Report No. 05 of 1999 Date: 5 February 1999
This report includes: A) Colombia - earthquake operations B) Central America - Hurricane Mitch operations C) Guinea Bissau D) Sierra Leone E) Angola F) Central Africa: DR Congo and Congo/Brazzaville G) General - Food Aid Needs and Shortfalls.
>From Manuel Aranda da Silva, Chief, Technical Support Service. Available on the Internet on the WFP Home Page at http://www.wfp.org/ or by electronic mail from Deborah.Hicks@wfp.org (fax 39 06 6513 2837). For information on resources, donors are requested to contact Aleesa.Blum@wfp.org or Marius.deGaayFortman@wfp.org at WFP Rome, telephone 39 06 6513 2004 or 06 6513 2250. The address of WFP is Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici, 00148 Rome, Italy.
This issue of the Emergency Report was prepared by Natasha Nadazdin and Deborah Hicks.
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS (Details below in Part II)
A. COLOMBIA
1. Earthquake relief operations update - information as of 4 February a) WFP Emergency Operation (EMOP 6108) approved on 5 February. EMOP follows immediate response WFP emergency operation under which USD 200,000 used to purchase food for 5,000 families for twenty days. EMOP 6108 to provide food assistance to 115,000 people for six months; total food requirement 7,466 metric tons (total food value USD 2.98 million). Total WFP costs are USD 4.6 million. b) Limited amounts of food available in earthquake-affected zone, and number of people needing assistance is growing. c) Needs assessment mission report by WFP regional emergency officer and a senior logistics officer attached as a Supplement to the WFP Emergency Report.
B. CENTRAL AMERICA: RELIEF OPERATIONS FOR VICTIMS OF HURRICANE MITCH IN HONDURAS, NICARAGUA, EL SALVADOR AND GUATEMALA
1. Update - information as of 29 January a) New WFP two-year regional rehabilitation and rebuilding programme for Central America approved. PRRO 6089, due to start in May 1999, will replace current emergency operation, and will cover needs of 1,110,000 people. Food requirements are 111,607 metric tons. Total WFP cost is USD 73.1 million. b) Donor support required for present emergency operation to avoid break in food aid pipeline of some three months starting in April.
C. GUINEA BISSAU
1. Update - information as of 4 February a) New ceasefire brokered following renewed fighting in Bissau, which began 31 January following three-month truce. Fighting causes further exodus of people. b) WFP international staff temporarily re-located to Bafata.
D. SIERRA LEONE
1. Update - information as of 3 February a) Food supply situation in Freetown still of great concern, as many shopkeepers and food importers fled the city during recent fighting. b) Security situation in Freetown improves. WFP international staff are still based in Conakry and continue their missions in and out of the country.
E. ANGOLA
1. Update - information as of 5 February a) MONUA continues withdrawal from provincial capitals; operations to close close down on 26 February. During press briefing in New York on 3 February, UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator stresses that humanitarian agencies are not going to leave Angola. b) Recent operational details and update on current situation by region given below.
F. CENTRAL AFRICA: DR CONGO AND CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE
1. Update a) WFP plans to resume limited humanitarian activities in eastern DR Congo once basic security conditions are in place. b) Inter-agency mission visits Luozi in Bas-Congo province to assess the situation of Congolese refugees fleeing war in Brazzaville. Mission identifies 16,500 Congolese refugees in need of emergency assistance. c) Number of refugees from Angola arriving in DR Congo is increasing. Arrangements for assistance programme to 40,000 Angolan refugees and 6,000 Congolese in refugee-affected areas in Katanga, Bandundu and Bas-Congo provinces are being finalized. WFP food requirements for this operation total 4,825 tons of food.
G. GENERAL - FOOD AID REQUIREMENTS AND SHORTFALLS
1. Update a) January 1999 version of "1999 Estimated Food Needs and Shortfalls for WFP-assisted Emergency and Protracted Relief Operations, Development Projects, Special Operations" now available on WFP Web home page http://www.wfp.org b) Selected emergency operations urgently in need of resources listed below, along with protracted relief and recovery operations (PRROs) approved by the WFP Executive board in January.
PART II - DETAILS
A. COLOMBIA
1. EARTHQUAKE RELIEF OPERATIONS - information as of 4 February
1.1 Following the immediate response WFP emergency operation using USD 200,000 to purchase supplies to cover food needs of 5,000 families for twenty days, a WFP Emergency Operation (EMOP 6108) was approved on 5 February. The EMOP is for emergency food assistance to 115,000 people, including 10,000 schoolchildren, affected by the earthquake in the coffee growing areas of west-central Colombia. The EMOP is for six months, with a total food requirement of 7,466 metric tons (total value USD 2.98 million). Total WFP costs are USD 4.6 million. The EMOP includes a rehabilitation component based on food-for-work activities to clean rubble and rebuild homes and infrastructure.
1.2 On 3 February, a WFP Rome-based Senior Liaison Officer for Latin America visited affected areas area of Pereira, Armenia (urban) and Barcelona, Pijao, Cordoba (rural). She reported that the magnitude of the catastrophe is even greater than what is being shown and reported in the media. Nine days after the earthquake, the extent of the problem is coming to light: besides the physical destruction, which is huge, the human suffering is such that it will take many years for this population to feel secure and for the situation to return to normal.
1.3 As broken construction material is removed, new corpses are discovered. Sanitation and health problems are becoming serious. The affected families who have set up their temporary shelters of plastic sheets and pieces of cartons in front of their destroyed houses are enduring sudden changes of temperature (hot mornings, heavy rains in the afternoons, and unusually low temperatures at night).
1.4 The destruction in the urban cities is high, but even worse in the rural towns. Some areas which did not experience many deaths or many injured are also affected, as many displaced families from Armenia are moving to these towns, where some are sleeping in tents, schools or churches, or have sought refuge with family or friends. This is causing shortages of food for the host families who do not receive food assistance as they were not directly affected by the earthquake.
1.5 Limited amounts of food are available in the affected zone. Food donations received so far by private and national authorities have been distributed. The number of people in need is increasing as people leave their destroyed homes in search of food and shelter. Available food stocks are not sufficient and families who received rations seven days ago are exhausting their stocks.
1.6 A more detailed report by the WFP regional emergency officer and a senior logistics officer on a needs assessment mission to the area hit by the earthquake is attached as a Supplement to the WFP Emergency Report.
B. CENTRAL AMERICA: RELIEF OPERATIONS FOR VICTIMS OF HURRICANE MITCH IN HONDURAS, NICARAGUA, EL SALVADOR AND GUATEMALA
1. UPDATE
1.1 Following a seven-day tour of Honduras and Nicaragua in January, the WFP Executive Director called for urgent aid to help victims of Hurricane Mitch, which devastated large areas of several Central American countries in late October and early November. The Executive Director announced a new WFP appeal for a two-year regional rehabilitation and rebuilding programme in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador. The operation (PRRO 6089) is due to start in May 1999, to replace the current emergency operation in the four countries. The Regional PRRO will assist 1,110,000 people and will require 111,607 metric tons of food. Total WFP cost is USD 73.1 million.
1.2 The present emergency operation is facing a possible break in the food aid pipeline of some three months starting in April, if WFP does not get full financing for the USD 62 million emergency appeal. Unless further funding is provided, WFP will have to reduce either the rations or the number of beneficiaries.
C. GUINEA BISSAU
1. UPDATE - information as of 4 February
1.1 Renewed fighting broke out in Bissau on 31 January, following a three-month truce between government and junta troops, causing a further exodus of people who had recently returned to the city. A new ceasefire was signed by President Vieira and General Mane of the junta and stipulated the end of hostilities from the afternoon of 3 February and the continuation of the previous agreement to withdraw foreign troops and deploy ECOMOG forces.
1.2 WFP international staff and most national staff in Bissau have been temporarily relocated to Bafata, but will return when security permits. National staff in Bissau have continued food distribution to the hospital and the orphanage where WFP has distributed approximately 5 tons of rice.
1.3 As a result of the fighting, an influx of displaced persons is reported in Cumura and Safim, as well as in Bissora in Oio region. WFP stocks are low in Bafata, and the option of organizing a convoy from Banjul or Conakry is under consideration.
1.4 WFP has suspended food transport by sea from Banjul to Bissau until further notice. A consignment of 114 tons of UNICEF food rations arrived in WFP warehouses in Bafata from Dakar on 30 January for the joint WFP/UNICEF school feeding project.
1.5 WFP has contracted a bakery in Safim to bake bread for 12,000 IDPs using WFP wheatflour. The first daily rations of 200 g of bread per person will be distributed to IDPs by Caritas on 5 February.
D. SIERRA LEONE
1. UPDATE - information as of 3 February
1.1 The security situation in Freetown has improved, but food supply for the city is still of great concern. Precarious security made many shopkeepers and food importers flee Freetown, and the city may face grave food shortages in two to three months.
1.2 Due to lack of security, WFP international staff are still based in Conakry in Guinea and continue their missions in and out of the country, but national staff are in place and completed distribution of World Vision food aid to 110,000 IDPs at seven centres in Freetown on 31 January.
1.3 The WFP Country Director visited Freetown on 1 February with other UN heads of agencies. They again met government officials (NCRRR and Deputy Minister of Development) at the National Stadium. A new distribution centre has been opened in eastern Freetown as a part of the strategy to move food to vulnerable people in newly secured areas. ECOMOG has been encouraging distribution in the east and people are beginning to move back to their homes.
1.4 WFP plans to operate a helicopter on behalf of the humanitarian community within the next two weeks, to shuttle aid workers back and forth from Conakry and to transport limited amounts of food and medical supplies.
E. ANGOLA
1. UPDATE - information as of 5 February
1.1 General: MONUA has continued its withdrawal from provincial capitals. Operations will close down on 26 February. During a press briefing in New York on 3 February, Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths stressed that humanitarian agencies were not going to leave Angola.
1.2 Malanje: after an interruption of almost two weeks, shelling in Malanje resumed on 29 January provoking a number of civilian casualties. Following military confrontations in Cangandala, a yet unknown number of IDPs have arrived in the city. Distribution capacities are very scarce, as only very few implementing partners are present on the ground. Despite security constraints, WFP food distributions began on 28 January with the support of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Reintegration (Minars). From 28 January to 4 February, distributions have reached approximately 25,000 IDPs. More than 73,000 IDPs are now present in and around the city.
1.3 Bengo: the Boa Esperanca camp near Porto Quipiri, that has been the refuge of more than 45,000 IDPs since 1993, was recently able to close down. The last 13,000 displaced people still remaining in the camp returned home this week to Caje-Mazumbo in the municipality of Nambagongo.
1.4 Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul: On 13 January, WFP personnel returned to Lunda Norte and cargo flights resumed. WFP has carried out food distribution to both the IDPs in Dundo and the vulnerable groups in N'zaji. In Saurimo, WFP has distributed food to 80 per cent of the 10,000 IDPs residing in the Luari camp.
1.5 Uige: In Uige and Negage, there are more than 25,000 IDPs. Food supply, which is usually provided by road through Songo and Quitexe, has now become very critical. It is not possible any more to provide food from these locations because of the regular attacks on vehicles and ongoing fighting. WFP now airlifts food almost on a daily basis.
1.6 Bie: The security situation has now improved in the town of Kuito, after weeks of shelling and fierce combat. In January, WFP managed to distribute food to 60,000 beneficiaries. With CARE as implementing partner, in February it is planned to distribute approximately 1,200 tons of food to 93,000 beneficiaries, of which 70 per cent will be IDPs. MSF/B, Minars and Angolan Red Cross will distribute to the vulnerable groups through supplementary feeding centres.
1.7 Zaire: On 12 January, WFP resumed airlifts to M'banza Kongo. However, because of security concerns, WFP was forced to suspend its operations on 27 January.
1.8 Huambo: On 22 January, WFP staff returned to Huambo. A very large number of IDPs are now present in the city. In January, WFP was not able to distribute food to more than 24,000 IDPs, due to a lack of implementing partners on the ground. For February, WFP hopes to increase its capacity and provide food to 86,000 IDPs.
F. CENTRAL AFRICA: DR CONGO AND CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE
1. UPDATE
1.1 WFP plans to resume limited humanitarian activities in eastern DR Congo once basic security conditions are in place. In the first stage, WFP plans to deliver 400 tons of food per month, to cover the immediate needs of displaced and malnourished persons in Goma. Arrangements are being made to identify implementing partners in the area. Initially deliveries will be made by truck from Kampala directly to Goma.
1.2 On 28 January, an inter-agency mission visited Luozi in Bas-Congo province to assess the situation of Congolese refugees, who arrived after war broke out in Brazzaville. The mission identified 16,500 Congolese refugees as needing emergency humanitarian assistance. Presently 8,500 live with family or friends while others continue to be sheltered in public buildings.
1.3 WFP is finalizing arrangements to begin an assistance programme to 40,000 Angolan refugees and 6,000 Congolese in refugee-affected areas in Katanga, Bandundu and Bas-Congo provinces. WFP food requirements for this operation total 4,825 tons of food. The number of refugees arriving in DR Congo is increasing; a recent joint UNHCR/WFP joint mission identified some 27,000 new arrivals from Angola.
1.4 The fifth airlift operation from Pointe-Noir to Brazzaville for 973 metric tons of WFP food commenced on 28 January. Up to 31 January a total of 243 metric tons were airlifted. Pending resumption of railway traffic, airlifts are the only means of transporting food to assist those in need in Brazzaville.
G. GENERAL - FOOD AID REQUIREMENTS AND SHORTFALLS
1. UPDATE - WFP ON THE WEB
1.1 An updated January 1999 version of the document "1999 Estimated Food Needs and Shortfalls for WFP-assisted Emergency and Protracted Relief Operations, Development Projects, Special Operations" highlights current estimated food aid requirements and shortfalls for 1999 and provides regional descriptions of selected relief operations. This document is published three times annually to coincide with Consultations on Resources meetings. It is available on the WFP Web home page at http://www.wfp.org/res/yellowpage/index.html, or at http://www.wfp.org, click on Resources and Appeals.
1.2 Also available on the WFP home page are frequently updated reports on various WFP operations. Click on Field Operations, then country or region.
2. SELECTED RELIEF OPERATIONS CURRENTLY FACING RESOURCING SHORTFALLS
Colombia EMOP 6108. Emergency food assistant to people affected by the earthquake in western Colombia. Details above.
Central America EMOP 6079. Hurricane Mitch. Current shortfall: 52,474 tons - USD 19.4 million - 45 percent of EMOP needs. Operation will be converted to a PRRO on 1 May 1999.
Uganda EMOP 5816.02. Assistance to IDPs in northern Uganda. Current shortfall: 57,992 tons - USD 33.6 million - 100 percent of EMOP needs.
China EMOP 6045. Flood relief operations. Current shortfall: 133,841 tons - USD 47 million - 42 percent of EMOP needs.
Great Lakes Regional EMOP 5624.03. Current shortfall: 74,033 tons - USD 45.6 million - 50 percent of EMOP needs. Operation will be converted to a PRRO on 1 August 1999.
3. PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS APPROVED IN 1999
The WFP Executive Board approved the following protracted relief and recovery operations (PRROs) at its session in January 1999:
Central America Regional PRRO 6089. Assistance for reconstruction and rehabilitation to families in Central America affected by Hurricane Mitch. Duration two years beginning 1 May 1999. Beneficiaries: 1,110,000. Operation requirements: 111,607 tons. Total WFP cost: USD 73.1 million.
Great Lakes Regional PRRO 6077 (for Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda). Food aid for relief and recovery. Duration two years beginning 1 August 1999. Beneficiaries: 1,250,000. Operation requirements: 422,478 tons. Total WFP cost USD 269 million.
Somalia PRRO 6073. Food aid for relief and recovery. Duration three years beginning 1 July 1999. Beneficiaries: 1,320,000. Operation requirements: 63,104 tons. Total WFP cost: USD 55.4 million.
Iraq PRRO 6085. Assistance to malnourished children. Duration one year beginning 1 February 1999. Beneficiaries: 1,075,000. Operation requirements: 30,060 tons. Total WFP cost: USD 21 million.
Note: all tonnage figures above refer to metric tons
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 05 of 1999 - February 5, 1999)
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