africa: (1) Côte d'Ivoire, (2) Guinea
D) Southern Africa: (1) Angola, (2) Lesotho, (3) Madagascar,
   (4) Malawi, (5) Mozambique, (6) Namibia, (7) Swaziland,
   (8) Zambia, (9) Zimbabwe
E) Asia: (1) DPR Korea
F) Latin America and the Caribbean: (1) Colombia, (2) Cuba, (3) Peru


>From David Morton, Director of the Transport, Preparedness and Response
Division (OTP); available on the Internet on the WFP Home Page
(www.wfp.org), or by e-mail from Carlo.Scaramella@wfp.org, Chief of the
Emergency Preparedness and Response Unit (OEP).

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)  Middle East and Central Asia: (1) Iraq, (2) Iran, (3) Afghanistan, (4)
Pakistan

1)  Iraq

(a)  WFP has initiated the largest operation in its history and begun
delivering humanitarian aid to various parts of Iraq. New supply corridors
have opened up in the past days, with the first 50-truck food convoy
arriving in Baghdad from Jordan on 20 April, carrying 1,400 tons of wheat
flour. A shipment of 200 tons of vegetable oil bound for the northern
governorate of Sulaymaniyah crossed the border from Iran on 21 April.
Following shipments from Turkey, Iran and Jordan, WFP opened a fourth
corridor on 25 April, when 54 trucks carrying 2700 tons of wheat flour
started crossing the Syrian border at Yaroubia border post. A total of 11
trucks, carrying 550 tons of wheat flour, have already crossed into Iraq
and are heading for Mosul, where they are expected to arrive later today.
Total WFP food dispatches into Iraq since 30 March now exceed 40,000 tons.

(b)  In Sulaymaniyah, WFP distributed food to some 4,000 hospital patients
and pregnant and nursing women. These distributions were part of the
ongoing Supplementary Feeding Programme / Nutrition Programme and the
distributed commodities, totalling some 25 tons of rice, vegetable oil,
sugar, canned cheese and milk, were drawn from remaining in-country SCR
986 stocks. In Dahuk some 38 tons of high-energy biscuits (HEB) were
distributed to 9,800 schoolchildren in 36 primary schools.

(c)  Contact is being re-established with staff inside the Centre/South of
Iraq. WFP is now in contact with staff in Baghdad, Basrah, Kirkuk, Mosul
and Nassiryah, and national colleagues have been in touch with staff in
Missan and Qadissiya. As soon as governorates become 'permissive' by the
Coalition Forces, UNSECOORD security missions are conducted, followed
immediately by UN inter-agency missions.

(d)  WFP re-established an international presence in northern Iraq this
week. An inter-agency mission returned to the three northern governorates
on 23 April. The mission flew to Turkey and then travelled overland to
Erbil, from where WFP has the northern Coordinator's office. The remaining
international staff is expected to return in the coming days.

(e)  The first Rapid Needs Assessment took place at Nassiriya on 19 April.
The team reported small groups of IDP's that were either living with
families or in Government buildings. They do not require food assistance.
The SCR 986 food ration had been distributed up to August but food stocks
are expected to last only up to the first week of May. The reason given
for this is that excess food was sold in the market in order to buy other
commodities. The Public Distribution System (PDS) is understood to be
functioning with food agents and Ministry of Trade staff ready to come
back to work as soon as required.


2)  Iran

(a)  On 21 April, a 10-truck WFP convoy carrying 200 tons of vegetable oil
crossed the border heading for Sulaymaniyah, thus opening a third WFP
corridor into Iraq, after Jordan and Turkey. As of 23 April, there were
still no cases reported of Iraqi refugees crossing the border.

(b)  The UN Resident Coordinator met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MFA) in order to discuss the procedures for trans-border operations,
following the difficulties faced by UN agencies regarding entry into
northern Iraq, reportedly due to official safety worries about the
security on the other side of the border. The MFA would review the
operational constraints and propose more practical arrangements. UNICEF
water tankers and supply trucks and WFP trucks with vegetable oil had
previously been stuck at Shalamcheh crossing point stuck for four days
waiting for clearance to cross the border into Sulaymaniyah. However, with
the first convoy having passed on 21 April, WFP expects procedures for the
following convoys to pass more smoothly.

(c)  Out of the 1,904 tons stocks of chickpeas, 520 tons have been
allocated from Kermanshah to Sulaymaniyah, where a WFP convoy was due on
23 April. Transport and clearance arrangements for a 10,000 tons wheat
flour loan from the Government of Iran to northern Iraq are under way.

(d)  The first quarterly monitoring visits of all 28 camps under PRRO
10213.0 started on 19 April 2003. According to UNHCR and the Bureau for
Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA), 419,879 Afghan refugees
have returned via the border crossing in Dougharon in the Northeast and
Milak in the Southeast since 09 April 2002.


3)  Afghanistan

(a)  International staff returned to Maymana in Faryab province on 23
April 2003, following a period of relative stability in the North.
Missions to Gosfandi district in Sari Pul province remain suspended and
the Chaman-Kandahar and the Gazni-Kandahar roads remain closed to
international staff. In Jalal Abad, a hand grenade exploded in the UNICEF
compound but with no casualties. The UN Security Management Team has
recommended a decrease from Security Phase 4 to Phase 3 in most areas of
the country, subject to UNSECOORD New York approval, with the exception of
the eastern provinces and Uruzgan province, which would remain under Phase
4.

(b)  From 16 to 23 April WFP distributed 3,095 tons of food to 554,200
beneficiaries. 215,548 beneficiaries received 2,262 tons of food under
Food for Work/Food for Asset Creation; 160,885 beneficiaries received 108
tons of food under Food for Education; 36,057 beneficiaries received 425
tons of food under Relief and Resettlement of IDP's and Refugees; 139,105
beneficiaries received 268 tons of food under Urban Vulnerable Bakery
Projects; 486 beneficiaries received 1 ton of food under Supplementary
Feeding and 2,136 beneficiaries received 31 tons of food under Free Food
Distribution.

(c)  WFP and the Ministry of Education jointly identified pockets of food
insecurity in Kabul for inclusion into WFP's School Feeding and Food for
Education programme in the area. In Fayz Abad, joint needs and damage
assessments were conducted with the Government, NGO and UN partners. The
WFP organised a PRRO workshop in Mazari Sharif to familiarize Government
counterparts, implementing partners, UN agencies and local WFP staff with
WFP's new intervention strategies as well as to share lessons learned from
the EMOP. In addition, a three-day workshop was organised by WFP
Afghanistan Food Security Unit and Vulnerability Assessment Mapping (VAM)
as part of preparations for an upcoming countrywide food needs assessment.
The purpose of the workshop was to identify relevant indicators to assess
food insecurity and vulnerability together with Government Ministries and
WFP's implementing partner GOAL.

(d)  As of 23 April, the closing stock of food commodities within the
country stood at 48,097 tons.


4)  Pakistan

(a)  About two-thirds of the food distribution to 157,000 persons in Sindh
under WFP's Drought Emergency Operation has been completed. The programme
in Sindh is likely to be finalized by the first week of June. Distribution
of food to 54,000 persons in Chagai district in Balochistan, likewise
under WFP's Drought Emergency Operation, has started from this week and
will be completed in four cycles. WFP has finalized arrangements for
procurement of 2,150 tons of wheat, which together with edible oil will be
distributed to 50,000 beneficiaries in Kharan district in Balochistan in
three cycles. The Government of Balochistan has reiterated its request to
expand the drought emergency food programme to two other severely affected
districts, Lasbella and Awaran, which have not received rainfall for
several years. The expansion would involve 96,000 beneficiaries identified
by the FAO/WFP food crop assessment mission in 2002, and would require 960
tons of pulses and 890 tons of oil. These requirements could be covered
from the balance commitment of the approved EMOP 10171.0, for which
contributions are still required.

(b)  Contributions of nearly 14,400 tons of wheat since mid March to EMOP
10228.0 "Assistance to Afghan Refugees" will cover the requirements of
this operation until September 2003. However, the resourcing and pipeline
situation remains uncertain. The pipeline for pulses, oil and wheat-soya
blend will break again in August if no additional contributions are
received to cover the needs in Afghan refugee camps through September
2003. UNHCR recently visited the refugee operation in Quetta, Balochistan.
Of utmost concern was the security situation in the refugee camps in
Chaman and the "waiting area" at Killi Faizo, near the Afghan border. Lack
of security has affected food distribution and monitoring activities and
the matter will again be raised the Commissioner for Afghan Refugees.



B)  East and Central Africa:  (1) Burundi, (2) DR Congo, (3) Eritrea, (4)
Ethiopia, (5) Kenya, (6) Rwanda, (7) Sudan, (8) Uganda

1)  Burundi

(a)  The security situation deteriorated significantly during the week,
with numerous shells landing in Bujumbura, Gitega and Ruyigi, causing an
unprecedented panic in the country. As a result of the fighting, a
significant number of people were displaced and a planned WFP food
distribution mission in the capital was cancelled. In addition, skirmishes
between the army and rebels were reported in Bujumbura Rural, Muramvya,
Gitega and Kayanza provinces.

(b)  Household Food Economy Assessment teams (HFEA) conducted a rapid
assessment in Ruyigi province where most of the population has been
victimized in the conflict, with rebels often stealing all available food
and livestock. The teams reported that the local population leaves its
homes at night and seek refuge at communal sites or military positions, in
order to avoid attacks. The HFEA rapid assessment conducted in Gashoho and
Gasorwe communes in Muyinga province recommended a 20-day food ration in
April and May for 58,810 victims of the February hailstorm. Upon request
from local authorities, HFEA also reviewed beneficiary groups in Buraza,
Bukirasazi and Ryansoro communes, which have been repeatedly attacked by
rebels. HFEA recommended that an additional 1,450 households be targeted,
making a total of 3,886 households to be assisted in the afore mentioned
communes. HFEA also recommended targeting 3,900 households among the Batwa
community in the province.

(c)  Planned distributions to 65,950 persons in Kayanza province were not
carried out due to a combination of insecurity and non-availability of
food in Ngozi warehouse, with insecurity hampering distributions to 14,524
people in Rango commune. Planned distributions to 6,690 persons in
Bujumbura and Rutana province were likewise not carried out due to the
sharp deterioration in the security situation.

(d)  As of 21 April, in-country stocks stood at 2,885.054 tons. An
additional 950.67 tons, including 843.1 tons of cereals and 107.57 tons of
corn-soya blend, were to be offloaded from trucks and barges, while 1,771
tons of cereals were in transit to Burundi.


2)  DR Congo

(a)  WFP's activities in the eastern part of the country encountered many
impediments. Looting of WFP food during clashes between various armed
groups and denial of access to beneficiaries by local authorities
prevented large-scale food distribution.

(b)  900 tons of food to 48,000 IDP's in Katanga province reached Ankoro
on 17 April. WFP 's implementing partner World Vision will ensure food
distribution according to WFP policies.

(c)  An OEDE evaluation mission examining the ongoing PRRO 6274 ended on
10 April. The mission encouraged WFP to continue its current food aid
strategy under the PRRO, but recommended adjustments in targeting
mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation.

(d)  Since 03 January, WFP has been distributing residual food from 2002
contributions. WFP activities are hampered by shortages. Most
contributions in 2003 are expected only to arrive after 03 June and will
only cover needs until August. From September to December 2003, the DRC
pipeline is currently very precarious. More pledges are urgently needed to
allow the provision of full food baskets to be distributed to targeted
beneficiaries under the PRRO.


3)  Eritrea

(a)  The drought situation in Eritrea continues to have serious
consequences throughout the country. In the Northern Red Sea region, the
wet feeding programme remained suspended due to a lack of water. In Anseba
region, cases of diarrhoea are on the rise. Lack of safe drinking water is
one factor contributing to rising malnutrition rates, from 0.2 percent in
February to 2.2 percent in March.

(b)  Parts of the country are currently preparing agricultural land in
anticipation of the Azmera (short) rains expected from March to April. The
Ministry of Agriculture, FAO and NGO's estimate that some 80 percent of
farmers require emergency seed assistance, totalling 13,000 tons. As of
late March, only 4,900 tons of seeds had been pledged, leaving a shortfall
of 8,100 tons.

(c)  During a WFP and USAID mission to Gash Barka, it was noted that
drought and war affected beneficiaries at Binbina and Barentu received
only 50 percent of the WFP-Government agreed ration. Food redistribution
forms part of the traditional coping mechanisms used by communities
throughout the country during emergency situations, but is also a clear
indication of the increasing need among households.

(d)  WFP is currently only able to provide food to approximately half of
the planned drought-affected beneficiaries. Resourcing for PRRO 10192 and
EMOP 10261 remains very low, with shortfalls still at 69 percent.


4)  Ethiopia

(a)  While food distributions have stabilized the situation in many parts
of the country, lack of food supplies are being reported from most
drought-affected areas. The assessed number of people in need of food aid
will increase slightly for the period May to September, following a
recently conducted Government-led reassessment exercise. A total of 1.2
million new beneficiaries have been added to the current peak caseload of
11.3 million, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 12.5 million
out of the total population of 69 million. Short season (Belg) rains
continue in many parts of the country, including Southern Nations,
Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR), following a break in early
April. However, no recent rain has been reported in Tigray. In Somali
Region, the seasonal Gu rains began on 15 April, easing water shortages
and improving the pasture situation for pastoralists. However, the
pastoralist Shinille zone in the northern part of the Region remains of
special concern, as does the difficult to access Fik zone, where food
security is reported to have deteriorated significantly.

(b)  WFP participated in a recent Government-arranged high-level donor
visit to some of the worst affected areas in SNNPR. Other areas currently
of special concern include parts of Tigray and Afar Regions. The on-going
voluntary resettlement programme has interrupted relief operations in some
parts of the country.

(c)  Needs under EMOP 10030.1 and EMOP 10030.2 now total 318,322 tons,
including 280,860 tons of cereals, 33,462 tons of blended food and 4,000
tons of vegetable oil, at a cost of USD 120 million, representing 51
percent of total WFP requirements for the year. At the national level,
pledges to the Government, WFP and NGO's currently stand at 1,055,000
tons, against a total need of 1,462,000 tons of food aid, adding up to
some 72 percent of total needs. However, anticipated requirements are
expected to be higher still, following the recent reassessment.

(d)  Current pledges must be confirmed and new contributions are urgently
needed to cover needs beyond June and July. In light of the deteriorating
food security situation in many parts of the country, consideration should
be given to increasing the cereal ration from the current 12.5 kg to 15 kg
of cereals/per person/per month for the worst affected areas. Moreover,
4.5 kg of protein-rich blended food and 0.75 kg of vegetable oil should be
made available, as a targeted ration, to children under five, pregnant
women and nursing mothers.


5)  Kenya

(a)  The long rains season began late in most districts and has been
erratic. Consequently, planting of crops started late in most arable areas
and especially in Southern Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western provinces,
where farmers began planting two months earlier. This could lead to a
serious shortfall in maize supply between July and September, before the
first long rains crops are harvested. As national supplies decrease,
prices of maize in the country have inflated. Food insecurity in the
pastoral districts, particularly in West Pokot, Baringo, Marakwet, Keiyo
and southern Turkana, is very high, and likely to increase. In addition,
increased livestock raids have had a further negative impact on food
security by substantially undermining pastoral livelihoods and recovery
prospects. Preliminary results from a nutrition survey carried out in late
March by UNICEF and other partners indicate high levels of malnutrition
rates among children under five in Baringo and Turkana districts. A joint
Government, WFP, UNICEF, FEWSNET and NGO assessment is planned in the
coming weeks to determine the levels of food insecurity in those two
districts.

(b)  During the last food distribution cycle of March, WFP distributed
food to 218,000 refugees in Dadaab and Kakuma camps. New contributions in
cash and in kind have stabilized the pipeline situation and if received in
good time, current food pledges will mean that refugees can receive full
cereal rations until October and full rations for other commodities until
December. WFP is currently supporting the repatriation of some 2,880
Somali refugees from Dadaab refugee camp to Somalia. WFP will provide the
refugees with a nine-months food ration upon arrival at their places of
origin.


6)  Rwanda

(a)  A rapid assessment was carried by a joint WFP Vulnerability
Assessment Mapping (VAM)/FEWSNET mission to evaluate reports about
increasing food insecurity in the Bugesera region. The mission concluded
that households in certain areas are experiencing the effects of poor
harvests due to the late onset of rains. Each district was assessed using
the following factors: onset and nature of rains, condition of major crop,
including beans, sorghum, cassava, sweet potatoes, expectations for the
June harvest, and coping mechanisms and duration. WFP is responding to the
situation through its existing portfolio of activities, including support
to nutrition centres, refugees and returnees, food-for-work and
food-for-training activities under the PRRO, and School Feeding and
HIV/AIDS projects targeted to beneficiaries in the most food-insecure and
drought-affected areas.


7)  Sudan

(a)  Peace negotiations between the SPLA/M and the Government are ongoing.
Major steps were taken to de-link politics from humanitarian access at the
TCHA meeting held in Nairobi from 18 to 20 January. Although the principle
of unimpeded access is expected to continue, there are still several
operational constraints, such as travel permits, and "ad hoc" decisions by
the authorities. On 25 March, the SPLM authority in the Nuba Mountains for
the first time approved a WFP cross-line transport of food by road from
Government controlled areas to SPLM controlled areas.

(b)  A recent food security monitoring and a post-harvest assessment
conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, confirmed the ANA and FAO/WFP
food security forecast. Food security has further deteriorated
particularly in areas of Red Sea, North Darfur and northern Bahr El
Ghazal. An early onset of the hunger gap has also been reported in parts
of southern Sudan due to a total depletion of livestock. The escalation of
the armed conflict in Kebkabiya and Jabel Marra, the most productive
provinces of Darfur States, is affecting cereal flow to deficit areas and
inducing localized increases in food prices.

(c)  Air operations remained a key transport service for delivering
emergency food and non-food during the first quarter of 2003 with a total
of 22,863 tons of WFP food delivered using airdrops, airlifts, and surface
transport from WFP bases and sub-offices. In northern and southern Sudan
WFP distributed 10,369 tons of food to 1,170,972 beneficiaries, with 4,859
tons of food distributed to 398,602 beneficiaries in the Northern Sector
and 5,510 tons distributed to 772,370 beneficiaries in the Southern
Sector.

(d)  The food pipeline, both for the Northern and the Southern Sectors, is
faced with a critical break starting in April. Supplies of corn-soya
blend, vegetable oil, sugar, dried skimmed milk and salt will be exhausted
from April, and supplies of pulses will be exhausted in May. The cereal
pipeline is expected to break from July. The anticipated pipeline breaks
will occur at a critical hunger gap period and will affect general feeding
and intensive/supplementary feeding programmes significantly.


8)  Uganda

(a)  The humanitarian situation in northern Uganda is deteriorating as a
result of heightened insecurity, general disruption of economic activities
and ineffective coping mechanisms. Over 800,000 people are in dire need of
relief assistance for survival. The recent announcement by the Lord's
resistance Army (LRA) restricting movement of people from IDP camps,
combined with increasing food needs due to poor harvest prospect, will
compound the food insecurity problems encountered in protected camps. The
LRA and the Government have suspended their offers of ceasefire with
effect from mid-April.

(b)  The effect of drought in Karamoja region is getting severe, affecting
an additional 586,326 people. The recent rapid nutritional assessment
conducted by WFP, District Disaster Management Committees (DDMC) and the
Director of District Health Services (DDHS) in Moroto and Kotido districts
of Karamoja between 15 and 20 April 2003, found a global acute
malnutrition level of 14 percent in Moroto District and 22.4 percent in
Kotido district. Based on this finding, WFP is increasing the monthly food
allocation for relief distribution from 1,000 tons/month to 3,000
tons/month with effect from May.

(c)  The first relief convoy carrying 151 tons of food commodities finally
reached Acholi Bur displaced camp in Pader district. The food was
distributed to 18,115 beneficiaries. However, insecurity remains a major
constraint for distributing food assistance to 242,000 people in 13 IDP
camps in Pader district.

(d)  WFP is distributing one-month food rations to 3,000 Ugandans
displaced during a raid by the Pokot from Kenya on 11 April 2003. During
the raid, 26 people were killed, 3,000 people displaced, 338 houses burnt,
634 heads of cattle and 1,110 heads of goats taken away by the Pokot. An
inter-agency assessment is ongoing to determine needs in the affected
areas.

(e)  As a result of the increasing food needs in northern Uganda and
drought effect in Karamoja, WFP faces a pipeline shortfall of 57,981 tons
of food to meet the needs of IDP's, refugees and other vulnerable groups
from April to December. Urgent new pledges are required to meet this
shortfall.



C)  West Africa: (1) Côte d'Ivoire, (2) Guinea

1) Cote d'Ivoire

(a)  Despite the first effective participation of the "New Forces", which
includes the insurgent movements MPCI, MPIGO and MJP, in a cabinet meeting
Thursday last week, fighting has continued in pockets of the country.
Clashes between loyalist and "New Forces" have been reported over the
weekend in the western towns of Bin-Houye and Toulepleu, as well as in the
village of Belleville near Daloa. In the west there is no defined truce
line at the moment, despite peacekeeping forces in place. A scheduled
meeting on 22 April between the Presidents of Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire to
discuss the precarious situation, was cancelled. A nutrition study of 500
IDP women and children under five has been conducted in Duekoue by OMS.
The study revealed that as many as 20 percent of the children and women
were suffering from acute malnutrition. It is believed that all such cases
are caused by the current crisis. The UN Humanitarian Envoy for the crisis
in Côte d'Ivoire returned to Abidjan on Monday for a one-week mission to
re-evaluate the impact of the crisis and launch the UN Consolidated Appeal
to donors on 29 April.

(b)  The first WFP food convoy of 15 tons of food arrived in Man in the
western part of the country on 21 April. Another cargo of 15 tons was
expected on 24 April. WFP plans to target seven Primary Schools in Man,
where food distribution to 4,000 children will be carried out four days a
week. All seven schools have met the basic requirements to implement an
emergency school-feeding programme. Transport arrangements have been
agreed with local authorities.

(c)  In Bouaké in the North, a total of 21,056 beneficiaries are supported
by WFP through various food aid activities, including 14,240 children and
mothers supported in cooperation with Action Contre la Faim, 1,210
families supported though Food for Work programmes and 2,766 people also
supported by ICRC through institutional support programmes. WFP's
implementing partner CARE has not yet resumed its activities in Bouaké.
Joint WFP and "Ecole pour Tous" support to an educational programme in
Bouaké has nearly been completed. As part of an emergency school feeding
initiative, 17,500 pupils will be receiving food through 12 educational
groups. Implementation will start next week with food deliveries.

(d)  In Korhogo, a total of 173 vulnerable families, amounting to 1,227
persons, received 10.8 tons of food during the week. The food was
distributed in Haoussabougou parish and Waragniene village, mostly to
women and children. WFP plans to visit a sample of cotton producers, to
assess the food situation among the families. From Yamoussoukro in the
centre of the country, a total of 151.8 tons of food was distributed to
18,700 IDP's. In Daloa, 56.6 tons of food was distributed to 3,400 IDP's.


2)  Guinea

(a)  Guinea received its first rains earlier than expected. The Dandou
dyke connecting Sierra Leone is collapsing and consequently, a
repatriation convoy of Sierra Leonean refugees headed for Kailahun in
Sierra Leone, near the Guinean border, was cancelled. It is estimated that
the repairs will take a week to complete. The number of Guineans, Ivorians
and third country nationals coming from Côte d'Ivoire through N'zérékoré
has increased as a result of recent attacks in Danane. The security
situation in N'zérékoré is still unstable near the borders due to fighting
in both Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire.

(b)  In the first half of April, 2,256 people, including 1,543 Guineans,
501 Ivorians, 182 Liberians, 24 Malians, 5 Mauritanians and 1 Ghanian,
entered Guinea through Lola prefecture. It is estimated that 2,035 entered
through N'Zoo, escaping recent attacks on Danane. During the past two
weeks, 2,845 Liberians and 744 Ivorians were transferred from Baala to
Lainé and Nonah camps respectively. According to UNHCR, 3,488 refugees who
fled Ganta were transferred from Baala transit centre to Lainé camps in
the first half of April. To expedite repatriation, UNHCR has decided to
repatriate 500 Sierra Leoneans per day from the Albadariah camps, rather
than 500 every other day. Since early April 9 convoys have repatriated a
total of 4,141 Sierra Leoneans via Kailahun on Sierra Leone's border with
Guinea, bringing the total number of people repatriated from Kissidougou
in 2003 to 10,115. To prepare the relocation of Liberian refugees from
Kouankan camp, reception centres are now being constructed in the
Albadariah camps.

(c)  General WFP food distribution took place in Kouankan camp in
N'Zérékoré, where 33,815 refugees received 451 tons of food. Special
distributions in Lainé, Nonah and Baala provided 30 tons of food to 4,441
beneficiaries. WFP's partners in Kissidougou distributed 248 tons of food
to 14,960 refugees in Télikoro and Madina and 1 ton to 85 new arrivals in
Boréah. A nutritional screening of 1,635 children took place in rural
Guéckédou concluded that 15 percent of the surveyed children suffered from
global acute malnutrition. As of 19 April, there were 36 beneficiaries and
62 caretakers in Kissidougou's three therapeutic nutrition centres.



D)  Southern Africa: (1) Angola, (2) Lesotho, (3) Madagascar, (4) Malawi,
(5) Mozambique, (6) Namibia, (7) Swaziland, (8) Zambia, (9) Zimbabwe

1)  Angola

(a)  Throughout the country, WFP distributions continue for IDP's and
newly demobilized soldiers and their families, as the Government proceeds
with the closure of Gathering Areas (GA's). At the end of March, 17 GA's
had been closed out of the original 41 and 150,000 people had returned to
their areas of origin or been moved to transit centres. Currently WFP is
providing support to 277,000 people in the remaining GA's and 37,000
people in areas where the GA's have been closed. Food aid is distributed
to the transit centres on a case-by-case basis when the Government is
unable to provide assistance.


2)  Lesotho

(a)  From 16 to 22 April, WFP distributed 1,606 tons of food to 92,200
beneficiaries in collaboration with implementing partners. A total of
1,435 HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis patients received 56 tons of food through
health centres in Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka and Quthing Districts. In
Mafeteng and Mohale's Hoek Districts, 45 schools received 19 tons of food
for the Emergency School Feeding Programme.

(b)  The Disaster Management Authority of Lesotho instructed all
constituencies to initiate Food for Work projects. The main activities
will focus on road repair, tree planting and terracing. The Government
will provide 2,000 tons of maize and 2,000 tons of rice, recently donated.
WFP has received a request from the Government to provide additional food
to 30,000 households involved in the projects. Planning for the programme
is ongoing and will be finalized by May.


3)  Madagascar

(a)  Worsening drought and rising malnutrition rates have forced thousands
of people to leave towns in southern Madagascar to search for food, water
and work. The Government estimates some 600,000 people are now in urgent
need of food assistance. An estimated 12,000 people have already moved
from the district of Ambovombe and another 5,000 from the district of
Tsihombe. In addition, an estimated 30 percent of children are showing
signs of moderate to severe malnutrition in some areas. WFP was already
targeting 175,000 people affected by the drought in the South as part of a
larger emergency appeal for Madagascar launched last November. However,
the appeal has only been 52 percent funded which has forced WFP to assist
only 55,000 of the most vulnerable people. The drought has been
exacerbated by lower-than-expected rainfall during the planting season. As
a result, WFP now estimates it will need at least an additional 8,000 tons
of food as traditional foods such as cactus fruit and reserves of cassava,
manioc, sweet potato and maize have nearly all been consumed.

(b)  The Government has raised FMG 340,000 (USD 53,000) through a recent
telethon to assist the drought-affected population. Government donated
food is being dispatched to local NGO's and church organizations with
additional commodities allocated for Food for Work activities. WFP is
working closely with the Government in order to channel food aid to
primary schools not covered by existing WFP school-feeding programmes. The
Government has also sought WFP's technical assistance in order to
establish committees for targeting and selection of beneficiaries. WFP
will conduct a four-week rolling assessment mission in the South to access
the current agricultural situation and emergency food aid requirements.

(c)  From 15 to 23 April, WFP distributed 15 tons of food to 1,150 Food
For Work participants. WFP is assisting 175,000 people through Food For
Work activities in 13 southern districts.


4)  Malawi

(a)  From 17 to 23 April, WFP and implementing partners distributed 3,791
tons of food. A Government assessment of the floods in Salima in Mzuzu
District in Northern Province has been finalized and the final report is
pending. WFP's phase-down plan may require revisions in the flood-affected
districts, should further assistance be necessary. In most parts of the
southern and central region, the harvest of maize is underway. The price
of maize has decreased significantly due to the appearance of newly
harvested maize in the local markets.


5)  Mozambique

(a)  From 15 to 21 April, WFP distributed 2,639 tons of food in
collaboration with implementing partners. Rains have hampered deliveries
to Tambara District in Manica Province and Muanza District. WFP signed or
extended Letters of Understanding with nine implementing partners.

(b)  On-the-job training of provincial food aid coordinators from Maputo,
Gaza and Inhambane Provinces took place in Xai-Xai in Gaza Province. The
group visited Mandlakaze District to consolidate skills for Food for Work
project appraisals and to share experiences in project designs. WFP, the
Institute of Disaster Management and World Vision visited Inhassunge
District in Quelimane Province to assess conditions prior to the
initiation of EMOP operations there. It was noted that many families had
started harvesting rice and cassava, which will help to stabilize the food
security situation in the area.


6)  Namibia

(a)  UNHCR will begin an information campaign in May for the repatriation
of Angolan refugees in Osire and Kassava camps. The campaign will provide
information concerning repatriation arrangements and procedures along with
the timeframe and refugee entitlements. Repatriation is scheduled to begin
in June and should be finalized by the end of December 2004. The
repatriation will be conducted in phases to allow a smooth transition.


7)  Swaziland

(a)  From 15 to 21 April, WFP and implementing partners distributed 38
tons of food to 23,890 beneficiaries. WFP has completed a series of
district level meetings with beneficiaries and community authorities
regarding the decrease in WFP assistance over the next three months,
during the harvest season. Up to 3,000 people attended each meeting,
including Ministers of Parliament, traditional leaders, relief committees,
and beneficiary communities. All meetings went smoothly and were held in a
cooperative and productive atmosphere. WFP's implementing partners are
reviewing the current beneficiary lists in preparation for future
distributions. Upon completion of this review, WFP, relief committees and
implementing partners will compile new lists of beneficiaries who will be
issued new ration cards based on the revised selection criteria.


8)  Zambia

(a)  Floods have washed away bridges and hampered distributions in Senanga
District in Western Province. WFP will hire private boats in order to
complete the distributions in the area.

(b)  From 16 to 22 April, WFP distributed 1,998 tons of food in
collaboration with implementing partners. (c)  Discussions and
coordination continue between WFP, UNHCR and implementing partners
concerning the repatriation of Angolan refugees in Zambia. While exact
numbers have yet to be verified, it is thought that approximately 180,000
refugees are now residing in camps and private accommodation. WFP attended
a UNHCR inter-agency coordination meeting held in Angola in April. Issues
concerning both en-route food security and the provision of a food rations
at final destination points were discussed. The first phase of the
repatriation process is scheduled to begin in June.


9)  Zimbabwe

(a)  The harvest is under way in most parts of the country, easing food
shortages. The Governmental Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has stepped up its
activities in order to ensure farmers deliver their surplus grain to the
GMB at the recently increased price of Z$150,000 (USD 124) per ton. In
some areas, private traders and the food industry are offering Z$300,000
(USD 248) per ton of maize. On 16 April, the Government increased the
price of fuel from Z$145 to Z$450 (USD 0.37) per litre of petrol. The
price of diesel also rose from Z$68 to Z$200 (USD 0.17) per litre. This is
the second price rise following February's increase of 100 percent. The
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions called for a mass strike from 23 to 25
April in protest against the fuel price increase. Meanwhile, electricity
rationing continues to affect parts of the country. Neighbouring
power-exporting countries have reduced supplies to Zimbabwe due to
non-payment of outstanding invoices.

(b)  From 01 to 19 April, WFP and implementing partners distributed 28,075
tons of food to 2.5 million people. The distributions represent 55 percent
of the planned tonnage for the month.



E)  Asia: (1) DPR Korea

1)  DPR Korea

(a)  After reviewing the developing SARS situation in the region and in
line with the Government's decision to step up precautionary measures
against the threat of SARS the DPRK Humanitarian Coordinator and
Designated Official declared Security Phase One throughout the country on
23 April, given the limited facilities available to treat SARS cases in
the country. Phase One is a precautionary phase, requiring travellers to
obtain security clearance prior to proceeding to the DPRK. The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs has advised that all those arriving into the DPRK from
SARS-affected areas will be put under observation, while suspected cases
of SARS will be taken to the isolation ward of the People's hospital in
North Pyongan province. Three WFP staff members who arrived on 22 April
have been told by the authorities to stay at home under observation.
Government doctors visit them on a daily basis to record their
temperatures and assess their states of health. WFP has instructed staff
due to arrive within the coming week to take administrative leave and thus
delay their arrival until at least to 03 May, and to route their return
flights through non affected countries such as Russia.

(b)  Due to shortfalls, cereal distributions in May will not reach some of
the vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, caregivers and some child
institutions on the east and west coasts. With the expected arrival of new
maize donations in June, cereal distributions to all targeted groups
should be restored. However, further cuts in cereal distributions will
begin again in the fourth quarter of the year unless new contributions are
confirmed.

(c)  Contributions of about 140,000 tons of food, including 105,000 tons
of cereals, 15,000 tons of pulses 11,000 tons of corn-soya milk, 4,000
tons of sugar and 3,000 tons of oil are needed as soon as possible to
ensure continued implementation of WFP activities throughout the remainder
of the year.



F)  Latin America and the Caribbean: (1) Colombia, (2) Cuba, (3) Peru

1)  Colombia

(a)  WFP distributed 36,500 food rations (amounting to 80 tons of food) to
560 Afro Colombian and indigenous families affected by displacement in
Medio Atrato River in Choco and Antioquia provinces, under its PRRO
project "Psychosocial and food security recovery in Vigia del Fuerte and
Bojaya".

(b)  WFP and local church organizations delivered equipment to two
community kitchen projects benefiting 450 people in Rio Negro and San
Carlos municipalities in Antioquia Department.


2)  Cuba

(a)  Heavy rains since 14 April in the province of Guantánamo have caused
sea flooding in coastal areas. Baracoa, the second most important
municipality in Guantánamo Province, was the most affected area, with more
than 600 people forced to evacuate their homes, damage caused to some 60
houses, and traffic interrupted on key roads due to mud and rockslides.
Although the full agricultural loss is yet to be measured, significant
damage has been caused to coconut and cocoa production in the municipality
of Baracoa, which provides two thirds of the Cuba's cocoa production.
Evacuated people received food from the Government and WFP intervention
has not been necessary.


3)  Peru

(a)  Three thousand families living on the banks of Lake Titicaca, in the
department of Puno, have been left homeless, following the increase in the
lake's water level, which has risen more than two meters over the past two
months. Such increases have not been registered for the last 15 years. A
total of 450 hectares of harvest have been completely lost, and another
500 hectares damaged. The Peruvian Civil Defence is providing assistance
to the affected population.


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

(End WFP Emergency Report No 17).


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