WFP EMERGENCY REPORT
Issued weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme
Report No. 19 / 2003 - Date 09 May 2003


This report includes:

A) Middle East and Central Asia: (1) Iraq, (2) Iran, (3) Afghanistan,
   (4) Pakistan
B) East and Central Africa: (1) Republic of Congo, (2) DR Congo,
   (3) Burundi, (4) Rwanda, (5) Uganda, (6) Kenya, (7) Sudan,
   (8) Eritrea, (9) Ethiopia, (10) Djibouti
C) West Africa: (1) Cote d'Ivoire, (2) Liberia, (3) Sierra Leone,
   (4) Guinea
D) Southern Africa: (1) Namibia, (2) Angola, (3) Zambia, (4) Tanzania,
   (5) Malawi, (6) Zimbabwe, (7) Mozambique, (8) Swaziland,
   (9) Lesotho, (10) Madagascar, (11) Comoros
E) Latin America and the Caribbean: (1) Argentina, (2) Colombia
F) Eastern Europe and the Caucasus: (1) Albania,
   (2) North Caucasus, Russian Federation, (3) Azerbaijan


>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)  Following the return of the Regional Coordinator to Baghdad last
week, WFP has established contact at the senior levels of the Ministry of
Trade (MOT), the body responsible for overseeing the Iraqi Public
Distribution System (PDS). The MOT is keen to work closely with WFP and
the intention is to set up a Task Force made up of the two entities as
soon as international staff returns to Baghdad. In addition, the UN has
learned that MOT is also responsible for all contracts covered under
Security Council Resolution 986, which includes other sectors such as
health and electricity. A high level working Committee comprised of UN and
MOT officials is being considered to deal with this issue.

(b)  A second wave of international staff is expected to return to Baghdad
early next week as soon as the base camp is set up at the UN office in
Baghdad. This SRSA base camp that WFP is calling forward on behalf of the
UN community was scheduled to leave Amman in the early hours of Friday
morning. It has sleeping capacity for about 55 people and has modules for
catering/canteen and some office space. Until further notice all UN
personnel in Baghdad will be required to reside at the UN office complex
at the Canal Hotel. It is expected that WFP will have 12 personnel in
Baghdad by early next week. The Executive Director of WFP, James Morris,
will visit Baghdad on 11 May to review at first hand progress in setting
up WFP's relief operation. Morris, who will be the first UN agency head to
visit Baghdad since the outbreak of hostilities in March, will meet
officials from the MOT and the US-led civil administration, as well as WFP
and other UN staff already based in the Iraqi capital. The WFP office in
Basrah opened on 03 May and international staff returned to establish a
permanent presence there on 07 May.

(c)  Total dispatches since 03 April through the five corridors from
Turkey, Jordan, Iran, Syria and Kuwait have now reached 111, 356 tons. On
Thursday a record 9,800 tons of food was dispatched. The first WFP vessel
carrying 14,000 tons of rice berthed at the Iraq port of Umm Qasr on 02
May. Offloading began slowly but picked up pace after WFP negotiated
contracts to extra stevedores. Offloading increased from an initial 400
tons of rice/day to 1400 tons/day by the end of the week. The first two
WFP vessels carrying 28,000 tons of wheat and 10,000 tons of wheat flour
began discharging at Aqaba port and direct loading of wheat flour from one
vessel began Wednesday.

(d)  The regular distribution cycle of SCR 986 wheat flour for the April
2003 ration started on 05 May in Sulaymaniyah and Dahuk. WFP is
responsible for the distribution of PDS food rations in the three northern
governorates. With nearly 200 aid trucks rolling into northern Iraq every
day, WFP achieved pre-war food security levels in northern Iraq last week
and is now reaching out to cover the food needs of the central region.
Deliveries are to be increased over the coming weeks to reach a target of
500,000 tons a month to the three hubs in Baghdad in the centre, Mosul in
the north and Basra in the south.

(e)  Logistics missions have visited Karbala, Hilla in Babil, Diwaniyah in
Qadisiyah, Samawah in Muthanna, Nasiriyah in Thi Qar and Basrah to assess
warehouses, silos and mills. Overall, the infrastructure is reported to be
in fair condition and only minor repairs will be required.

(f)  The finalization of agreements with NGO's for cooperation in Iraq
continues. This week it was agreed that GOAL (Ireland) will concentrate on
supplementary feeding through Community Childcare Centres and hospital
feeding in Muthanna and Thi Qar, while Premiere Urgence (France) will
concentrate on institutional feeding. WFP has planned partnerships with a
number of NGO's.

(g)  Approximately 1.8 million tons of food has currently been made
available for WFP's response to the Iraq Crisis through directed
contributions and Oil for Food Programme (OFFP) commodities. Although the
pipeline situation is improving, shortfalls are expected to continue for
oil, pulses and dry whole milk. WFP continues to negotiate OFFP shipments
and approximately 1.1 million tons of food aid has so far been
re-negotiated. Current priority resourcing needs from June through August
include 42,000 tons of pulses, 35,000 tons of oil and 46,600 tons of milk.
It is estimated that only limited quantities of pulses, oil and milk are
available in the region for immediate purchase and WFP will be obliged to
look at markets further afield, such as northern Europe and Asia. This
will involve longer lead times for procurement and transport and immediate
cash contributions are needed to enable purchase action to be initiated.


2)  Iran

(a)  The security phases in Iran were downgraded on 24 April to Phase Two
for the five western border provinces with Iraq, including West
Azerbaijan, Khuzestan, Ilam, Kermanshah and Kurdistan, and the two eastern
border provinces with Afghanistan, Khorasan and Sistan-Baluchestan, and to
Phase One for the rest of the country. As of 07 May there were still no
cases reported of Iraqi refugees crossing the border with Iran.

(b)  On 03 May WFP surpassed its target of 1,000 tons daily food
dispatches to Iraq, when 1,509 tons of wheat flour loaded onto 73 trucks
was dispatched from Kermanshah and Ahwaz to Suleymaniah. From 30 April to
07 May, WFP dispatched convoys carrying a total of 6,147 tons of food to
Iraq, including a 10-truck convoy carrying 210 tons of chickpeas to
Baghdad and a 13-truck convoy carrying 250 tons of soya bean oil to
Baquba. A vessel carrying 15,000 tons of wheat flour is expected to arrive
in the port of Bandar Imam Khomeini on 08 May 2003. The wheat flour will
be delivered to Basra, Nasseriya, Al Amara, and Al kut, using Iranian
commercial transporters.

(c)  From the start of the trans-border operation on 16 April 2003 to
date, a total of 7,592 tons of food has been dispatched into Iraq, 4,600
tons of which has already been received by WFP Suleymaniah. Current
average daily off-take is about 900 tons per day.

(d)  From 30 April to 07 May, meetings were held with various Government
officials from the Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrant Affairs of the
Ministry of Interior (BAFIA), the State Organisation of Grain (SOG), and
Plant Protection Organization (PPO), with whom the criteria and modalities
of delivery of wheat grain and flour were discussed and agreed upon, in
order to further streamline trans-border activities and increase the
off-take capacity from the port in Iran. UNJLC and OCHA also met with
BAFIA to further streamline the delivery of humanitarian aid cargo to
Iraq.

(e)  The first quarterly monitoring visits of all 28 camps under PRRO
10213.0 started on 19 April and will be completed by the end of the week.
Upon WFP invitation, several embassies expressed their interest in joining
the monitoring teams on their visits to the camps. According to UNHCR and
BAFIA, 431,422 Afghan refugees have repatriated via Dogharoun in the
northeast and Milak in the southeast since the start of the operation on
09 April 2002.


3)  Afghanistan

(a)  In the North, the road between Mazari Sharif and Khulm was closed for
three days due to fighting between local commanders in Khulm district of
Balkh province. The road has been reopened after a ceasefire. UN missions
to Gosfandi have been suspended because of the tense security situation in
Gosfandi district of Sari Pul province. In the East, the road from Gardez
to Khost has been reopened. Local vigilante groups are patrolling the
road. In the South, a vehicle of Afghanistan Development Association, a
local NGO, was ambushed south of Sayad Abad district in Wardak province,
on the road from Kabul to Ghazni province. The driver was killed, and a
passenger injured. Two staff members of Afghanistan Technical Cooperation,
a local NGO, were shot at in the vicinity of Shah Joy and Qalat districts
in Zabul province, as they were travelling on the road from Kabul to
Kandahar province in an ambulance, escorted by two other vehicles. All UN
road missions between Ghazni and Kandahar are currently suspended. In the
West, tensions in Badghis province are high due to the ongoing disarmament
process.

(b)  From 01 to 07 May, WFP distributed 1,748 tons of food to 590,664
beneficiaries through Food For Work, Food For Education, Relief and
Resettlement of IDP's and refugees (RRIR), Urban Vulnerable Bakeries,
Supplementary Feeding and Free Food Distribution and Institutional Feeding
projects.

(c)  A Joint Stakeholders Workshop on the methodology to assess
vulnerability and food insecurity was organized by the Ministry of Rural
Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD), Afghanistan Research and Evaluation
Unit (AREU) and WFP in Kabul on 06 and 07 May. During the workshop, MRRD,
AREU and WFP presented the assessment methodology for 2003, modified on
the bases of lessons learned from the review of the 2002 assessment
exercise and recommendations made by various stakeholders, including the
government, donors, other UN agencies and NGOs. The vulnerability
assessment is conducted to estimate annual food requirements for rural
settled populations. In Kandahar, the Department of Planning, Southern
Western Afghanistan and Baluchistan Association for Coordination (a local
NGO coordination body), and WFP agreed to review the performance of
implementing partners, in order to enhance the impact of food aid by
ensuring that food aid reaches beneficiaries in a timely manner. In Hirat,
WFP participated in an IDP meeting organized by the Ministry of Refugees
and Repatriation, during which ongoing relief activities for IDP's in
camps as well as assistance to those returning to their places of origin
were discussed.

(d)  A new contribution of 5,100 tons of wheat-soya-blend worth USD
3,852,000 to PRRO 10233.0 was confirmed.


4)  Pakistan

(a)  The recent critical pipeline situation of the Emergency Operation for
Afghan Refugees in Pakistan, EMOP 10228, has improved. A continued supply
of at least wheat and oil is an absolute necessity for the refugees, who
are living in remote areas, have no sources of income and are thus fully
dependent on WFP food aid. A pipeline break could lead to the breakdown of
law and order in the camps and put pressure on implementing partners, WFP
and the Government. There is a need for pulses and oil starting in August,
and wheat in October.

(b)  Under the Emergency Operation for Drought in Balochistan and Sindh,
EMOP 10171.0, distribution of food has continued in Dadu district of Sindh
and has started in Chagai district of Balochistan. Preparatory work to
start distribution in Kharan district, also in Balochistan, is being
undertaken. The EMOP is expected to complete its implementation in
September 2003, when in-country stocks would be fully distributed.



B)  East and Central Africa: (1) Republic of Congo, (2) DR Congo, (3)
Burundi, (4) Rwanda, (5) Uganda, (6) Kenya, (7) Sudan, (8) Eritrea, (9)
Ethiopia, (10) Djibouti

1)  Republic of Congo

(a)  The Ebola pandemic is now claiming fewer victims than in previous
weeks. In April 14 infected people died in Kelle and Mbomo, north of Congo
Brazzaville, bringing the number of deaths to 128 as of 25 April.
Government authorities have declared that the spread has been stopped, but
no details were given concerning the quarantine imposed to the affected
area.

(b)  Since the reaffirmation of the peace agreement on 17 March, about
2,000 former militiamen have come out from the forests in the Pool region.
Most of them will be integrated into the Government army, to serve in
their own district of origins in the Pool region. Questions have been
raised about this decision and its impact on the security situation in the
Pool region.

(c)  In April WFP delivered 215 tons of food to 7,217 IDP households from
Pool region, including 4,782 households in Brazzaville. As the security
situation improved in the Pool region, new arrivals were becoming
increasingly rare. However, due the continued increase of beneficiaries
within IDP camps in Brazzaville, WFP carried out a census by night to
investigate any fraudulent practices. The investigation showed that only
3,937 households are still living in the camps, out of the 4,782 reported.
Remaining IDP have returned to their place of origin or joined host
families. Steps have now been taken to ensure that only households living
in camps are assisted in the forthcoming distributions, as per WFP's
strategy.

(d)  WFP distributed 129 tons of food to 9,225 beneficiaries suffering
from HIV/AIDS and distributed 42 tons of food to 2,141 beneficiaries under
the School Feeding programme.


2)  DR Congo

(a)  100,000 IDP's/returnees in the eastern part of the country remain in
need of emergency food assistance. Many IDP's are reported to be hiding in
the forest. Prices of food commodities have reportedly doubled in Kindu,
the capital of Maniema province, as the town remained surrounded by
militiamen. The authorities continue to prevent the local population,
especially women, from working on their farms, leading to an increase in
the level of malnutrition. The current rate of malnutrition has led the
British NGO MERLIN to extend food assistance to malnourished people up to
16 years of age.

(b)  The closure of borders with the Central African Republic left peasant
farmers in Gemena with no commercial outlets, leading to a drastic
decrease in the prices of food crops.

(c)  From January to the present, WFP has been distributing residual food
from 2002 contributions. All WFP sub-offices, with the exception of
Lubumbashi and Kisangani, are currently beginning to experience food
shortfalls. Most of the food resourced and programmed in 2003 is expected
to arrive after June and will cover the needs until August only. Hence,
from September to December, the DRC pipeline will face a serious rupture.
More pledges are urgently needed to permit the provision of full food
baskets to targeted beneficiaries and the implementation of all planned
emergency and recovery activities under the PRRO in 2003.


3)  Burundi

(a)  The second phase of the 36-month transition leadership period agreed
upon in Arusha by Burundi belligerents began with the hand over of power
by the outgoing Head of State to his Deputy. During the next 18 months,
the newly invested President and his Deputy are expected to restore peace
and stability in the country, as well as to find arrangements for
democratic elections at the end of their tenure. The country however faces
a difficult economic and social situation. A new cabinet was nominated on
06 May with three newcomers from the political parties FDD, FNL and
Frolina movements' wings, which endorsed the Arusha Accord.

(b)  Security remained a concern in many parts of the country.
Confrontations between the army and rebel fighters continued in Bujumbura
Rural province. Bomb shells were launched at Bubanza and Kayanza
provinces. Ambushes on civilian transport cars and robbery of passengers
increased in Makamba province and in Cibitoke province, bordering the
Democratic Republic of Congo.

(c)  During the week, WFP distributed 705.177 tons of food through various
programmes. However, 88.4 tons of food planned for targeted distributions
in Mwaro province could not be distributed due to insecurity.


4)  Rwanda

(a)  In April, rainfall in the chronically food insecure region improved
the situation compared to March. However, since early-planted crops have
dried up, a good crop is not expected and food insecurity can only be
averted if rains last until the end of May.

(b)  WFP is responding to the situation by increasing the number of Food
For Work projects implemented in the affected areas of Bugesera, Kibungo
and Umutara, together with the existing portfolio of activities. At the
same time, WFP is holding meetings with the Government, various donors, UN
agencies and NGO's to come up with a response plan of action to mitigate
the effects of hunger in affected regions. A Disaster Management Task
Force meeting chaired by WFP will take place on Thursday 08 May, in order
to share information on food security in the country, existing responses
and possible and planned interventions in affected areas. In case of a
general emergency, WFP resources in the country are insufficient and the
Government of Rwanda and WFP will in that case have to make an appeal to
the international community for more resources.

(c)  The WFP School Feeding Project started in 2002 and with the existing
portfolio of activities it has played a key role in retaining pupils in
school.


5)  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. The announcement by the Lords
Resistance Army (LRA) restricting the movement of people from IDP camps,
and increasing food needs due to poor harvest prospects, will compound
food insecurity in protected camps. The Government of Uganda and UNHCR are
in the final stages of relocating 23,000 former Achol-Pii refugees,
temporarily settled in Kiryandongo Settlement in southwestern Uganda, to
Madi Okolo/Ikafe Refugee Camps in West Nile Region. WFP has prepared for
the relocation by increasing the buffer stocks in the region.

(b)  WFP has developed a first draft contingency plan for the
drought-affected areas in Karamoja region. The draft will be updated at
the end of May after evaluation of the effects of the rains and forecast
for the June to August period. The Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook
Forum predicts normal to below normal rains during the June to August
period, raising concerns for the anticipated recovery from July 2003 to
June 2004. WFP and implementing partners completed a nine-day Monitoring
and Evaluation Training from 22 to 30 April. The training was a
collaborative learning opportunity for WFP staff and partners to improve
their knowledge about results based monitoring.

(c)  As a result of increasing food needs in northern Uganda and drought
in Karamoja, WFP faces a shortfall of 53,147 tons of food to meet the
needs of IDP's, refugees and other vulnerable groups from May through
December.


6)  Kenya

(a)  Traditionally, parts of the low-lying areas around Lake Victoria in
Nyanza and Western provinces of Kenya are flood prone and get affected
every year. However, this year's flooding appears extensive and if it
continues, will negatively affect the long rains crops. The main areas
affected are Nyando, Kisumu and Rachuonyo districts and parts of Busia and
Migori districts. Also, Garissa and Tana River districts in eastern Kenya
are likely to be affected if the dams on Tana River fill up and overflow.
The Kenya Food Security Steering Group estimates that so far 36,000 people
have been displaced in Western Kenya and are in dire need of food and
non-food items. However, as the rains continue, the number of people
affected countrywide is likely to rise. The government has strategically
positioned some 5,154 tons of maize and beans from their stocks for
distribution to the flood victims. It has also allocated cash to purchase
vegetable oil and corn-soya blend and to transport the food. For the time
being, the government resources are sufficient to meet the food needs of
the floods-affected people, and WFP has not been approached for food
assistance.

(b)  Also affected by the heavy rains is the Dadaab refugee camp in
Garissa district which has 130,000 mainly Somali refugees. Some 600
families have lost their shelters. At the moment, WFP, UNHCR and CARE are
assessing the number of refugees who have lost their food stocks and may
need additional food. Although the road link between Garissa and Dadaab
has been completely cut off, WFP has sufficient stock of food in Dadaab to
last over one month. WFP has a Special Operation in place to repair the
road and is appealing for donor funding. Rehabilitation of the Garissa ?
Dadaab road would ensure that it remains passable for relief cargo
throughout the year.


7)  Sudan

(a)  The overall security situation in South Darfur State continues to be
fragile due to heavy fighting between the Darfur Liberation Movement (DLF)
and the Government of Sudan. Following a rebel attack on El Fasher, the
town remains under curfew and all UN and commercial flights in and out of
El Fasher remain suspended. A landmine explosion was reported near Amara
IDP camp in Kassala State in eastern Sudan and movement of all NGO and UN
staff in the area is restricted. A tripartite meeting between the
Government of Sudan (GoS), the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement/Army
(SPLM/A) and the UN on cross-line procedures took place in Nairobi from 07
to 09 May.

(b)  Following a recent approval by GoS and SPLM, cross-line food
deliveries in the Nuba Mountains took place for the first time. WFP
delivered 45 tons of food by road from government controlled El Obied to
SPLM held Kauda.

(c)  WFP distributed 1,623 tons of mixed food commodities to cover EMOP
activities in the Northern Sector benefiting a total number of 145,377
beneficiaries, of which 78,655 are female. Beneficiary registration and
verification is ongoing in Tokar in Red Sea State, Kadugli in Greater
Kordofan, El Obied in South Kordofan and Mirmir in Unity State.

(d)  There is currently a break in the pipeline of EMOP 10048.01 for
sugar, dried skimmed milk and corn-soya blend. A break in the pipeline of
pulses and salt is anticipated as early as May. As for EMOP 10048.02, WFP
has to date received confirmed contributions of some USD 31 million,
amounting to 23.6 percent of requirements under the EMOP.


8)  Eritrea

(a)  The drought situation in Eritrea continues to have serious
humanitarian consequences throughout the country. Livestock, one of the
main sources of livelihood for many rural households, are suffering from
acute shortages of water and fodder. In Hawush, a severely drought
affected part of Anseba region, village leaders reported the death of
numerous livestock in the past month, including goats, cattle, camels and
donkeys. The Tsaeda Adi Central Administration in Debub made similar
reports. Water shortages for human consumption are also widespread. In
Hawush villagers are now walking an average of six hours in order to fetch
water. The Central Administration of Adi Felesti in Debub report that most
of their water points have now dried up and the one remaining well is
insufficient for meeting the needs of the surrounding villages. Lack of
water is making implementation of the School Feeding Programme difficult
in many areas.

(b)  March through May is normally the period of the "Azmera" (short)
rains in the main crop producing areas of the country. These rains are
essential for land preparation, production of fodder for livestock and
maintaining surface water. WFP Field Monitors in Debub reported some land
preparation throughout the region in anticipation of the rains; some
reports of similar activities were also received from parts of the Gash
Barka region. However, the latest WFP Vulnerability Assessment Mapping
(VAM) Eritrea Update warned that recorded rainfall for March and April is
below normal for the season, especially in the central highlands.

(c)  WFP still faces a shortfall of 53 percent in order to cover its
overall requirements for 2003. This represents a gap of 137,447 tons of
food, valued at USD 54,019,122. On 06 May, WFP held a meeting with the
donor community in Asmara in order to update them on the gravity of the
present humanitarian situation, and urge for further contributions towards
meeting the needs of the affected population.


9)  Ethiopia

(a)  Food distributions over recent months have resulted in a stable
nutritional condition in Afar, Amhara, Oromiya and Tigray Regions and
parts of Somali Region. However there is deep concern for people in some
areas of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR),
especially in the districts of Wolayita, Sidama, Gurage, Silti, Konso and
Hadiya, and in Fik zone of Somali region, where malnutrition among
children is far above acceptable levels. It is urgent that food reaches
the very vulnerable population in these areas on a regular basis, with no
breaks and in sufficient quantities. To this end, the Government has
announced that the ration rate for cereal is being increased for these
worst affected areas, to the full planned ration of 15 kg per person per
month, effective immediately in districts where nutritional surveys have
shown global acute malnutrition (GAM) rates equal to or greater than 15
percent. Most of the beneficiaries in this category are in SNNPR and in
Fik zone. These areas are already classified as highest priority areas and
receive blended food as part of the general ration when stocks are
available. It is hoped that the cereal ration can be increased from the
current 12.5 kg to 15 kg for a larger number of beneficiaries if further
resources are pledged to the operation. Meanwhile, NGO's and local health
authorities, with the assistance of UNICEF, have expanded therapeutic and
supplementary feeding programmes in SNNPR.

(b)  The president of Somali Region, accompanied by the regional Disaster
Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC) bureau head and DPPC
monitors, has visited the flooded areas of Gode zone, where some 100,000
people are reported to be affected in Kelafo, Mustahil and East and West
Imi. Waters of the Shebelle River have receded in the Kelafo area but are
still high in Mustahil, where the main town and many surrounding villages
remain flooded. Arrangements are being made for an airlift of urgently
needed shelter and household items to the flood-affected population. The
situation in East and West Imi is being assessed. Destroyed household food
stocks in the flooded areas are exposing people to hunger, and there is
also concern for increased threat of disease. Food aid needs are to be
covered by DPPC/WFP stocks, and emergency medical supplies have been
provided by UNICEF. Away from the river, the good rains received in Kelafo
and Mustahil districts have eased water and pasture conditions caused by
the long drought in the area, and the condition of livestock is beginning
to improve.

(c)  Pre-positioning of food aid in areas that are cut off during the main
rains of July-September will commence in coming weeks, involving a total
of 80,000 tons.

(d)  There is currently a substantial shortfall of some 300,000 tons
towards the revised total global needs for Ethiopia for 2003 of 1.5
million tons. There are indications of further pledges against this
shortfall, but more contributions are needed to fill the overall
requirements. With present confirmed pledges, the pipeline will cover
needs only until early August, taking into consideration increased rations
in the worst affected areas and the pre-positioning needs. Needs in May
and June concern 12.5 million people each month, and remain high in July
at over 11 million, and through August and September at between 9 and 10
million.


10)  Djibouti

(a)  On 04 April about 3000 Djiboutians participated in a peaceful march
in the capital, protesting against US and UK strikes in Iraq. NY Times
Magazine interviewed WFP regarding US presence in Djibouti and US support
to humanitarian operations. A trip to a WFP field operation for
drought-affected populations took place on 21 April.

(b)  From 28 April to 01 May WFP met with Government officials and
implementing partners to discuss strategic issues.

(c)  A break in the oil pipeline for PRRO 10134.0 is anticipated in May.
This shortage could negatively impact on the distribution of nine-month
food repatriation packages. The second repatriation phase concerning some
10,000 refugees from Ali Addeh, who previously opted for voluntary
repatriation, is no longer attracting candidates. For reasons not always
clearly exposed, the majority of the 10,000 refugees have recently opted
not to return to Somaliland.

11)  Out of a recent contribution of 4,000 tons of mixed commodities, some
395 tons of corn-soya blend were received in Djibouti in April. The
contribution, including 3,000 tons of cereals, 400 tons of pulses, 400
tons of corn-soya blend and 200 tons of oil, currently registered under
the refugees operation 10134.00, are planned to be transferred to the new
Djibouti PRRO 10283.00.



C)  West Africa: (1) Côte d'Ivoire, (2) Liberia, (3) Sierra Leone, (4)
Guinea

1)  Cote d'Ivoire

(a)  The recent fighting between various armed factions in the western
part of the country is having an impact on the humanitarian situation in
the area, particularly areas destabilized by the presence of armed groups.
Increased displacement can be expected to aggravate the already worrying
food security situation of the local communities.

(b)  WFP Rapid Emergency Need Assessments were carried out in Logoualé,
Gonguinée II and Mahapleu. In Logoualé, 35 km from Man, the communities
are victims of looting and pillaging. WFP received a list of 650 families
in need of food aid from a local organisation. However, the situation
needs to be further evaluated before any food assistance is given. The
most needed food items could be found on the market. Gonguinée II, 17 km
from Man, suffered from intense fighting due to its proximity to the Man
airport. The mission noted a general deterioration of living conditions,
such as lack of repair of the only water pump in the village. Food
assistance is urgently needed for 720 people in order to prevent further
deterioration of nutrition conditions. Manapleu, 24 km from Danané, was
victim of violent attacks in December and April. In the absence of
operational sanitation facilities, MSF-Holland is providing basic health
care. Concerns over new attacks seriously affects food production
activities in the communities. The communities are also concerned that
food aid might increase the risk of new pillaging.

(c)  In the north of the country, WFP has noticed that farmers are facing
real difficulties due to the lack of input and seed. WFP visited
co-operatives to find out what progress was made by farmers during
planting season. The team noticed that despite erratic rainfall, some
farmer groups are actively cultivating, while others have not yet started.
Many of those not cultivating have sold or consumed parts or all of their
seed stocks, due to lack of other sources of income, as a result of the
current crisis. Co-operatives are in a particularly difficult situation.
The crop year 2003-2004 in the north of Côte d'Ivoire is compromised due
to shortage of inputs, such as seeds and fertilizers.

(d)  The estimated beneficiary caseload for EMOP 10244 is steady
increasing due to the worsening humanitarian situation in the country,
particularly in the west and the north. The estimated caseload for May has
been calculated to be 145,434 beneficiaries, with 65,462 beneficiaries in
the North, 43,904 beneficiaries in the West, 31,418 beneficiaries in
Central parts and 4,640 beneficiaries in the Southwest.


2)  Liberia

(a)  The security situation remains grave. Fighting has intensified and
the Government is facing attacks by Liberians United for Reconciliation
and Democracy (LURD) and Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) rebels
on various fronts with great difficulty. Towns within 50 km of the capital
Monrovia have recently been attacked by LURD rebels, while MODEL
insurgents have made further advances in the southeast capturing the port
city of Greenville in Sinoe County.

(b)  The number and condition of Ivorian refugees and third country
nationals (TCN's) who fled the war in Ivory Coast cannot be easily
determined due to problems of access. About 1,200 refugees and TCN's are
said to have walked from Zwedru in Grand Gedeh County to Harper in
Maryland County. During a reconnaissance trip to Saclepea by WFP and
UNHCR, about 1,104 refugees and TCN's were found in the refugee camp
established there. UNHCR continued the repatriation of Sierra Leonean
refugees. More than 1,000 refugees have so far been repatriated. The
beneficiary caseload of Sierra Leonean refugees in the camps in Monrovia
suburbs is currently 16,105 persons.

(c)  WFP is supporting a total of 182,347 beneficiaries, 83 percent being
IDP's. The IDP camps in Ganta, TV Tower, CARI I and II were affected by
the fighting in Bong and Nimba Counties and have been abandoned. While
residents in Ganta fled to Guinea and other villages in the interior of
the county, about 85 per cent of the IDP's from TV Tower, CARI I and II
have moved towards camps in Totota. The displacement caused by armed
attacks has increased the number of people in search of shelter,
protection and assistance. WFP will soon update its beneficiary figures in
the various camps in Monrovia.

(d)  On 05 May, WFP called on the Liberian Government to provide security
guarantees before the resumption of food distributions to refugees and
IDP's in camps near Monrovia. WFP said there was a direct link between
food distribution and attacks by armed groups on refugee and transit
camps. Following a violent assault on a camp, refugees would be forced to
flee the fighting, abandoning recently distributed food, which would then
seized by the armed combatants.


3)  Sierra Leone

(a)  The security situation across the country, including border areas,
remained calm and stable during the reporting period. Repatriation convoy
movement continued via the Kambia/Port Loko axis for those Sierra Leoneans
returning to Kono and other locations other than Kailahun. WFP provided
wet feeding at the Port Loko way station for approximately 3000 persons

(b)  From 21 April to 04 May, WFP supported a total of 116,399
beneficiaries with 561 tons of food countrywide. Due to an on-going strike
action by staff in the Bo Government hospital, a ten-day food ration was
issued to the Sierra Leonean Red Cross Society and to UNHCR to ensure
cooking for Liberian refugees admitted to the hospital. A total of 0.33
tons was delivered in support of 50 beneficiaries.

(c)  The Bellu/Dandu bridge in Kailahun district was repaired and the
movements of convoys for Sierra Leonean returnees resumed. A total of
2,004 Sierra Leonean were repatriated and supported with a two-month WFP
resettlement ration, amounting to a total of 68.34 tons of food aid.


4)  Guinea

(a)  In the second half of April, 1,373 people left Côte d'Ivoire and
entered Guinea through the Lola and Beyla prefecture, including 923
Guineans and a number of Ivorians, Liberians, and third-country nationals.
In addition 73 Liberians left Ganta in Liberia and entered Guinea through
Bossou.

(b)  Since 22 April, 2,411 Sierra Leoneans have repatriated via Kailahun
on Sierra Leone's border with Guinea, bringing the total number of people
repatriated from Kissidougou in 2003 to 13,366.

(c)  WFP has informed partners of the expected 50 percent cut in cereal
distributions in June due to an anticipated break in the pipeline.
Refugees in Boreah and Telikoro have already been made aware of the
situation and Kountaya refugees will be informed during the current
distribution cycle. Welcoming centres holding 500 people are now being
constructed in the Albadariah camps in order to prepare for the relocation
of refugees from Kouankan. UNHCR in N'Zérékoré has finished its campaign
informing refugees of the relocation.

(d)  The Dandou dyke connecting Sierra Leone to Guéckédou in the
Kissidougou region has been repaired by GTZ. Repatriation has started
again at the accelerated rate of 500 people per day, which UNHCR proposes
to increase to 850 people per day.



D)  Southern Africa: (1) Namibia, (2) Angola, (3) Zambia, (4) Tanzania,
(5) Malawi, (6) Zimbabwe, (7) Mozambique, (8) Swaziland, (9) Lesotho, (10)
Madagascar, (11) Comoros

1)  Namibia

(a)  Rainfall during the second half of the rainy-season, from January to
March, has been below average in most parts of the country. This situation
puts greater constraints on food security and has resulted in a
significant decline in dam levels throughout the country. The status of
grazing and livestock conditions is generally fair except in Omaheke,
Karas and Hardap regions where grazing conditions are reported to be
critical. An increase in livestock sales has resulted in a substantial
decline in auction prices south of the veterinary cordon fence.

(b)  The mobilization and distribution of government resources for the
emergency drought relief programme in support of an estimated 345,207
persons is near completion. The programme commenced in November 2002 and
will continue until the end of June, with its continuation depending upon
this season's crop harvest. The overall national cereal production for the
2002/03-crop season is tentatively forecasted at 118,900 tons in both
commercial and communal crop producing areas. The forecasted cereal
production together with operating stocks give a total domestic supply of
168,900 tons for the 2003/04 marketing year. Assuming a national
population figure of 1.85 million and an average per capita cereal
consumption of 125 kilos per annum, the national cereal food use is worked
out to be 231,300 tons. The cereal import requirement for the 2003/04
marketing year, being the difference between domestic cereal supply of
168,900 tons and domestic utilization of 276,200 tons, is provisionally
calculated at 107,300 tons. The national cereal demand includes food use
and non-food uses and forecasted closing stocks at the end of the 2003/04
marketing year.


2)  Angola

(a)  The transit centre in Mavinga Town in Kuando Kubango Province is
under extreme pressure following the closure of the Capembe Gathering Area
(GA) and the slow relocation of people to Menongue transit centre. The
centre has no basic conditions of shelter and sanitation facilities and
WFP fears that the situation may worsen as the Government has begun the
evacuation of a further 2,550 people to the transit centre from Matungo
GA.

(b)  An advance team of bridge experts from the Swedish Rescue Services
Agency is in Angola making preparations for the imminent arrival of bridge
components from Sweden, in support of the emergency bridge construction
element of SO 10149.1 "Logistics Services to the Humanitarian Community".


3)  Zambia

(a)  Field reports indicate that the rainfall pattern in Mwinilunga
District in North Western Province has been good. The harvest looks
promising although no official figures have been released. Reports from
the provincial District Administrator emphasize that the populations
living in Dikolonga, Munyambala and Matushi districts will continue to
require food assistance due to the loss of crops as a result of flooding.
WFP will carry out a rapid assessment in the area.

(b)  From 01 to 07 May, WFP and implementing partners distributed 2,894
tons of food. Due to flooding in Nabwalya in Lundazi District in Eastern
Province, WFP transported 205 tons of food over the Luangwa River with the
help of 15 community canoes and a speedboat.

(c)  A Repatriation Workshop was held in Solwezi in North Western Province
to discuss operational details with UN Agencies, implementing partners and
the Governments of Zambia and Angola. The repatriation operation will
include food assistance for refugees in transit and possibly a two-month
reintegration package. Refugee representatives from Maheba, Mayukwayukwa,
Nangweshi and Ukwimi camps visited Angola for a week to assess the
situation in order to inform their respective communities in the Zambian
camps.


4)  Tanzania

(a)  From 21 April to 04 May, a two-week general food distribution was
carried out in all camps, involving 7,114 extremely vulnerable individuals
who received 100 percent of all food commodities.

(b)  In an effort to alleviate the rising rates of domestic violence and
sexual abuse in the refugee camps, various strategic plans were agreed
upon during a district level meeting. Plans include intensified training
for stakeholders on varying responsibilities, the utilization of reporting
systems, childcare, case management and reproductive health. The targeted
stakeholders are primary and secondary school teachers, women's groups,
local guards, people of influence in the community, youth peer educators,
religious leaders and block leaders. The training will ensure that 50
percent of the participants are women. Another training course will
involve agency policy makers and target all heads of agencies.


5)  Malawi

(a)  From 01 to 07 May, WFP distributed 3,682 tons of food in
collaboration with implementing partners. The beneficiary database is now
40 percent complete, providing information on over 200,000 people. The
School-Feeding baseline survey has been finalized and the results are
currently being analyzed. WFP met with representatives from the World Bank
to discuss a possible expansion of the current School-Feeding Programme.


6)  Zimbabwe

(a)  The Government has removed price controls on maize grain, maize meal,
bread, wheat and flour and announced that it would monitor the prices of
other commodities such as agricultural inputs and implements, cooking oil,
sugar, stock feed, salt, medicines, coal and cement. Meanwhile, the fuel
supply situation has worsened, with a visible decrease in traffic in
Harare, forcing increasing numbers of workers and school children to walk.

(b)  During April, WFP distributed 49,553 tons of food to 4.4 million
people. The distributed tonnage was 98 percent of the planned target for
the month, compared with a total of 57,378 tons in the peak pre-harvest
month of March. WFP will provide a combined May/June distribution,
considering the post grain harvest period. Participatory Rural Appraisals
and stakeholder meetings are being held in the provincial districts in
order to formulate the criteria and modalities of targeting wards and
beneficiaries for the significantly reduced distribution cycle.

(c)  Members of the South African Parliamentary Committee on Land and
Agriculture visited Zimbabwe from 27 April to 01 May. WFP briefed the
delegation on WFP's operation as well as on distribution modalities.


7)  Mozambique

(a)  A team of officials from WFP, the National Disasters Management
Institute and the Christian Council of Mozambique visited two localities
in Mopeia District in Zambezia Province to assess areas reportedly
suffering from food shortages. In Posto Campo lowlands, the cassava and
rice plantations looked well, but in Noere locality the fields were barren
and the teams found signs of malnutrition among the population. A
follow-up mission will visit other parts of the province in the coming
weeks.

(b)  From 29 April to 5 May, WFP distributed 591 tons of food in the
country.


8)  Swaziland

(a)  From 29 April to 5 May WFP and implementing partners distributed 578
tons of food to 36,015 beneficiaries.


9)  Lesotho

(a)  From 30 April to 06 May, WFP and implementing partners distributed
2,090 tons of food to vulnerable groups through general distributions and
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and Mother/Child Health Clinics and School-Feeding
programmes.


10)  Madagascar

(a)  There have been a number of assessment missions to the
drought-affected areas in the south. On 30 April a mission from the
Malagasy Government, the World Bank and the European Union visited
affected areas and a final report is expected soon. The FAO/WFP Crop and
Food Supply Assessment Mission is underway in parallel with a WFP rolling
needs assessment. Mission reports are due at the end of May. SEECALINE, a
community nutrition project, has reported pockets of alarming malnutrition
in remote communities in the south. The project has also initiated food
distributions with the assistance of local NGO's in nutritional
supplementation centres funded by the World Bank in the drought-affected
area. Distribution figures will be available in the middle of May. WFP and
FAO Country Directors have scheduled a visit to the areas from 07 to 09
May.

(b)  EMOP 10236.0 is currently 52 percent resourced though a problem
remains with immediate availability of food. The estimated time of arrival
for the next shipment of 1,600 tons of maize purchased in South Africa is
the end of May. WFP has contacted several local suppliers regarding the
availability of 600 tons of maize as a loan against the projected arrival
of WFP maize. Due to a lack of commodities, no distributions took place
during the week.


11)  Comoros

(a)  Following torrential rains, which hit Comoros last week, UN agencies
participated in a joint rapid assessment in the two most-affected islands,
Moheli and Anjouan, with Government authorities. The assessment report is
expected soon and WFP is remaining alert to any possible emergency food
aid requirements.



E)  Latin America and the Caribbean: (1) Argentina, (2) Colombia

1)  Argentina

(a)  Floods have severely affected the Province of Santa Fe. A quarter of
the city remains under water and hepatitis and gastrointestinal infection
cases have appeared in zones with no access to clean water. There have
been 22 confirmed deaths, 900 people are reported missing and 24,000
houses have been damaged or destroyed. The Argentina Red Cross, Argentina
Red Solidaria and Cáritas Argentina are receiving donations of clothes,
blankets and mattresses for the 125,000 people temporarily residing in 182
emergency centres. National and provincial governments are providing food
supplies.

(b)  UNDP, UNICEF and WHO/PAHO have set up a UN Interagency Emergency
Committee to collect information and act as a means of contact with the
different agencies and bilateral donors. WHO/PAHO has prepared a list of
the basic information required for further analysis of the emergency
situation. A UN interagency mission will assess the most affected areas,
evaluate field information and coordinate the delivery of UN system
contributions.


2)  Colombia

(a)  The Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) reported a global
malnutrition for preschool and school age children as high as 79.7 percent
in municipalities of eastern Antioquía. Church groups, IOM and WFP are
providing assistance to some 520 children in Bucaramanga. The demand for
preschool feeding among displaced children continues to increase.

(b)  Road restrictions imposed by the Government, as well as a roadblock
entering Choco, further delayed food deliveries over the long weekend.

(c)  Most of the 4,500 families displaced last year in May from the Medio
Atrato River in Choco and Antioquia as a result of the Bojayá massacre
returned and were assisted by WFP through various Afro-Colombian and
indigenous groups associations, NGOs and churches. WFP's response included
initial emergency food aid to more than 9,310 individuals, followed by
support through community kitchens, food security projects, and
food-for-work/food-for-training activities. In coordination with the
Relief Ministry and the ICBF, pre- and primary school children received
187,600 food rations. This area, under constant threat of further
displacement, will continue to be assisted by WFP through the provision of
school meals for 3,164 children and other supplementary feeding
activities.



F)  Eastern Europe and the Caucasus: (1) Albania, (2) North Caucasus,
Russian Federation, (3) Azerbaijan

1)  Albania

(a)  PRRO activities continued as planned in the following areas: a)
Communal Forestry and Pasture Management, b) Social Sector Assistance, and
c) Community Asset Building through Food-For-Work. The number of
participants under the communal forestry and pastures management was 2,683
while a total of 1,510 women participants received family rations under
the social sector and 1,399 workers were engaged in Food-For-Work (FFW)
schemes. During the month, 451 tons of wheat flour, vegetable oil and salt
was distributed to the targeted beneficiaries.

(b)  Under the Forestry component, the Directorate General of Forests and
Pastures (DGFP) has allocated a 2003 World Bank Loan of USD 735,000 to 76
communes under the Albanian Forestry Project. Since the allocation per
commune is minimal, a revised Implementation Plan was agreed between WFP
and DGFP to support 80 poor communes with food assistance only.

(c)  As part of the resource mobilisation and advocacy campaign, a video
documentary and a brochure was prepared, highlighting WFP-assisted
activities in Albania. WFP participated in the Millennium Development
Goals (MDG) advocacy tour in Shkoder prefecture along with other UN
agencies, which was attended by the President and senior government
officials.

(d)  The resource situation has slightly improved following the
re-allocation of 468 tons of vegetable oil from the Serbia and Montenegro
operation. With this transfer, vegetable oil requirements of this
operation will be met for the entire project's duration. However, there is
still a shortfall of wheat flour and salt resulting in an overall
shortfall of USD 4.3 million.


2)  North Caucasus, Russian Federation

(a)  The security situation in Chechnya remained tense due to continued
mopping-up operations by Russian forces and numerous attacks by Chechen
rebel fighters. A spokesman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
expressed concern over what he called "an attempted terrorist act" against
a delegation of the Council of Europe. The blast occurred on 21 April as
cars carrying two European experts, together with representatives from the
office of the President's Human Rights Envoy to Chechnya were passing. No
casualties were reported.

(b)  According to Vesta and UNHCR who are monitoring the administrative
border between Chechnya and Ingushetia, about 1,580 IDP's returned to
Chechnya over the last month. As of 01 May, Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
registered 90,230 WFP beneficiaries in Ingushetia, compared to 91,850 in
early April. As of 01 April, 137,515 members of poor and very poor
households in WFP-targeted districts in Chechnya were registered as
beneficiaries of WFP basic food aid.

(c)  The current WFP food basket for relief distribution in Chechnya and
Ingushetia consists of 10 kg of wheat flour and 0.15 kg of iodized salt.
Schools and kindergartens will be supplied with all the commodities for
hot meals, except for rice.

(d)  During the last distribution cycle WFP distributed 1,730 tons of food
to 268,500 beneficiaries, including 83,500 IDP's who received basic food
commodities in Ingushetia and over 185,000 other beneficiaries who were
provided with food aid through relief distribution, food for work and
school feeding activities in Chechnya.

(e)  WFP is experiencing long delays in extracting commodities from the
port of St. Petersburg. As a result, the programme is incurring excessive
demurrage and storage charges, and has consequently had to reduce
beneficiaries' rations.


3)  Azerbaijan

(a)  The new PRRO 10168, entitled "Targeted Food Assistance for Relief and
Recovery of Displaced Persons and Vulnerable Groups in Azerbaijan",
commenced in January 2003. Under the operation, WFP plans to provide
approximately 43,000 tons of food aid to an average of 143,500
beneficiaries a year over a period of three years. The PRRO comprises a
pilot primary school feeding component; recovery activities include
employment-generation schemes and food for training.

(b)  During the second round of food distribution, from March to April,
1,770 tons of food was distributed to 131,453 beneficiaries, including
130,732 IDP's and 721 persons from other vulnerable groups. Of these, 53
percent were women. In addition, 12 tons of school feeding rations were
distributed to 1,354 children, 44 percent of whom were girls, in 23
schools.

(c)  As part of a WFP/UNICEF initiative on pre-school care, 257 women
caregivers working in 34 centres in IDP settlements received 15 tons of
food.

(d)  Owing to pipeline breaks, the wheat flour ration was halved in March.
As of 30 April, a total of 14,247 tons have been pledged against the
43,087 tons required for the three-year PRRO.


Note: All tonnage figures in this report refer to metric tons.
(End WFP Emergency Report No 19).


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