WFP EMERGENCY REPORT
Issued weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme
Report No. 22 / 2003 - Date 30 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) Tanzania, (6) Kenya, (7) Sudan,
   (8) Eritrea, (9) Ethiopia
C) West Africa: (1) Cote d'Ivoire (2) Mauritania
D) Southern Africa: (1) Namibia, (2) Angola, (3) Zambia, (4) Malawi,
   (5) Zimbabwe, (6) Swaziland, (7) Lesotho, (8) Madagascar
E) Asia: (1) DPR Korea

>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)  Security remains one of the biggest issues of concern for WFP.
Coalition Forces are now protecting Iraqi Ministry of Trade (MOT)
facilities, including warehouses and silos, throughout the country, while
MOT officials are in the process of hiring their own guard force. Security
restrictions on the operation have eased during the week. Staff in
Baghdad, Basrah, Hilla, Mosul and Erbil, as well as those travelling
between Basrah and the port of Umm Qasr, will now be permitted to travel
in one UN royal blue vehicle. An Arabic, (or Kurdish in the three northern
governorates), speaker must be in the vehicle at all times. In all other
areas the rule of two royal blue UN-marked vehicles with a minimum of two
persons per vehicle remains. Travel between Ramadi and the Trebil border
post with Jordan requires a convoy of four UN-marked royal blue vehicles.
In addition, three Baghdad hotels have been security cleared to enable
staff to move out of the office compound. This will enable the UN,
including WFP, to raise the security ceiling on personnel, which will
greatly facilitate the operation.

(b)  WFP, MOT and the Office for Rehabilitation and Humanitarian Affairs
(ORHA) have been making final arrangements for the distribution of the
first post-conflict Public Distribution System (PDS) rations that begin on
01 June. The ration cycle will take about 20 days. One of the biggest
tasks faced by MOT and WFP has been establishing the existing stock
positions and coordinating those with the incoming WFP pipeline. On 28 and
29 May WFP met with MOT officials to devise a logistics plan to trans-ship
commodities more equally throughout the country. This inter-governorate
transfer started 29 May and should be finalized within 10 days. A series
of radio and TV announcements went on air 30 May explaining to the Iraqi
people what the ration basket will contain (i.e. 19 kg assorted
commodities including wheat, rice, pulses and oil) and when they should go
to their registered food agents to collect the food. It is envisaged that
flour rations will be distributed first followed by the other commodities
in the food basket. This is not necessarily an inconvenience to the people
as there are different agents (retailers) for flour and the other
commodities. Special arrangements have been made for people who have been
internally displaced and cannot access their food agents. They will be
able to go to the nearest distribution centre (warehouse) with their
ration card to collect the food. Those who have lost their ration cards
will be able to re-register with their nearest MOT office.

(c)  On 29 May WFP signed a USD 150 million bilateral operation with the
Office of the Iraq Programme (OIP) to draw money from the
Oil-for-Food-Programme (OFFP) to finance the MOT purchase of the 2003
wheat harvest from Iraqi farmers. The role of WFP is to act as the conduit
for the transfer of funds from OIP to MOT and overall supervision and
superintendence of the purchase.


2)  Iran:

(a)  The first Oil For Food Programme (OFFP) vessel carrying 16,700 tons
of rice and two further OFFP vessels carrying a total of 26,300 tons sugar
are currently discharging their cargo at the port of Imam Khomeini. The
discharge operation has been slowed down by delay of inspections and lack
of authorization, which is affecting the dispatch. Necessary actions have
been taken to rectify the situation and dispatch operations are expected
to resume on 29 May.

(b)  From 22 to 28 May, 1,406 tons of WFP food was dispatched to Iraq.
>From the start of the trans-border operation on 16 April, a cumulative
total of 18,083.5 tons of food has been dispatched into Iraq, 13,073 tons
of which has already been received by WFP in Suleymanieh, Baghdad and
Baquba.

(c)  UNHCR and WFP are discussing WFP support for the repatriation of
Iraqi refuges under PRRO 10213.0. 900 Iraqis are scheduled to return to
Iraq in the coming weeks. According to UNHCR and the Bureau for Aliens and
Foreign Immigrant Affairs of the Ministry of Interior (BAFIA), a total of
450,222 Afghan refugees have repatriated from Dogharoun (northeast) and
Milak (southeast) borders since the start of the operation on 09 April
2002.

(d)  Earmarked contributions to PRRO 10213.0 for Afghan refugees will
cover the refugees' cereal and pulses requirements through December.
Unearmarked resources will cover outstanding needs, including those of
Iraqi refugees, almost through November, with the exception of sugar,
which for the Iraqi refugees will run out in August.


3)  Afghanistan:

(a)  In the north, factional violence continued in Gosfandi in Sari Pul
province and Dara-I-Suf in Samangan province and missions to these areas
remained suspended. Due to tensions in Mazari Sharif, UN activities were
halted for three days. In the south, the security situation continued
hampering assessment missions as well as food distributions. All Food For
Work activities were suspended. However, the areas surrounding Kandahar
city have been cleared for missions with Afghan Military Escorts (AME).
Indiscriminate but isolated attacks on the assistance community in Kabul,
Kandahar and Jalal Abad were a major concern.

(b)  From 22 to 28 May, WFP provided 443,278 beneficiaries in Fayz Abad,
Mazari Sharif, Kabul, Kandahar and Hirat with 1,370 tons of food through
various WFP projects, including Food For Work and Food For Asset Creation,
Food For Education, Relief and Resettlement of IDP's and refugees, Urban
Vulnerable Bakeries and Supplementary and Institutional feeding
activities. In addition, 3,354 people in flood-affected districts in
Baghlan province received 52 tons of mixed food commodities.

(c)  A joint impact assessment of hail, flood and cold weather on
agricultural production in Panjsher district in Parwan province was
conducted with the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Rural Development
(MRRD), Ministry of Agriculture, United Nations Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan (UNAMA), FAO and WFP. The assessment recommended that WFP, in
consultation with MRRD, would assess the food needs in the food deficit
areas immediately after the harvest in September. As part of the ongoing
WFP-supported School Reconstruction Pilot Project, MRRD, UNICEF and WFP
facilitated a community empowerment and hygiene education training in
Kabul city, during which 8 community-based hygiene education trainers were
trained and a parents/teacher and school maintenance committee was
organised. In Bamyan, WFP conducted Rapid Emergency Food Needs Assessment
(REFNA) training for NGO's and Department of Rural Rehabilitation and
Development staff. In Kandahar, WFP organised a meeting with Government
counterparts and NGO's to discuss the selection of villages for the
countrywide Cereal Value Assessment for 2003.


4)  Pakistan

(a)  The Government has arranged a meeting with donors and UN agencies in
Quetta on 30 May to discuss the medium and long-term measures to be taken
to mitigate the impact of drought. This year's wheat production estimates
are 15 to 22 percent lower than the previously projected figure of 20
million tons, mainly due to a lack of availability of water due caused by
the prevailing drought.

(b)  Under EMOP 10228 "Food Assistance to Afghan Refugees", discussions
are in progress between the Government, WFP and UNHCR to terminate food
assistance to 27,000 refugees in Shamshatu camp in the North West Frontier
Province after July. Meanwhile, in Balochistan Province, the Government
has decided to relocate 19,826 Afghan refugees in June from the "waiting
area" in Chaman to Muhammad Kheil refugee camp, due to security reasons.
Assistance, including WFP food aid, would continue to be provided to the
refugees.

(c)  Currently, around 216,000 Afghan refugees in Balochistan Province and
North West Frontier Province in Pakistan are receiving food assistance
from WFP. An Action Contre La Faim (ACF) nutrition survey was completed in
Balochistan Province and a similar survey is on-going in 10 WFP-assisted
camps in the North West Frontier Province.

(d)  No new contributions have been confirmed for EMOP 10228 and the
resourcing situation remains critical. WFP continues to undertake actions
in order to mobilize resources and negotiations with donors to cover
requirements for wheat, vegetable oil and pulses for the coming months are
still in progress.

(e)  Under EMOP 10170, the distribution of food to drought-affected
persons is continuing in three districts, including 157,000 people in
Sindh and 108,000 persons in Balochistan. Preparatory work is underway to
start distribution to 50,000 persons in Kharan, following a recent
additional contribution of 2,150 tons of wheat.



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

1)  Republic of Congo

(a)  The 17 March peace agreement between Ninja rebels and government
representatives has paved the way for a stabilization of the situation in
the country and the return of the displaced population to their locations
of origin. Altogether some 78,000 people have been displaced by the
conflict.

(b)  WFP is participating in a one-month inter-agency assessment mission
starting on 28 May aimed at facilitating the return of IDP's to the
previously war-torn Pool region. This is the first time that the
humanitarian community is granted access to the Pool region, since the
outbreak of civil unrest in March 2002.

(c)  As of 26 May, WFP's operation in Congo was only 42 percent resourced,
leaving a shortfall of 9,700 tons, out of a total of 19,400 tons needed.
Shortfalls in rice and vegetable oil are foreseen in the coming months and
if the funding situation does not improve pipeline breaks will occur in
the autumn.


2)  DR Congo

(a)  The humanitarian situation remained very volatile in eastern DR
Congo. In Bunia in Ituri district fighting erupted again between Lendu and
Hema tribal militias in the vicinity of Pont Anglais, approximately 300
meters South of MONUC HQ, causing people to scatter. According to OCHA
there has been more than 4,000 IDP's in the MONUC compound in Bunia, 9,000
at Bunia airport, 6,000 in Aveba, 1,200 in the Katchekere area and 39,000
in Beni. More than 25,700 Congolese have taken refuge in the Bundibungyo
and Nebbi districts in Uganda. The fighting between RCD troops and the
Mai-Mai/FDLR Coalition remained a chronic trouble in Kalemie, Kongolo,
Kabalo, Nyunzu, Moba (North-Katanga) and Walungu, Burhale, Bunyakiri,
Shabunda (South-Kivu) leading to continuous movements of populations
fleeing sexual violence and murder. UN security teams recommended that
humanitarian efforts be kept within a 25 km radius from each city centre.

(b)  In Bukavu, WFP organised missions to Bunyakiri with implementing
partner IMC and UNICEF to assess the security situation and the extent of
damage to IMC's WFP-supported programmes. Unidentified uniformed men have
looted a total of 5,417.6 tons of food from IMC stores. Other items looted
included therapeutic milk issued by UNICEF to malnourished children, seed
and tool kits issued by FAO, laboratory and other equipment and technical
materials as well as property of IMC itself. Prices of food and other
essential goods have increased by 50 to 75 percent in Bunyakiri. WFP
delivered 13,814 tons of food to IMC to recommence nutritional activities
in Bunyakiri to meet the urgent food needs, especially for children. In
Goma a joint mission including WFP, UNICEF and OCHA took place in Beni to
assess the needs of IDP's from Bunia. The IDP committee registered 47,653
persons in urgent need of food. WFP delivered 208 tons of food to 25,000
new IDP's from Ituri.

(c)  During the week, WFP started two airlift operations under Special
Operation 10248 to Kindu and Kamituga in Maniema province, where people
have been isolated for a long period. 35 tons of food was delivered to for
nutritional centres in Kamituga in collaboration with Caritas and 123 tons
will be delivered to COOPI to assist 4,090 malnourished children in Kindu.


3)  Burundi

(a)  During the week, the new Head of State met with staff from different
ministries to explain his political orientation throughout his 18-month
transition rule. On Monday 26 May, 11 military officers arrived from
Mozambique, completing the command of the African Union (AU) peacekeeping
mission in Burundi. The security situation remained of concern and
skirmishes between the army and rebels continued in Gitega, Makamba,
Bujumbura Rural and Bubanza provinces. Battles raged in Makamba province
between the still active wings of FDD fighters and government troops,
without precise information on casualties. Ambushes, selective killings
and robberies were reported in Bururi, Cibitoke and Bubanza provinces.
Numerous ambushes took place on "national road no. 5", connecting
Bujumbura and Cibitoke province across parts of Bubanza province.
Incursions of rebel fighters were reported in Cankuzo province bordering
Tanzania.

(b)  WFP assisted 13,850 IDP's in Bubanza province with 53.41 tons of food
distributed in 7-days emergency rations, following three weeks of intense
fighting in the province. The IDP's had been dispersed in Rugazi and
Musigati communes of Bubanza province and had been cut-off from assistance
by aid agencies for about two weeks. The security situation in their hills
of origin remains unpredictable, but the emergency rations will be
followed by a Food Needs Assessment if and when security permits.

(c)  From 19 to 25 May, WFP distributed a total of 1,616.294 tons of food,
including 1,511.27 tons of targeted rations to 166,875 persons in
Bujumbura Rural, Cankuzo, Muramvya, Mwaro and Bubanza provinces and 70.316
tons of food to social centres. 491.7 tons of planned targeted
distributions for 40,460 people in Bujumbura Rural and Gitega provinces
were not distributed due to lack of security.

(d)  WFP received a total 3,267.45 tons of food, including 2,840.85 tons
of cereals and 426.6 tons of pulses from Kampala and Kigoma. As of 25 May,
in-country stocks stood at 8,801.213 tons with 270 tons to be offloaded
from barges and 1,145 tons in transit to Burundi. The pipeline is
currently healthy and planned distributions can be effected if security
permits.


4)  Rwanda

(a)  WFP conducted a field visit to Kibungo and Umutara, concentrating on
sectors reported to be affected by delays in rainfall. WFP found that most
households coped with the lean period by finding manual labour
opportunities in more food secure districts. The recent start of rains has
eased food insecurity for the affected households with the prospect of
crop production and oncoming harvests. While most households appear to be
coping, the food situation for vulnerable groups such as the elderly,
chronically ill, child-headed households and widows/widowers remains a
concern.


5)  Tanzania

(a)  Spontaneous refugee repatriations took place during the first half of
May, with a total of 874 families comprising 3,213 individuals
spontaneously returning to Burundi, most of them going to Ruyigi and
Cankuzo provinces. 2,174 refugees were from Karago camp and 1,039 were
from Mtendeli camp. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a movement
permit to the spontaneous repatriates after they surrendered their ration
cards. It is however believed that over 10,000 refugees have spontaneously
repatriated, the majority of them without surrendering their ration cards.
WFP has already initiated discussions with UNHCR for urgent plot
verification for all the camps, beginning with Karago and Mtendeli camps.
According to UNHCR, only Bujumbura urban, Muyinga, Ngozi and Kirundo
Provinces are safe for facilitated voluntary repatriation. However, MHA is
issuing movement permits for spontaneous repatriation to unsafe areas in
Burundi for which no facilitation will be provided by UNHCR.

(b)  Following a recent visit, UNHCR re-registration experts from Geneva,
proposed to implement a new registration system called biometric, which is
based on iris scanning and which facilitates the detection of "recyclers"
and may help curb abuse. In view of recommendations, the planned
re-registration exercise was postponed to September. Two-week general food
distributions of all food commodities took place in all camps, with a
third cycle of modified rations. 7,114 extremely vulnerable individuals in
Lugufu, Kasulu, Kibondo and Ngara received 100 percent of all food
commodities.

(c)  WFP's salt stocks in the country have already been exhausted.
Corn-soya blend is in extremely short supply with only limited stock
available until the end of May. Cereals and pulses will be in short supply
from September onwards.


6)  Kenya

(a)  The flood situation in Western and Nyanza Provinces of Kenya has
stabilized. Assistance to victims is still ongoing, with the Kenya Red
Cross and the Kenya Army continuing to play lead roles. Once the floods
recede, the recovery period for victims to rebuild their lives is expected
to last about three months. There is also much concern about the
likelihood of an outbreak of water-related diseases once the water levels
subside.

(b)  Following the washing away of Ortum Bridge along the
Kapenguria/Lodwar road, the Government has purchased a mobile bridge as a
temporary measure to restore accessibility of Lokichoggio and Southern
Sudan, until enough resources have been mobilized to build a permanent
bridge. Currently, WFP is airlifting food aid and other supplies from
Eldoret airport in Kenya to Southern Sudan.

(c)  Along Tana River, water levels have increased especially in Hola and
Garsen. Current assessments indicate that some 2,400 houses have been
swept away displacing about 8,000 to 10,000 people, with the number
increasing. The floods have washed away sections of roads and also damaged
culverts, drifts and bridges next to Garissa provincial hospital. In
addition, the debris carried by the water has blocked the drainage system
in the area. Boreholes, sewage manholes have also been damaged and
substantial amounts of waste are spilling and mixing with pools of
stagnant water. Facilities such as toilets, access roads, buildings,
fences and water storage tanks in seven schools have also been destroyed.


7)  Sudan

(a)  After floods damaged part of the road to the Lokichoggio base in
northern Kenya and following the collapse of the key Ortum bridge linking
the Lokichoggio humanitarian base with the rest of the country last week,
WFP has temporarily shifted its operations for south Sudan to western
Kenya. Air-dropping of food aid to southern Sudan is now being done from
Eldoret airport. Although some sections of Ortum bridge were repaired, the
bridge could only be used by small vehicles and not by heavy trucks needed
to transport bulky food items. Kenyan authorities are trying to provide a
temporary alternative passage for humanitarian trucks in the form of a
mobile bridge, while repairs to the Ortum bridge continue. The decision to
move the operation to Eldoret was critical to avoid a massive disruption
of food aid to war and drought-affected populations in southern Sudan.

(b)  Following a letter from the Director of Sudan Standards and
Meteorology Organization (SSMO) informing WFP of a ban on imports of
Genetically Modified Food into the country, WFP met SSMO's director on 24
May for further clarifications. SSMO's director explained that according
to the new regulations for importing food, GMO-free certificates are
required for commodities including grains (cereals), pulses, and blended
foods. The impact of this new procedure will have immediate effects on all
WFP operations, especially the EMOP and the PRRO. The pipeline is already
under stress and the delay in releasing commodities onboard vessels
already in Port Sudan and those scheduled to arrive in the near future
will drastically reduce WFP operations in the country.

(c)  The first cross-line barge operation along the Juba-Malakal river
corridor since three years has successfully started on 12 May. So far, 728
tons of mixed food commodities have been distributed to 90,678
beneficiaries. The barge operation continues and is progressing well along
the Juba corridor, with its first phase expected to be finalized by
mid-June.


8)  Eritrea

(a)  There has been little rainfall in Eritrea during May, hampering land
preparation for the upcoming agricultural season. The Regional Ministry of
Agriculture in Debub reported that little has been done yet to prepare for
the planting season, despite the fact that the region is one of the main
agricultural areas of the country. The problem of limited rainfall has
been compounded by the lack of healthy livestock to help till the land.
The Ministry estimates that 70-80 percent of the livestock in the region
is severely affected by the lack of fodder and water resulting from
drought conditions.

(b)  WFP visited Afayun village in Anseba, where they found the overall
situation to be extremely serious. The villagers are mainly pastoral and
it was reported that their livestock are now perishing due to severe
shortages of food and water. The population is entirely dependent on food
aid for survival. However, the limited size of the recipient target group
is leading to widespread redistribution to additional needy community
members, greatly reducing the intended quantity of the ration.

(c)  In an effort to meet the needs of the increasing number of severely
malnourished children, WFP has extended its Therapeutic Feeding Programme
to five additional hospitals in the Debub region and five Catholic Health
Clinics in four regions in the country. A WFP/UNICEF funded nutrition
consultant is currently on mission in the Northern and Southern Red Sea
regions as part of a preparatory phase in the design of a National
Nutrition Surveillance System.

(d)  As a result of their 18-20 May meeting in Asmara, the UN Country
Teams (UNCT) from Ethiopia and Eritrea have recommended the creation of a
Task Force composed of three members from each UNCT plus three UNMEE
members. The Task Force will be responsible for preparing an action plan
and monitoring the humanitarian and legal implications expected to arise
from the upcoming border demarcation between the two countries.

(e)  WFP's projects are currently resourced with 123,239 tons of food
commodities for its 2003 operations in the country; the current shortfall
of commodities remains at 136,000 tons.


9)  Ethiopia

(a)  On 28 May WFP warned that despite an early warning and a rapid
response by the international community, 12.5 million Ethiopians continue
to face starvation. Currently WFP has commitments of about half of what is
needed for the portion of the emergency operation for 2003 to be covered
by WFP. A threat of a pipeline break in September remains unless
additional pledges are made. Despite generous contributions to Ethiopia
through WFP, there is still a substantial shortfall of some 230,000 tons,
amounting to some USD 90 million, towards WFP's total operational
requirements in 2003 of 619,000 tonnes. WFP is appealing to donors to
provide additional assistance to cover emergency needs in the country.

(b)  One of the areas worst affected by the drought is Southern Nations,
Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) where approximately 20 percent of
the country's population live. Chronic food insecurity is endemic, mainly
due to the high population density, under-developed agriculture, a poor
early warning system and unfavourable climatic conditions. Several months
of food shortages have caused a recent increase in malnutrition rates
among vulnerable people in the region. In response, humanitarian
organisations have moved quickly to establish therapeutic and
supplementary feeding centres in the worst affected areas, assisted by
UNICEF. WFP has responded to the emerging crisis in SNNPR by increasing
its monitoring capacity in the region and making blended food available to
NGOs working in areas where acute malnutrition levels are rising.

(c)  In addition to drought, parts of Ethiopia have experienced flooding.
In the Somali region, some 90,000 people have been affected by the
flooding of the Shebelle river in April. The coordinated response in Gode
zone, involving the Government, UN, ICRC and NGO's, continues to try to
reach flood-affected populations, but access to West and East Imi areas is
not yet possible from Gode town. In spite of an airlift of emergency
relief items including high-energy biscuits to the area, little assistance
has reached areas not yet accessible by road.

(d)  Besides the food shortage, the situation in Ethiopia is exacerbated
by the lack of clean drinking water, a widespread seed shortage, and poor
sanitation, nutrition and primary health care. WFP is committed to working
with other UN agencies and NGOs to address these needs.



C)  West Africa: (1) Cote d'Ivoire (2) Mauritania

1)  Cote d'Ivoire

(a)  Malnutrition has increased in Odienné and Korhogo in the north and in
Guiglo and Danané in the west. Hundreds of thousands of people face food
shortages caused by the civil unrest. People in the areas held by the "New
Forces" have been struggling for months to get access to certain types of
food and other commodities that normally are supplied from the south. This
includes agricultural inputs such as seeds and fertilities. Likewise, the
closure of the border between north and south has inhibited sales of cash
crops from the north, forcing people to return to subsistence farming. The
fact that normal rail services seem to be resuming between the north and
the south is tremendously important for the long-term welfare of the
people. Cooperatives in the north, which lost most agricultural inputs in
rebel looting, have resumed selling fertilizer on credit this week.

(b)  Thousands of displaced people, living with relatives or residing in
transit centres throughout the country, rely on food aid. Several villages
in the west, such as Zouan Hounien, Mahapleu, Bangolo, and Bin Houye are
completely empty. With the recent peace-process in the west, it is
expected that people initially will return to town areas, where security
is more likely to be assured. Many still remain in the bush. Local
government officials have not yet returned to many areas and basic social
services such as health, electricity, water and sanitation have not been
restored in many places. Many people will need humanitarian assistance and
every effort must be made to support the peace process.

(c)  15,000 refugees and IDP's in and around Tabou require urgent
humanitarian assistance. WFP has provided food assistance including
high-energy biscuits to vulnerable persons. On 27 May WFP launched a
public appeal for its new USD 16.4 million EMOP covering May to December.
The EMOP targets 588,600 beneficiaries in Côte d'Ivoire and 275,000
returnees and people in transit to Ghana, Burkina Faso and Mali.
Meanwhile, contributions for EMOP 10244.1 are urgently needed. Shortfalls
in the pipeline will start in June for cereals, corn-soya blend and
pulses.


2)  Mauritania

(a)  Household food security remains poor in rural areas. Government
reports state that locally produced foods are scarce. The price of
imported food has risen in the past month on major markets, leading to a
rise in the consumption of wild berries. Anecdotal evidence shows that
previous EMOP distributions may have stabilized the food security
situation in the Aftout region. Apart from food aid, the major coping
mechanism in the region is the receipt of remittances of emigrated family
members.

(b)  The agro-pastoral band of the country, targeted by the EMOP, is
suffering from sustained high temperatures exceeding 40°C and the
near-total absence of herbaceous vegetation. Livestock, the main economic
asset of rural households, are likely to be sold below their fair value or
die - in spite of government subsidized sales of cattle feed. Some
villages in the Aftout region have reported the loss of their donkeys, a
sign of extreme environmental stress. In certain regions, herders have
been massively cutting down tree limbs to feed their animals because of
lack of fodder. The level of aquifers and of the Senegal River has
dropped, leading to drinking water scarcity in communities dependent on
shallow wells. Traces of rainfall have been reported in the south of the
country, although significant amounts of precipitation are not expected
until June.

(c)  The distribution plan for the first tranche of EMOP 10249
distributions, amounting to 9,000 tons, and the last of the EMOP 10147
distributions, amounting to 3,500 tons, was finalised in a series of
regional meetings attended by CSA, NGO implementing partners and WFP. The
distributions are planned to start in the end of May and will target
420,000 planned beneficiaries in Mauritania's southern agro-pastoral
strip.

(d)  WFP's operation is suffering from significant shortfalls in vegetable
oil and wheat-soya blend. The tranche of distributions planned for June
may have to take place with incomplete rations due to shipping delays and
the long lead time necessary to dispatch/preposition commodities and
prepare distributions.



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

1)  Namibia

(a)  WFP has received a request for food assistance from the Government
for flood-affected people in the Caprivi region. Subject to donor
approval, around 127 tons of WFP food will be transferred from Lubango in
Angola to Nambian Government warehouses in Katima Mulilo. The pulses,
vegetable oil, corn-soya blend and salt provided by WFP will supplement
food commodities, such as tinned meat and maize meal, already being
provided under the Namibian Government's assistance programme to around
12,000 flood-affected people.

(b)  WFP is running dangerously low on food to assist Angolan refugees in
Namibia, with a corn-soya blend pipeline break expected in June and breaks
for virtually all other commodities in the food basket, including the
staple maize meal, in July. Donations are urgently needed for the WFP
emergency refugee operation, which is expected to feed about 16,000
refugees in Osire camp and support the planned repatriation over the next
12 months.


2)  Angola

(a)  WFP is working with UNHCR to prepare for the upcoming organized
repatriation of Angolan refugees from Zambia, DR Congo and Namibia into
Moxico, Uige, Zaire and Kuando Kubango Provinces, due to begin from late
June. WFP is providing food for distribution to returnee populations
through UNHCR and implementing partners.


3)  Zambia

(a)  A joint WFP/Concern Worldwide Zambia team assessed the flood-affected
areas in Zambia's Western Province. The team found that clinics had been

submerged in water, and food was scarce in the area. One borehole was
inoperative, and there are fears that an outbreak of water-borne illness
could follow if clean water is not made available. Preliminary figures
estimate that 9,740 families in four districts are affected, the majority
being peasant farmers. Most families have returned to their homes, but are
finding crops submerged in water. Families are eating lily roots and
bartering fish in exchange for staple foods, such as maize. The Government
suspended all relief maize distribution in the country, except those areas
still suffering from last year's crisis. The Government estimates there is
a bumper crop this season. The Government has established a floor price
for rural-supplied maize of roughly USD 120 per ton.

(b)  Under the regional EMOP, WFP distributed 2,197 tons of food to
implementing partners during the week. In a WFP urban intervention, 166
tons of food was delivered to 1,787 orphans and vulnerable children and to
2,838 host families. In the Eastern Province, 92 tons of food was
distributed to health centres and hospitals in support of TB treatment in
three districts, and in Lusaka District 60 tons of food was delivered to
12 NGO's who provide family rations for patients in home-based care and
for orphans and vulnerable children. WFP is pre-positioning food for the
organized repatriation of Angolan refugees scheduled to begin in June.

(c)  Transformation of Satellite Committees into Women's Relief
Committees, of which at least 70 percent of the members must be women, is
underway. WFP is working with the Ministry of Health and youth
organizations to create a training package on counselling, directed at
prevention of sexual abuse of women and children. WFP has produced a
Blended Foods recipe book in a local language. Training for
HIV/AIDS-awareness drama groups continues throughout the week.


4)  Malawi

(a)  WFP distributed 3,647 tons of food in collaboration with implementing
partners during the week. A cluster-monitoring workshop was held this week
for WFP food aid monitors and programme staff. The WFP focal point for
HIV/AIDS held a two-day meeting with implementing partners to examine
progress of project implementation and recommendations for improvement.


5)  Zimbabwe

(a)  The main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC),
and trade unions have called for an indefinite work stoppage and mass
action starting the first week of June.

(b)  WFP did not distribute food in Zimbabwe this month due to the
harvest. A single ration will be distributed in June to about 1.33 million
people. Meanwhile, WFP and NGO partners are verifying beneficiary lists
and conducting training. WFP and implementing partners are concerned that
the national fuel crisis may affect activities in June. The Government of
Zimbabwe has made an official request to WFP to continue food aid for the
2003/2004 agricultural season.


6)  Swaziland

(a)  WFP conducted household visits in four villages in the Lowveld, which
confirmed reports of a zero harvest. Scarcity of water is of major concern
in the same area, with reduced access to water expected to have negative
implications for both household food security and the sugar industry.

(b)  During the week, WFP distributed 299 tons of food to 19,559
beneficiaries in collaboration with implementing partners. Distributions
of some implementing partners have been delayed due to re-targeting
exercises. A consignment of 1,000 tons of rice due to arrive this week
will help resolve recent pipeline problems experienced in the country.

(c)  A Mozambican medical doctor trained a WFP food monitor, the WFP Field
Coordinator, and three staff of the Swaziland National Emergency Response
Committee on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA) on the use of the Global Positioning System
(GPS) to prepare for mapping HIV/AIDS prevalence in the country.


7)  Lesotho

(a)  During the week, WFP and implementing partners distributed 1,578 tons
of food, including maize meal, pulses, vegetable oil and corn-soya blend,
to 115,109 beneficiaries. WFP assistance included Vulnerable Group
Feeding, MCH, support to HIV/AIDS and TB patients, Food For Work,
emergency school feeding take-home rations for orphans and other
vulnerable children at 1,428 primary schools, as well as cooked meals for
children at 367 schools. A two-day workshop was held for WFP and Food
Management Unit (FMU) staff to help streamline the relationship.


8)  Madagascar

(a)  Harvesting of sweet potatoes is underway in the south of the country
and food availability has improved in some areas, such as Ambovombe,
however overall food prices remain unaffordable to the majority of the
population. WFP and FAO will conduct a joint crop assessment mission to
determine the amount of damage to agricultural production caused by
cyclone Manou. The mission will take place in four weeks, when harvesting
activities are completed.

(b)  WFP is providing technical backstopping to the Government for the
distribution of 610 tons of food as well as relief items to schools not
already being assisted by WFP. The relief items were collected during a
telethon in April. Another USD 32,000 in private donations raised during
the same intervention is being used to purchase additional food.

(c)  The remainder of food for Food For Work activities in the
drought-affected south was distributed, bringing the total amount of WFP
food distributed since the programme began in March to 1,096 tons for
41,610 participants. WFP's implementing partner CARE has begun Food For
Work rehabilitation activities with the first distributions taking place
this week.



E)  Asia: (1) DPR Korea

1)  DPR Korea

(a)  A US Congress delegation arrived in DPRK on 30 May for a 3-day visit.
The delegation is to meet with DPRK's No. 2, Kim Yong Nam, but is not
travelling as Bush administration envoys. DPRK authorities have assured
WFP that re-entry visas will be granted to WFP staff in Bangkok, Beijing
and other relevant embassies and consulates. The first staff members to
make use of this new system will return to the country on 05 June.

(b)  The main agricultural activities reported this week are transplanting
of rice and maize seedlings and weeding. Most provinces reported that
wheat and barley are growing well, although the agricultural season is
about two weeks behind compared to last year. In several counties the
harvest of vegetables such as cabbage and spinach is ongoing. In several
counties of South Hwanghae a worm-like pest described as "iron-wire" was
reported to be damaging the leaves of maize. In the absence of pesticides
traditional methods are being used to fight the pests. The Public
Distribution Centre (PDC) ration for May remained at 250 grams/person/day.
Provincial authorities in most provinces reported that the PDC ration
would be maintained at 250 grams through July, with a possible decrease in
August. The PDC ration is the cereal ration that the Government provides
to the people at subsidized prices.

(c)  To ensure that WFP food is available for the most vulnerable groups,
i.e. young children and pregnant and nursing women, suspension of cereal
distributions will continue in June on both the east and the west coast
for all elderly beneficiaries, caregivers and primary school children.
Distributions to all targeted beneficiaries are expected to resume from
July and extend through the third quarter of the year with the anticipated
arrival of confirmed contributions of 100,000 tons of maize, 40,500 tons
of wheat and 11,000 tons of rice. Despite these contributions, cuts in
cereal distributions will resume in the fourth quarter unless new pledges
are confirmed soon.

(d)  Pipeline shortfalls of about 82,000 tons for the remainder of the
year are projected. Commodities yet to be resourced to avoid a pipeline
break include 61,000 tons of cereals, 7,000 tons of pulses, 7,000 tons of
corn-soya milk, 3,500 tons of sugar and 3,000 tons of oil.


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

(End WFP Emergency Report No 22).

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