Report No. 1 of 1997 Date: 3 January 1997
This report includes: A) Democratic People's Republic of Korea
B) Burundi, Rwanda, Zaire and Tanzania C) Ethiopia D) Afghanistan.
E) WFP on the Web.
>From P. Ares, Chief, Programming Service. Available on the Internet at
WFP Home Page http://www.wfp.org/ or by e-mail from HicksDeb@wfp.org
(fax 39 6 5228 2837). For information regarding resources, donors are
requested to contact Mr. F. Strippoli or Ms. A. Blum, WFP Rome
(telephone 39 6 5228 2504 or 5228 2004).
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS
(Details below in Part II)
A. DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
1. Update
a) Continued food shortages in the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea (DPRK) due to floods compounding underlying agricultural
production problems. FAO/WFP mission has assessed total 1997 food
import requirements as 2.36 million metric tons, of which 300,000
metric tons could be directly attributed to losses due to flooding.
Large-scale international food assistance needed in 1997 to meet even
minimum requirements.
b) Recent developments have resulted in possibility of bilateral
assistance. US Government may allow commercial exports to DPR Korea.
Russia indicates that food assistance will be made available.
c) Size of further WFP operation after completion of current
operation in March 1997 will depend on extent of other food imports
(commercial and bilateral aid) in 1997.
B. EAST AFRICA: REGIONAL OPERATION FOR BURUNDI, RWANDA, ZAIRE AND
TANZANIA
1. Zaire
a) WFP airlift to Kisangani continues. A total of 332 metric tons
airlifted to Kisangani since beginning of airlift on 18 December.
Further airlift operation begun with Andover aircraft (6 metric tons
capacity), between Kisangani and Tingi-Tingi, Amisi and Shabunda.
b) A UN Joint Logistics Centre in Kisangani proposed by WFP, to
operate along the lines of the UN Joint Logistics Centre in Entebbe.
c) Some 6 metric tons of WFP provided food distributed to 2,000
internally displaced persons in Kisangani on 28 December. Total food
distributed by WFP is 135 metric tons. Food assistance also provided
to refugees in Tingi-Tingi area.
2. Tanzania
a) With departure of Rwanda refugees Rwanda in December, total
registered refugees remaining in Tanzania currently 248,000 (80,000
Burundian refugees in Ngara region; 130,000 Burundian refugees in
Kigoma region; 38,000 Zairean refugees in Kigoma region). Influx of
Zairean and Burundian refugees into Kigoma region continues at the
rate of 1,000 per day.
3. Rwanda
a) Total number of refugees who returned to Rwanda in 1996: 617,200
from Zaire; 475,000 from Tanzania; 88,000 from Burundi; 8,000 from
Uganda (UNHCR figures). WFP food assistance has been provided to all
returnees.
b) FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment mission estimated food aid
requirements for the first half of 1997 are 81,000 tons of cereals and
33,000 tons of pulses, to cover needs of 2.571 million people
(one-third of the population).
4. Burundi
a) Insecurity in northern Cibitoke province halts missions to the
province. Shots fired in the direction of the WFP Twin Otter flight
path along the Kiriba forest of Kayanza. Heavy fighting in some areas
of southern Bujumbura Rural and the border area of Bururi province.
b) Increasing number of mine explosion leads to ban by UN Security
Cell on travel on non-asphalt roads of Bujumbura Rural, Cibitoke and
Bubanza provinces. WFP assessment and distribution missions affected.
C. ETHIOPIA
1. Update
a) Special Report on the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment
mission to Ethiopia issued on 16 December. Recent crop of 12 million
metric tons of cereals and pulses is 20 percent higher than good
harvest of last year.
b) Cereal prices dropped with general anticipation of a bumper crop.
c) Food deficient areas exist throughout the country, due to
displacement, structural inadequacies and lack of access/entitlement
to food supplies. Some 1.9 million people will still require food
assistance, for total needs of 186,000 metric tons, most of which is
covered by carry-over stocks and pledges.
D. Afghanistan
1. Update
a) WFP interim policy, as of 24 December 1996: in addition to
continued but reduced levels of activity in the north, work of WFP in
Southern and Eastern Afghanistan will be exclusively in the areas of:
humanitarian relief (including bakery projects); institutional
feeding; projects where women or girls comprise 50 percent or more of
the direct beneficiaries; food-for-seeds in cooperation with FAO; and
selected food-for-work (in health, water and sanitation projects,
de-mining activity and certain other categories). WFP activities will
be in areas where WFP/NGO female staff, international and national,
are allowed to work.
E. WFP ON THE WEB
1. FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Mission reports referred to below can
be found on the Web at http://www.fao.org/ or through the hyperlink to
FAO under Related Web Sites on the WFP Home Page at
http://www.wfp.org/
PART II - DETAILS
A. DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
1. UPDATE
1.1 In a Special Alert dated 6 December 1996, the FAO/WFP Crop and
Food Supply Assessment mission of November 1996 reported continued
food shortages in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) due
to floods compounding underlying agricultural production problems. The
mission assessed the total 1997 food import requirements at some 2.36
million metric tons, of which 300,000 metric tons could be directly
attributed to losses due to flooding. Lacking foreign exchange and
with limited access to credit, DPRK will need large-scale
international food assistance in 1997 to meet even minimum
requirements.
1.2 Recent developments have removed specific obstacles to dialogue
with the Republic of Korea and the United States. As a result, it
appears likely that bilateral assistance can be considered, and there
are indications that commercial exports to DPR Korea may be allowed by
the US Government. Russia has also indicated that food assistance will
be made available to DPR Korea.
1.3 The on-going WFP operation is scheduled to be completed by March
1997. Continued assistance is anticipated but the size of the
operation will be decided based on a consideration of other food
imports during 1997, both commercial and in the form of bilateral aid.
B. EAST AFRICA: REGIONAL OPERATION FOR BURUNDI, RWANDA, ZAIRE AND
TANZANIA
1. ZAIRE
1.1 Kisangani
a) WFP continues to fly in food and relief materials to Kisangani by
a Zairean chartered 707, from where it is moved either by road or by a
locally chartered aircraft to Lubutu/Tingi-Tingi. Since the inception
of the flights on 18 December to 1 January, WFP flights have moved in
a total of 332 metric tons.
b) WFP has begun another air operation, consisting initially of
twenty flights with an Andover aircraft (capacity 6 metric tons),
between Kisangani and Tingi-Tingi, Amisi or Shabunda. The destination
will vary depending on the needs and security situation in each area.
This aircraft will also be available to move relief materials.
c) WFP has proposed that logistical coordination and prioritisation
for food and non-food cargo in this part of Zaire be achieved through
a UN Joint Logistics Centre in Kisangani, along the lines of the
successful UN Joint Logistics Centre in Entebbe.
d) On 28 December, WFP provided food for 2,000 internally displaced
persons in Kisangani, making available 4 metric tons of maize meal,
1.68 metric tons of peas and 0.28 metric tons of oil. Distribution was
carried out by the Norwegian NGO CEPZA, and CARITAS. Total food
distributed by WFP is 135 metric tons.
1.2 Tingi-Tingi
a) On 27/28 December, WFP carried out a second distribution to
refugees in Tingi-Tingi (49 metric tons of maize meal). Two trucks
carrying a total of 16 metric tons of maize meal were sent by WFP from
Kisangani to Lubutu/Tingi-Tingi on 2 January.
b) As of 31 December, the UNICEF Nutritional Centre had 100 children
in a therapeutic feeding programme and 300 children in a supplementary
feeding programme in Tingi-Tingi.
c) Estimated number in need in the area: Lubutu/Tingi-Tingi 160,000,
Amisi 30,000.
1.3 Shabunda: Prior to the evacuation of international staff of the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from Shabunda, ICRC
had counted 56,000 refugees in Shabunda from Rwanda and Burundi (no
breakdown of figures available). To facilitate access to the refugee
site from the airport, ICRC constructed an 80 metre long wooden
roadway across the existing bridge. Since ICRC's departure,
information on the Shabunda area has not been available.
1.4 Goma
a) Reports of refugees hiding in the thick forest near Tongo
continue. The refugees are said to fear attacks from armed men roaming
the area.
b) WFP continues its operation of distributing high-energy biscuits
to refugees in the Goma area returning to Rwanda. From 25 December
1996 to 1 January 1997, some 6,343 persons received WFP biscuits, with
the beneficiaries consisting of 789 refugees, 2,330 Zairean internally
displaced persons and 3,224 recipients in hospitals and nutritional
centres. Monitoring of the hospitals and nutritional centres is
carried out on a daily basis by WFP in conjunction with the agencies
involved in the health sector.
1.5 Bukavu: High-energy biscuit distributions continue, mostly on
the northern axis from Bukavu, which is the area in greatest need.
2. TANZANIA
2.1 With the vast majority of the Rwandan refugees having returned to
Rwanda from Tanzania by 30 December, Tanzania currently accommodates
approximately 248,000 registered refugees. The breakdown is as
follows: 80,000 Burundian refugees in the Ngara region; 130,000
Burundian refugees in the Kigoma region; 38,000 Zairean refugees in
the Kigoma region. The influx of Zairean and Burundian refugees into
the Kigoma region continues with some 1,000 arriving per day.
2.2 An estimated 475,000 Rwandan refugees repatriated from Tanzania
to Rwanda in 1996. Some Rwandan refugees remain both scattered in
Tanzania and at the holding centre for intimidators at Mwisa camp. The
exact numbers are uncertain.
2.3 Following the repatriation of the Rwandan refugees, WFP retrieved
its food commodities from the Rwandan camps in the Kagera region. This
food, which consists of approximately 600 metric tons, will be
distributed to the remaining Burundian and Zairean refugee caseloads
in the Ngara and Kigoma regions.
2.4 WFP airlifted 40 metric tons of corn-soya blend (CSB) and
high-energy biscuits from Entebbe to Kigoma for distribution to the
new arrivals and targeted beneficiaries. A total of 1,000 metric tons
of CSB procured in Nairobi is being despatched to Kigoma.
3. RWANDA
3.1 According to UNHCR, the total number of refugees who returned to
Rwanda in 1996 is as follows: 617,230 from Zaire; 475,000 from
Tanzania; 87,922 from Burundi; 7,998 from Uganda. WFP food assistance
has been provided to all returnees.
3.2 Conclusions of the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment
Mission (Special Report dated 23 December 1996): Food aid requirements
for the first half of 1997 are estimated at 81,000 tons of cereals and
33,000 tons of pulses, to cover needs of 2.571 million people, or
one-third of the projected population. The number of beneficiaries
includes recent returnees who were not engaged in farming during the
1997 A season, previous returnees who will have to leave farm areas
they are presently occupying, groups such as widows, elderly people
living alone and orphans made vulnerable by civil strife, and
population structurally vulnerable due to a poor resource base. WFP
pledges for the first semester of 1997 are sufficient to cover the
needs, however further pledges will be required for the second
semester of 1997.
3.3 A useful summary of the food situation in Rwanda and other
countries in the region, entitled "Overview Paper: Food Security in
East and Central Africa", dated 23 December 1996, is available from
DHA/IRIN Fax: +254 2 622129 e-mail: irin@dha.unon.org.
3.4 WFP is currently in the process of finalising a Workplan for
1997, in close consultation with other UN agencies and involved
parties. A Consolidated UN appeal for the Great Lakes Region will be
launched shortly.
4. BURUNDI
4.1 Although only partial information was available on the security
situation of much of the country, many areas remain clearly unsafe.
Missions to Cibitoke province have been halted owing to insecurity in
the northern area of the province. Shots were fired in the direction
of the WFP Twin Otter aircraft's flight path along the Kiriba forest
of Kayanza. The southern part of Bujumbura Rural and the border area
of Bururi province are reported unsafe and some areas have witnessed
heavy fighting, with rebel attacks leaving a reported 70 dead in
Rumonge commune.
4.2 In view of the escalation in mine explosion incidents, the UN
Security Cell forbids travel on non-asphalt roads of Bujumbura Rural,
Cibitoke and Bubanza provinces, affecting both assessment and
distribution missions by WFP.
4.3 The WFP Burundi caseload totalled 133,150 from 23 to 29 December.
Included in this total were 71,316 beneficiaries of emergency relief
distributions and 32,611 returnees benefiting from the WFP returnee
package. This returnee ration is provided to returnees (refugees who
have returned to Burundi) and displaced persons who are returning to
their homes or are resettling permanently elsewhere in Burundi.
4.4 WFP and other UN agencies are actively working together to render
possible food transport on Lake Tanganyika from Kigoma to Bujumbura.
Out of the some 2,500 metric tons import allowance to Burundi by the
RSCC (Regional Sanctions Coordinating Committee), 1,000 metric tons
would then be routed from Isaka to Ngozi and the balance by Lake
transport, to permit both good geographical pre-positioning of
commodities within the country and limitation of overland
transportation costs.
C. ETHIOPIA
1. UPDATE - Extracts from the recent FAO/WFP Mission report
1.1 A Special Report on the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment
mission to Ethiopia, issued on 16 December, describes the recent crop
of cereals and pulses as 20 percent higher than last year's very good
harvest. (Total production: some 12 million metric tons.) Early,
plentiful and well distributed rains throughout the year not only
encouraged planting and supported crop development in most zones, but
also provided optimal conditions for draught animals.
1.2 Cereal prices, which have been declining steadily in most markets
throughout the year, fell further with the onset of the harvest
signalling the general anticipation of a bumper crop. The Mission
stresses that given the fact that maize prices, in particular, were by
November near or below production costs in the main production areas,
efforts need to be made to improve marketing possibilities to avoid
surpluses becoming a disincentive to producers.
1.3 In spite of the comfortable national production figure, there
exist traditionally food deficient zones in various parts of the
country (parts of Wollo, parts of Tigray, and North Omo) due to
displacement, structural inadequacies and lack of access/entitlement
to food supplies. Some 1.9 million people will still require food
assistance. Overall food aid requirements are estimated at 186,000
metric tons, 64 percent of last year's requirements, but most of this
total is covered by carry-over stocks and pledges, leaving a balance
of 15,110 metric tons to be resourced.
1.4 The Mission recommended that all food aid should be met by local
purchases and that no food aid should be imported. In addition, the
Mission recommended that donors should seriously consider financial
support for the purchase and export of Ethiopian grains (maize and
sorghum) to neighbouring countries such as Kenya, Eritrea and Somalia,
where similar FAO/WFP Missions have reported large deficits. Such
action, as well as making logistical sense, will assist in
establishing a floor in the Ethiopian grain market and reduce the
possibility of the expected surpluses remaining unsaleable and
becoming a disincentive to agricultural production next year.
D. AFGHANISTAN
1. UPDATE
1.1 The WFP Executive Director's interim policy directive of 28
October 1996 allowed for the continuation of uninterrupted WFP
operations in the north and the resumption of shipments to parts of
Afghanistan where the pronouncements on women and girls did not
adversely affect WFP's outreach to female beneficiaries. During this
period, no restrictions were placed on the use of existing in-country
stocks, except in Jalalabad. Following the visit of the WFP Assistant
Executive Director to the Region, the Executive Director issued an
up-dated interim policy directive on 24 December 1996, which states
that in addition to continued but reduced levels of activity in the
north, the work of WFP in Southern and Eastern Afghanistan will be
exclusively in the following areas:
a) Humanitarian relief defined as assistance to refugees, returnees,
internally displaced persons and victims of natural disasters. Bakery
projects are also included in this category.
b) Institutional Feeding.
c) Projects where women or girls comprise 50 percent or more of the
direct beneficiaries.
d) Food-for-Seeds in cooperation with FAO.
e) Selected Food-for-Work in the following categories: (i) Health,
Water and Sanitation (ii) De-mining (iii) Clinic/School rehabilitation
if women/girls have equal access (iv) Flood control (in disaster prone
areas) (v) Shelter (for victims of conflict) (vi) Electricity and
basic service facility reconstruction (for war affected areas).
1.2 In all cases, WFP activities will be in areas where WFP/NGO
female staff - international and national - are allowed to work and
where the number of activities does not exceed monitoring capacity.
1.3 An updated operating plan indicating decreased activity levels is
being prepared by WFP to share with donors. In the meantime donors are
kindly requested to confirm pledges to avoid a break in the food
pipeline.
E. WFP ON THE WEB
1. Location of Special Reports for full text of FAO/WFP Crop and Food
Supply Mission reports mentioned above: http://www.fao.org/ then
click on Economics or Global Watch. Alternatively, use the FAO link
under Related Web Sites on the WFP Home Page at http://www.wfp.org/
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 1 of 1997 - January 3, 1997)
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