WFP EMERGENCY REPORT
Issued weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme
Report No. 8 / 2003 - Date 21 February 2003


This report includes:

(A) Asia Region: (1) Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(B) Eastern and Central Africa Region: (1) Ethiopia, (2) Eritrea,
    (3) Uganda, (4) Rwanda, (5) Republic of Congo
(C) West Africa Region: (1) Côte d'Ivoire
(D) Southern Africa Region: (1) Regional overview, (2) Lesotho, (3) Malawi,
    (4) Mozambique, (5) Swaziland, (6) Zambia, (7) Zimbabwe,
    (8) Madagascar, (9) Angola, (10) Namibia
(E) West and Central Asia: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan, (3) Iran
(F) Eastern Europe Region: (1) North Caucasus


>From Francesco Strippoli, Director of the Office of Humanitarian Affairs;
available on the Internet on the WFP Home Page (www.wfp.org), or by e-mail
from Zlatan.Milisic@wfp.org.

For information on resources, donors are requested to contact
Valerie.Sequeira@wfp.org at WFP Rome, telephone 39 06 6513 2009. Media
queries should be directed to Trevor.Rowe@wfp.org, telephone 39 06 6513
2602. The address of WFP is Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici,
00148 Rome, Italy.

Please note that with the reconfiguration of WFP's current organizational
structure, the responsibility for preparing and issuing the weekly WFP
Emergency Report has been transferred from the Office of Humanitarian
Affairs (OHA) to the Transport, Preparedness and Response Division (OTP),
which will be issuing this report in the future.


A)  Asia Region: (1) Democratic People's Republic of Korea

1)  Democratic People's Republic of Korea

(a)  With the expected arrival of around 47,000 tons of food by the end of
February and an additional 23,000 tons in April, WFP will be able to meet
the March and April distributions needs for pregnant and nursing women and
children in orphanages, nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools. It
will however not be possible to resume distributions to the elderly and
caregivers at children's institutions.

(b)  Without new contributions, additional distribution cuts will have to
take place from May onward, with primary school children affected in the
first instance. In addition, the spring Food for Work allocation will be
reduced to 24,000 tons, or about 75 percent of the planned tonnage due to
lack of resources.

(c)  Immediate pledges of 105,000 tons are needed to ensure continued
implementation of the complete range of WFP's planned activities
throughout the remainder of the first half of 2003. Commodities most in
need include cereals (84,500 tons), CSM (10,000 tons) and Dry Skimmed Milk
(3,000 tons). The latter is critical to avoid extended closure of most
Local Food Production factories.

(d)  The findings of the 2002 Nutrition Survey, which was carried out last
October by the government's Central Bureau of Statistics and Institute of
Child Nutrition, in collaboration with UNICEF and WFP, were officially
released on 20 February. Although malnutrition rates among children have
improved considerably over the past four years, WFP and UNICEF warned that
the gains could be lost if international support for humanitarian
assistance to the country continues to slacken.

(e)  The assessment shows that the proportion of children underweight
(weight-for-age) has fallen from 61 percent in 1998 to 21 percent in 2002;
Wasting, or acute malnutrition (weight-for-height), has fallen from 16
percent to 9 percent while stunting, or chronic malnutrition
(height-for-age), has dropped from 62 percent to 42 percent. The
Government of DPRK attributed the improvement in part to the substantial
humanitarian assistance provided by the international community in recent
years. The exceptionally high levels of malnutrition recorded in 1998 also
reflected the famine conditions that prevailed in the DPRK in the mid
1990s.

(f)  The assessment also provided the first objective analysis of
differing vulnerability across the country, confirming WFP and UNICEF
observations that the northeastern provinces are more vulnerable than
other parts of the country. A further important finding was that about
one-third of mothers are malnourished and anaemic, a factor contributing
to child malnutrition. The survey covered children under seven years of
age and their mothers, from 6,000 randomly selected households in 10 of
the country's 12 provinces and municipalities.



B)  Eastern and Central Africa Region: (1) Ethiopia, (2) Eritrea, (3)
Uganda, (4) Rwanda, (5) Republic of Congo

1)  Ethiopia

(a)  A significant achievement has been realized in the relief operations
in January, when food distributions reached over 7 million people. The
food distributed totalled 94,000 tons, and included 5,000 tons of
supplementary food (mostly fortified blended food). NGOs were responsible
for 46 percent of this total. February dispatches of some 100,000 tons of
relief food are in progress for 8 million people.

(b)  Supporting such a large number of people this early in the year has
been possible due to a timely donor response to the drought. The early
pledges, in combination with the Ethiopian Food Security Reserve (EFSR),
have allowed food aid to be in place in time. Factors that led to this
response included an efficient and credible government early warning
system, the active involvement of donors in the assessment process from
the very beginning of the drought crisis, and early advocacy by the
Government, UN agencies, NGOs, donor representatives, and the media. The
deteriorating conditions were brought to the attention of the public and
to donor headquarters starting in July 2002 and followed through to
November, when the impact of the drought on the harvest was fully
assessed. The prompt preparation and release of the joint Government/UN
appeal in early December also helped to get timely support of donors in
late 2002 and early 2003. Pledges now cover the cereal requirements until
June; the EFSR will have sufficient cereal stocks for planned
distributions in March and April but it is crucial that future repayments
to the Reserve adhere to agreed schedules. For supplementary rations of
fortified blended food (which is targeted to the particularly vulnerable
groups), more resources are urgently needed, as the current availability
is only enough to cover half of the requirements for January to June.

(c)  Cereal and supplementary food distributions have stabilized the
nutritional situation in many of the worst-affected parts of the country.
This was confirmed by the findings of a follow-up nutritional survey in
the lowland and dry midland areas of West Harerge, where global acute
malnutrition rates among children under 5 have dropped from 15.2 to 11.2
percent since September. Similarly, severe acute malnutrition rates have
dropped from 3.6 percent to 0.09 percent (preliminary results).

(d)  While there are encouraging signs of the food crisis being generally
under control, the number of those in need will increase to over 11
million people by mid-year, and there are pockets of serious needs that
are additional to the requirements assessed three months ago. Further
donor support is crucial to build on what has been possible so far to
ensure adequate support to the targeted populations until the next main
harvest in late-2003.

(e)  Finally, out of the 300,000 persons displaced by the border conflict,
around 76,500 IDPs in Tigray still cannot return to their land to resume
farming activities because the border demarcation process and landmine
clearance is still ongoing. Without land, the coping mechanisms for these
people are very limited. Compounding the local difficulties faced by these
IDPs is the severe drought in the Tigray region. Nutrition status of this
population has remained at satisfactory levels for the past year because
of regular food assistance. However, WFP was forced to provide reduced
rations for cereal in January and expect to face pipeline breaks for other
commodities in the coming months. Further food contributions are urgently
needed.


2)  Eritrea

(a)  The dry cultivation is reportedly starting in the Debub sub regions
of Mai Mine and Mendefera. Farmers are ploughing their land in
anticipation of the March/April "Aszmera" light rains. Last year the
Azmera rains completely failed and the main rains arrived extremely late,
resulting in near total crop failure. The lack of harvest has pushed
cereal prices up by 22 percent in the markets of Mendefera and Decamhare
in the past six months.

(b)  Health and malnutrition problems are on the rise due to the pervasive
effects of the drought. The Mensura Health Center in Gash Barka reported
that one out of every three pregnant/nursing women visiting the clinic was
found to be anaemic, while 10 percent of the people screened daily in the
centre were malnourished children. Officials from Mogolo Health Clinic
noted that the malnutrition rate among children under five years of age is
now four percent higher than the average rate in 2002.

(c)  The lack of water continues to be a serious problem: villagers in the
Anseba sub region of Elaberid are reportedly digging wells 12-13m deep to
find water, compared to 8m deep six months ago. Villagers in Hamedai and
Hager walk up to 8km in search of water, and have approached local
authorities for a possible relocation. Many towns in the sub region need
water trucked to their villages. However, this solution is becoming
increasingly expensive.

(d)  WFP, in collaboration with the Government, is currently discharging
20,000 tons of cereals arrived in the Port of Massawa over the last two
weeks. Despite a recent contribution of USD 1.4 million, which will be
used to purchase approximately 5,000 tons of cereals, further resourcing
continues to be a critical priority. WFP still faces a shortfall of
195,000 tons of food in order to meet the needs of the vulnerable groups
targeted in 2003.


3)  Uganda

(a)  The final report of the Nutritional Surveillance survey, undertaken
in two displaced camps in northern Uganda in January, has been released.
The survey confirms an extremely serious level of malnutrition among the
children under five years. In Anaka IDP camp over 31 percent of the
children under 5 years of age were documented to be suffering from acute
malnutrition, and in Pabbo camp, the largest of all IDP settlements with a
population of over 45,000 people, over 18 percent of all children under 5
years were found to be suffering from moderate or severe malnutrition, or
showing signs of oedema.

(b)  Under WFP and UNICEF standards, any situation where over 15 percent
of children under five are acutely malnourished, blanket supplementary
feeding should be immediately commenced to address the crisis and to
prevent ever increasing numbers of children from becoming severely
malnourished. WFP will be working with the Ministry of Health, district
authorities and NGOs to establish supplementary feeding in all IDP
settlements as rapidly as possible. This immediate intervention will
require additional tonnage of vegetable oil, sugar as well as blended
fortified food, which is produced locally and regionally.

(c)  WFP food requirements under PRRO 10121.0 amount to 180,250 tons for
the year 2003. This includes the needs of 800,000 IDPs (including 47,000
in Lira District); 150,000 refugees in 66 settlements in 8 districts;
drought-affected people in Karamoja; and some vulnerable groups such as
4,000 HIV/AIDS affected households that receive WFP food assistance
through community- based AIDS support groups, and centres catering for
formerly abducted children. A budget revision is being submitted to the
WFP Executive Board at its next session to reflect these current needs.

(d)  Thanks to the generosity of donors over the past two months, one
third of WFP needs for the year have already been pledged. These
contributions have enable WFP to locally purchase of food that is being
distributed this month in Gulu, Kitgum, Adjumani and other districts. The
Government of Uganda has also confirmed a cash contribution of UGX 1
billion to WFP for the local purchase of food from February through June.


4)  Rwanda

(a)  WFP assisted a total of 307,200 vulnerable people during the month of
January under the PRRO 10062.0 and the development project. This includes
food distributions to 28,900 refugees in three camps in Gikongoro, Kibuye
and Byumba provinces. In addition, around 1,200 returnees registered by
UNHCR in Kibungo, Gisenyi and Cyangugu provinces received a three-month
food ration from WFP and non-food items from UNHCR, before returning to
their original districts. Among them, almost 200 returnees registered in
Nyakarambi transit centre via the Rusumo border, despite the completion of
repatriation declared in December by the Tanzanian and Rwandan
authorities.

(b)  WFP is also providing food assistance to 43,400 provisionally
released detainees while they undergo training in unity and reconciliation
at solidarity centres. About 1,500 tons of food will be distributed. A
special ration of blended food will be provided to lactating mothers.

(c)  A joint crop assessment involving WFP, FEWS-Net, FAO and MINAGRI took
place from 20 to 26 January. The mission reported that the food situation
is adequate despite some pockets of food insecurity. The next harvest may
be affected by the delay of rains and the late planting.


5)  Republic of Congo

(a)  In January, WFP reached 17,150 vulnerable people with 370 tons of
food under the PRRO 6265. This caseload includes over 3,500 displaced
households from the Pool region, who have been assisted with 120 tons of
relief food in Brazzaville. Among this caseload were 318 families who had
recently fled the Pool Region. In addition, 6,300 school children received
WFP assistance through the School Feeding programme.

(b)  Two ICRC employees who were abducted on 6 December 2002 in Bouenza
region were released in late December in good health. The security
situation in this region is precarious and IDPs have remained out of reach
since November 2002. WFP provided relief food to more than 16,000 persons
in this area last November.



C)  West Africa Region: (1) Côte d'Ivoire

1)  Cote d'Ivoire

(a)  The humanitarian situation in the West continues to worsen, and the
situation of IDPs is worrying. 500 displaced families in Raviar are
reportedly in need of assistance. In Grabo, 5,000 people, including at
least 2,000 newly displaced, have no access to food and protection, as the
town has been looted according to MSF-H.

(b)  No solution has been found for the relocation of the 7,300 Liberian
refugees in the Nicla refuge camp near the western front line in Guiglo.
UNHCR reiterated a call to West African countries to provide asylum to
those refugees whose protection is not guaranteed neither in Côte d'Ivoire
nor in their home country. Meanwhile, those refugees that have expressed
the desire to return to Liberia, are being assisted. So far, 2,000
refugees from the West have been repatriated by UNHCR. During
repatriation, WFP has provided the refugees with high-energy biscuits.

(c)  Access to the West seems possible at the moment, and an interagency
mission led by the WFP Security Officer was expected to visit Man and
Danané on 21-23 February. A WFP mission went to Guiglo on 18 February to
ascertain the presence and assess the food needs of 18,400 IDPs, which had
been reported by local sources. A third mission went to San Pedro and
Tabou on 20 February to prepare for the opening of a new sub-office in San
Pedro. Appropriate intervention in Grabo and Tabou will also be
identified. WFP intends to distribute food through the Catholic Mission in
Tabou to some 500 IDPs.

(d)  WFP continued to visit jointly with the Social Affairs Ministry
displaced households in and around Yamoussoukro to evaluate their degree
of vulnerability. The general food security situation is not alarming,
although some IDPs families have been found to be increasing at risk of
vulnerability. Currently 557 displaced families are settled with 480 host
families around Yakro. WFP is also supporting a supplementary feeding
programme in the Mie N'Gou reception centre in Yakro, where 1,400 IDPs are
currently staying. Resources to relocate or provide additional space for
this group of IDPs are lacking.

(e)  An assessment mission was undertaken in Bouaflé-Daloa-Bonoufla-region
near the front line during the week. WFP and UNICEF, in collaboration with
the Ministry of Education, plan to support the implementation of
educational activities in the area. Under its Emergency Operation and the
School Feeding Programme, WFP will provide school lunches or snacks to
improve the health status of the children and encourage them to stay in
school. A condition for support is that the applied curriculum is in line
with the curricula designed by Ministry of Education.

(f)  On 19 February WFP delivered food to seven UNHCR transit centres in
Abidjan totalling 1,000 people displaced following the demolishing process
of shantytowns.



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

1)  Regional overview

(a)  Two contributions to the Southern Africa Regional EMOP totalling USD
11.5 million were confirmed this week. With these contributions, the
Regional EMOP is now 74 percent funded against needs through March 2003
with a shortfall of approximately USD 132 million.

(b)  The joint WFP/FAO crop situation mission to review the 2002/3
agricultural season is currently travelling in the region. The mission
will visit the six countries under the regional EMOP between 13 February
and 5 March.

(c)  Below are the summaries of WFP operations in the Southern Africa
region for the period from 12 to 19 February.


2)  Lesotho

(a)  WFP distributed 870 tons of food to 57,900 vulnerable people in eight
districts during the reporting period. The erratic weather pattern
continues to affect most of the country, which will have probably have an
impact on the up-coming harvest. The District of Qacha's Nek experienced
heavy rainfall during the week, which led to several fields being flooded,
and damage to some crops.


3)  Malawi

(a)  The Overseer Committee, appointed by the President to monitor the
implementation of the Joint Emergency Food Assistance Planning (JEFAP)
consortium of which WFP and implementing partners are members, will carry
out field visits over the next three weeks.

(b)  WFP attended a UN Inter-Agency Committee Knowledge Fair on HIV/AIDS
in Malawi. The Fair focused on UN Workplace policy on HIV/AIDS, breaking
the culture of silence and eliminating stigma and discrimination in the
working environment.

(c)  WFP dispatched almost 7,600 tons of food to its implementing partners
during the reporting period.


4)  Mozambique

(a)  WFP dispatched 1,780 tons of food to its implementing partners during
the week. Following a joint mission in Machanga District (Sofala
Province), WFP and the National Institute for Disaster Management have
reported serious food shortages in the area. In response, WFP has started
identifying Food For Work (FFW) activities and preparing a Vulnerable
Group Feeding programme. WFP food, already pre-positioned in the area,
will immediately be allocated.

(b)  WFP accompanied the Minister of Agriculture and the President of the
Parliament to Maganja da Costa District (Zambezia Province) to verify the
extent of the damage caused by the tropical depression Delfina in January.
The low-lying Nante locality has been cut off from assistance, as the road
is currently impassable. The Government has started resettling the
population to higher ground.

(c)  WFP also accompanied government officials on a drought situation
evaluation mission to Sabie locality in Moamba District. The situation was
found to be serious and deteriorating. WFP agreed with its implementing
partners in Marracuene District to prioritise activities to the worst
affected areas.

(d)  WFP and UNICEF have joined forces in a nutrition programme targeting
141,000 children between six months and five years, and 71,000 pregnant
and lactating mothers in 22 districts in Tete, Gaza, Manica, Inhambane,
Sofala, Zambezia and Nampula Provinces. Priority will also be given to
Magoe District following recent reports of deaths caused by the impact of
the humanitarian crisis. Over 6,000 tons of WFP supplied corn soya blend
(CSB) will be distributed from February to June 2003, and distributions
have started in the districts of Magoe, Changara and Cahora Bassa.

(e)  During the week, WFP renewed eighteen LoUs with implementing partners
to continue work in Gaza Province, increasing the number of beneficiaries
that will receive food assistance in the province to 117,000 people.


5)  Swaziland

(a)  WFP distributed 680 tons of food to over 42,200 beneficiaries during
the week. WFP Food Aid Monitors reported that communities in the dry
Middleveld have begun replanting as crops planted last year have wilted
due to dry spells. Crop performance in three areas in the Lowveld is
reported to be promising after recent rainfall.


6)  Zambia

(a)  WFP Food Aid Monitors reported that interviews with beneficiaries in
Mazabuka District indicated overall seasonal rainfall had been below
normal, affecting the growth of maize, some of which is already wilting.
Alternative sources of food remain limited, leading to some consumption of
poisonous wild roots.

(b)  Over 1,100 tons of Genetically Modified food was dispatched from
Zambia to Malawi during the reporting period where it will be milled
before distribution.

(c)  WFP dispatched 2,775 tons of food to implementing partners during the
week.


7)  Zimbabwe

(a)  Most of the country has received little rainfall to date during
February. According to the government's bi-weekly Crop and Livestock
Report, the country has received lower than expected rainfall during the
past five months. Areas most affected are the south (especially
Matabeleland) and west.

(b)  The armyworm outbreak has spread to six new provinces. The pest poses
a threat to the late-planted cereal crop and to grazing lands,
particularly in the drought-affected Matabeleland where 75 percent of
boreholes and most rivers remain dry.

8)  WFP, UNICEF, WHO, Government and NGOs are conducting a country-wide
inter-agency nutrition survey, covering all 58 districts and three urban
areas. Fieldwork started 12 February, and the preliminary report will be
presented by mid-March.

(a)  WFP distributed 27,500 tons of food to 2.4 million beneficiaries
during the reporting period.


9)  Madagascar

(a)  Flooding in Antananarivo, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga and Toamasina
continues to plague the low-lying neighbourhoods, particularly in
Antananarivo. Under its EMOP 10236.0, WFP, in collaboration with CARE, is
initiating FFW activities in 20 affected districts of Antananarivo.

(b)  In addition, Food for Work (FFW) activities have started in the
South-East, the area affected by Tropical Storm FARI, using 400 tons of
WFP food pre-positioned in the region. WFP, in collaboration with CARE,
has already initiated FFW activities, distributing 50 tons of food. AAA
will start this week. According to the observations made by the National
Disaster Council during an aerial survey, several isolated communities in
the hinterland are facing serious food shortages. Damage to agriculture
has also been significant, with 70 percent of rice fields flooded and 99
percent of bananas damaged. Coping mechanisms are degrading as bananas and
other fruits, which are normally consumed during the lean season, are no
longer available.

(c)  Finally, the situation in the drought-affected Southern region
continues to degrade. The General Commission for Integrated Development in
the South has launched an appeal to WFP for immediate assistance.
Distribution of 1,090 tons of maize under EMOP 10236 will start within the
next days in 13 communes affected by the drought. The Government intends
to inject rice at a subsidized price. WFP will ensure complementarity of
food supplies to the population in the region.

(d)  During the week, an additional contribution amounting to 1,200 tons
of Maize was confirmed. As WFP is facing a complete pipeline break for
oil, implementing partners have been providing oil to complement the FFW
food basket. As of 18 February, WFP EMOP 10236 approved in November 2002
was 55 percent resourced, facing a shortfall of USD 4,196,400.


10)  Angola

(a)  Lack of access to some areas due to rains and poor road conditions
continues to hamper WFP assistance to beneficiary caseloads in many areas,
as well as delaying the government plan to transport people from the
Family Receptions Areas (FRAs). The Government announced its intention to
officially close all FRAs by April, the main objective being to have all
resettled in their areas of origin in time for the next agricultural
season.

(b)  In Bie Province, poor road conditions and heavy rains have hampered
food deliveries to Andulo, Nharea, Cambandua and Ndele, affecting about
30,000 beneficiaries. On the eastern side of Huila Province, rains and bad
road conditions are also causing delays in the delivery of commodities. In
spite of this, WFP and its partners completed food distributions in
various areas of Kuvango and Chicomba municipalities for the month of
January.

(c)  In Kuando Kubango province, the deterioration in condition of Mavinga
airstrip has made it impossible for WFP Passenger aircraft to land in the
past week. If this situation persists, humanitarian operations in Mavinga
will be phased down due to the lack of supplies and WFP will be forced to
reduce the food rations or suspend food distributions for Mavinga Town and
Capembe. Deliveries to areas outside Mavinga town have already slowed down
as stocks run low. WFP has set up a maintenance team for repairs, with
participation from MSF and the Angolan army and is discussing interim
operational modalities to keep the airstrip serviceable for both cargo and
passenger planes.

(d)  During the week, two new contributions were confirmed to WFP's Angola
operations. USD 500,000 were donated to the Special Air Operation SO
10461.0 and USD 367,647 to the PRRO. As of 19 February, the PRRO was 51
percent funded and the SO 74 percent funded.


11)  Namibia

(a)  During the week, WFP has provided monthly food rations to over 400
refugees residing at Kassava transit centre near the border with Angola.
WFP also plans to assist a further 19,500 refugees in Osire refugee camp
on 19 ? 20 February.



E)  West and Central Asia: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan, (3) Iran

1)  Afghanistan

(a)  Last week the security situation was calm across the country, except
for some tensions in the five poppy cultivated districts of Nangahar
province, where UN missions remain suspended. In addition, UN missions to
areas southeast of Qalat in the Southern province of Zabul have been
suspended. An explosion outside the UNHCR Office was reported in Kandahar.
Fighting occurred in Hilmand province.

(b)  From 11 to 19 February, almost 508,700 vulnerable people received
more than 1,760 tons of food through various WFP activities. The
beneficiary caseload included over 261,900 school-children benefiting from
the WFP Food for Education programme, 128,400 people reached through the
Urban Vulnerable Bakery Projects as well as 79,800 persons involved in FFW
and Food for Asset Creation activities. In addition, 8,500 civil servants
and over 24,300 IDPs and refugees received WFP assistance.

(c)  A new contribution amounting to USD 735,300 was recently confirmed.
However, as of 15 February, WFP expected to face pipeline breaks at the
end of June, under its PRRO 10233.0. The estimated shortfalls for the
second and third quarter of 2003 amount to 48,500 tons of cereals, 7,800
tons of vegetable oil, 1,600 tons of WSB and 800 tons of Iodized Salt.


2)  Pakistan

(a)  WFP's pipeline situation continues to be of great concern. Recent
cash contributions towards the EMOP 10228, totalling USD 2.4 million, will
enable WFP to quickly purchase food, particularly wheat and vegetable oil.
However, these recent pledges will only carry the implementation of this
Emergency Operation through April/May 2003. As of 20 February, only 30
percent of WFP's requirements under this EMOP has been met. Urgent pledges
from the donor community, either in cash or in kind, are required so that
WFP can continue to support an estimated 230,000 Afghan refugees at the
new camps in the North West Frontier Province and Balochistan Province in
Pakistan.


3)  Iran

(a)  As of 8 February, UNHCR facilitated the repatriation of over 264,400
Afghan refugees, while a further 129,250 returned on their own, making a
total of 393,650 returnees since April 2002. All Afghan returnees have
received WFP assistance upon return to Afghanistan.

(b)  WFP PRRO 10213 received a donation of USD 735,294. This latest
contribution, together with the expected arrival of 7,400 tons of wheat
for PRRO 6126 and 10213 will, help to avoid an imminent break in wheat
pipeline and cover the needs of 120,000 Iraqi and Afghan refugees and
500,000 Afghan returnees up to July 2003.



F)  Eastern Europe Region: (1) North Caucasus

1)  North Caucasus

(a)  From 1 to 15 February, the number of displaced persons decreased from
94,960 to 94,170 in Ingushetia. According to the Chechen IDP Committee,
about 1,900 IDPs have returned home from Ingushetia since the beginning of
this year. The authorities informed that six additional temporary
accommodation centres are ready to receive about 4,200 IDPs from
Ingushetia.

(b)  As of 15 February, WFP had distributed over 2,500 tons of food
commodities to 257,600 beneficiaries in both the republics of Ingushetia
and Chechnya under its EMOP 10128.0. This includes assistance to 134,100
vulnerable people in the central region of Chechnya, 43,750 school
children assisted in Chechnya through the school feeding programme and
1,200 involved in FFW projects.

(c)  A recently confirmed contribution of USD 3.2 million for the 2003
operation will allow WFP to procure over 9,400 tons of wheat flour, edible
oil and iodised salt. The accumulated stocks of wheat flour and edible oil
will last till April while Sugar, salt, rice and corn-soya blend will be
enough till June 2003.

(d)  A donor mission accompanied by WFP, WHO and OCHA met with officials
of the Chechen Migration Service and Deputy Mayor of Grozny city and
emphasized the need to ensure security and access to humanitarian workers
for continuing the humanitarian programme in Chechnya. The UN agencies and
NGOs suspended their activities for one day on 13 February in the North
Caucasus to express solidarity with an MSF relief worker abducted in
Dagestan in August 2002.

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

(End WFP Emergency Report No 8).


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