Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
00HARARE4810
2000-08-30 07:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Harare
Cable title:  

ZIMBABWE'S POTENTIAL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE NEEDS

Tags:  EAID EAGR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.



 UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9502

PAGE 01 HARARE 04810 01 OF 03 300750Z 
ACTION AID-00 

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AGRE-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 
 EB-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 FDRE-01 TEDE-00 IO-00 MMP-00 
 DCP-01 OIC-02 IRM-00 TRSE-00 SAS-00 /004W
 ------------------7F8EA1 300750Z /38 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6963
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
INFO USMISSION GENEVA 
AMEMBASSY ROME 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 004810 

SIPDIS

AIDAC

USAID FOR BHR/OFDA FOR B. SANFORD, M. ROGERS; BHR/FFP FOR
C.W.T. HAGELMAN3, B. VOGLER; A/AID FOR R. MCCALL; DAA/AFR FOR

V. NEWTON; AFR/SA FOR N. NEWMAN, C. PALMA; AFR/SD FOR W.
WHELAN; NAIROBI FOR BHR/OFDA/ARO FOR G. GOTTLIEB; STATE FOR
AF/S KRAFT; GABORONE FOR RCSA, R. MORTON; GENEVA PLEASE PASS
TO UNOCHA; ROME PLEASE PASS TO FODAG, PRETORIA PASS TO AG MIN
RHELM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE'S POTENTIAL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE NEEDS

REF: HARARE 4085

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 004810

SIPDIS

AIDAC

USAID FOR BHR/OFDA FOR B. SANFORD, M. ROGERS; BHR/FFP FOR
C.W.T. HAGELMAN3, B. VOGLER; A/AID FOR R. MCCALL; DAA/AFR FOR

V. NEWTON; AFR/SA FOR N. NEWMAN, C. PALMA; AFR/SD FOR W.
WHELAN; NAIROBI FOR BHR/OFDA/ARO FOR G. GOTTLIEB; STATE FOR
AF/S KRAFT; GABORONE FOR RCSA, R. MORTON; GENEVA PLEASE PASS
TO UNOCHA; ROME PLEASE PASS TO FODAG, PRETORIA PASS TO AG MIN
RHELM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE'S POTENTIAL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE NEEDS

REF: HARARE 4085


1. SUMMARY: THIS IS A USAID/BHR ACTION REQUEST (SEE PARA
10.). DUE TO A VARIETY OF FACTORS - INCLUDING CYCLONE ELINE,
THE COMMERCIAL FARM INVASIONS, THE GOVERNMENT'S 'FAST-TRACK'
RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE - ZIMBABWE IS
FACING POTENTIALLY SERIOUS FOOD SECURITY PROBLEMS AND
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE NEEDS OVER THE SHORT, MEDIUM AND
LONGER-TERM. IN RESPONSE TO THIS SITUATION, SEVERAL DONOR
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS/CONTINGENCY PLANNING INITIATIVES ARE
NOW UNDERWAY. MISSION REQUESTS BHR SHORT-TERM TECHNICAL
EXPERTISE TO ASSIST IT IN ENGAGING IN THESE ACTIVITIES TO
BETTER ASSESS THE PROBABILITY AND EXTENT OF THE EMERGING
HUMANITARIAN THREAT IN ZIMBABWE, AND ANY REQUIRED MULTI-DONOR
(INCLUDING U.S.G.) RESPONSE. END SUMMARY.


2. PROBLEM STATEMENT: SEVERAL RECENT EVENTS HAVE LED TO
EMERGING POTENTIALLY SERIOUS HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE NEEDS IN
ZIMBABWE. THESE INCLUDE:

--THE AFTERMATH OF CYCLONE ELINE: DESPITE CONSIDERABLE
RELIEF EFFORTS TO DATE, APPROXIMATELY 30,000 PEOPLE REMAIN
DISPLACED WITHIN SOUTHERN AND EASTERN ZIMBABWE, WHERE SOME
122,000 HECTARES OF CROPS WERE LOST OR SEVERELY AFFECTED AS A
RESULT OF THE FEBRUARY FLOODS. WITH THE IMPENDING RAINY
SEASON, THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO QUOTE SETTLE UNQUOTE THESE
PEOPLE, AND PROVIDE THEM WITH MINIMUM SHELTER AND INPUT
PACKAGES FOR THE UPCOMING AGRICULTURAL SEASON.

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 HARARE 04810 01 OF 03 300750Z
--THE IMPACT OF THE FARM INVASIONS AND THE GOVERNMENT'S
ONGOING 'FAST-TRACK' RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM: ALTHOUGH ACCURATE
NUMBERS ARE DIFFICULT TO COME BY, ACCORDING TO THE GENERAL
AGRICULTURAL AND PLANTATION WORKER'S UNION (GAPWUZ),SOME
5,000-10,000 FARM WORKERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISPLACED DURING
THE PAST SIX MONTHS OF UNREST IN THE COMMERCIAL FARMING
AREAS. UNDER ONGOING GOVERNMENT PLANS TO ACQUIRE 804 FARMS,
AS MANY AS 45,000 WORKERS' JOBS ARE IN IMMEDIATE JEOPARDY
(PRESUMABLY INCLUDING THE 5,000-10,000 NOTED ABOVE). NOTE:
THESE ESTIMATES ARE BASED ON A WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF 55 WORKERS

PER FARM (BASED ON THE LOCATIONS OF THE CURRENT LIST OF FARMS
DESIGNATED FOR RESETTLEMENT). THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF WORKERS
PER FARM VARIES CONSIDERABLY BY AGRO-ECOLOGICAL REGION.
HENCE, THESE AVERAGE ESTIMATES COULD VARY CONSIDERABLY,
DEPENDING UPON THE FINAL GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF THE FARMS
ACTUALLY RESETTLED. END NOTE. WITH AN AVERAGE FAMILY SIZE OF
5-6 PERSONS (WHICH ALSO VARIES BY REGION),THESE FIGURES
TRANSLATE INTO BETWEEN 25,000-60,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED NOW,
AND APPROXIMATELY 250,000-300,000 PEOPLE IN IMMEDIATE
JEOPARDY.

IN ADDITION, IF STATED GOVERNMENT PLANS TO ACQUIRE AND
RESETTLE 3,000+ FARMS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR ARE REALIZED
(A LOGISTICAL IMPOSSIBILITY IN OUR VIEW),THESE NUMBERS COULD
SWELL SIGNIFICANTLY TO AS MANY AS 350,000 WORKERS (OR ALMOST
1 MILLION PEOPLE). ONLY AN ESTIMATED 30% OF THESE FARM
WORKERS HAVE HOMES IN THE COMMUNAL LANDS. THEREFORE, WITH NO
STATED PLANS FOR THEIR INCLUSION INTO THE RESETTLEMENT
PROGRAM, THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THESE DISPLACED PEOPLE TO GO.
AS A RESULT, "THEY ARE JUST WANDERING ABOUT" (GAPWUZ). AN
ADDITIONAL ESTIMATED 40,000-60,000 FARM WORKERS AND CASUAL
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 HARARE 04810 01 OF 03 300750Z
LABORERS ARE FACING REDUCED OR NO PAY AS A RESULT OF REDUCED
WORK OPPORTUNITIES DUE TO THE DISRUPTIONS TO FARMING CAUSED
BY THE OCCUPATIONS AND UNREST. IN TRADITIONALLY FOOD
INSECURE AREAS, CASUAL LABOR ALLOWED THE POOR TO OBTAIN CASH
INCOME THAT HELPED PROVIDE A SAFETY NET IN THESE AREAS. THIS
COPING MECHANISM, TOO, HAS NOW BEEN DISRUPTED DUE TO THE
CONTINUED FARM INVASIONS.

--THE PRE AND POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE: THIS CONTINUING
POLITICAL VIOLENCE HAS DISPLACED AN ESTIMATED 12,000 PEOPLE
FROM LARGELY RURAL AND PERI-URBAN AREAS. THERE ARE FEW
SUPPORT STRUCTURES AVAILABLE FOR THESE PEOPLE AS WELL.

--URBAN VULNERABILITY: ONGOING GOVERNMENT RETRENCHMENTS AND
INCREASED BUSINESS CLOSURES DUE TO THE CURRENT MACRO-ECONOMIC
CRISIS ARE RESULTING IN RISING UN-/UNDER-EMPLOYMENT BEYOND
THE ESTIMATED 50% NATIONAL AVERAGE. THIS YEAR ALONE, FOR
EXAMPLE, 200,000 JOBS HAVE ALREADY BEEN LOST, WITH 400,000
ADDITIONAL URBAN JOBS IN REAL JEOPARDY BY THE END THE YEAR.
THIS SITUATION COULD WORSEN SIGNIFICANTLY, IF CURRENT THREATS
TO EXTEND THE INVASION/OCCUPATION TACTICS TO URBAN AND PERI-

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9503

PAGE 01 HARARE 04810 02 OF 03 300751Z
ACTION AID-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AGRE-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00
EB-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 FDRE-01 TEDE-00 IO-00 MMP-00
DCP-01 OIC-02 IRM-00 TRSE-00 SAS-00 /004W
-------------- 7F8EA7 300751Z /38
P 300731Z AUG 00
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6964
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
INFO USMISSION GENEVA
AMEMBASSY ROME
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 004810

SIPDIS

AIDAC

USAID FOR BHR/OFDA FOR B. SANFORD, M. ROGERS; BHR/FFP FOR
C.W.T. HAGELMAN3, B. VOGLER; A/AID FOR R. MCCALL; DAA/AFR FOR

V. NEWTON; AFR/SA FOR N. NEWMAN, C. PALMA; AFR/SD FOR W.
WHELAN; NAIROBI FOR BHR/OFDA/ARO FOR G. GOTTLIEB; STATE FOR
AF/S KRAFT; GABORONE FOR RCSA, R. MORTON; GENEVA PLEASE PASS
TO UNOCHA; ROME PLEASE PASS TO FODAG, PRETORIA PASS TO AG MIN
RHELM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 HARARE 04810 02 OF 03 300751Z
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE'S POTENTIAL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE NEEDS

URBAN BUSINESSES ARE PUT INTO EFFECT.

AT THE SAME TIME, PRICES FOR ALL BASIC COMMODITIES ARE
CONTINUING TO ESCALATE FUELED BY THE LONGSTANDING 50+%
INFLATION RATE AND HARD CURRENCY SHORTAGES. IN JULY, FOR
EXAMPLE, THE PRICE OF PARAFFIN (USED FOR COOKING IN MOST
URBAN HOUSEHOLDS) INCREASED BY 128%, PETROL - 25%, DIESEL -
19%, COMMUTER (BUS) FARES - 25%, BREAD - 10% AND (IN AUGUST)
MEAT - 25%. MOREOVER, FURTHER SIGNIFICANT PRICE INCREASES
ARE EXPECTED AS THE CONTINUING FUEL PRICE INCREASES FILTER
THROUGH THE SYSTEM, COMBINED WITH THE RECENT 30% CURRENCY
DEVALUATION AND SIGNIFICANT PENDING WHEAT SHORTAGES (SEE
BELOW). IN FACT, SOME ANALYSTS PREDICT THAT INFLATION MAY
REACH AS HIGH AS 80% BY THE END OF THE YEAR. THIS SITUATION
IS INCREASING THE VULNERABILITY OF THOSE WHO ARE RELIANT ON
MARKETS FOR THE PURCHASE OF THEIR BASIC SUPPLIES, IN MANY
CASES, BEYOND ACCEPTABLE LIMITS, AS MANY FAMILIES CUT BACK TO
TWO MEALS A DAY OR LESS.


3. FOOD SECURITY: AS A RESULT OF A 'BUMPER' MAIZE HARVEST
THIS PAST YEAR, WITH THE NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS OF FARM WORKERS
AND CYCLONE VICTIMS NOTED ABOVE (AND A FEW OTHER POOR-HARVEST
AREAS),FOOD SECURITY IN RURAL AREAS IS GENERALLY GOOD FOR
THIS YEAR. MAIZE PRICES IN URBAN AREAS AND AT THE ZIMBABWE
AGRICULTURAL COMMODITY EXCHANGE (ZIMACE) HAVE ACTUALLY
DECREASED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. WITH AN EXPECTED
SURPLUS OF SOME 600,000 MT THIS SEASON, THIS SITUATION IS NOT
EXPECTED TO ALTER DRASTICALLY ANYTIME SOON.

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 HARARE 04810 02 OF 03 300751Z

4. THE SITUATION IS NOT AS GOOD, HOWEVER, FOR WHEAT. EVEN IN
GOOD YEARS, ZIMBABWE IS AN IMPORTER OF HARD WHEAT FOR
BLENDING WITH LOCAL PRODUCTION FOR MILLING PURPOSES AT ABOUT
A 2:1/LOCAL:IMPORTED RATIO. AS A RESULT OF FOREIGN CURRENCY
SHORTAGES, HOWEVER, THE COUNTRY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO IMPORT
ITS ADDITIONAL WHEAT REQUIREMENTS THIS YEAR (I.E., ONLY
87,000 MT WAS IMPORTED LAST YEAR FOR A LOCAL HARVEST OF
320,000 MT). ACCORDING TO THE CEREALS PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATION
(CPA) OF ZIMBABWE, THIS SITUATION HAS RESULTED IN AN
ESTIMATED 50,000 -100,000 MT SHORTFALL FOR THIS SEASON (UNTIL
THIS YEAR'S WINTER WHEAT IS HARVESTED IN OCTOBER) THROUGH THE
MORE RAPID DEPLETION OF AVAILABLE LOCAL STOCKS THAN WOULD
NORMALLY BE THE CASE (IF THE SUPPLEMENTARY IMPORTED WHEAT WAS
AVAILABLE FOR BLENDING PURPOSES). AS A RESULT, WHEAT PRICES
ARE INCREASING, WITH FORWARD BIDS FOR OCTOBER WHEAT AT ZIMACE
INCREASING BY AS MUCH AS 54% (FROM MAY PRICES).


5. THESE TRENDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE, AS LATE/REDUCED
PLANTINGS DUE TO WET WEATHER AND THE FARM INVASIONS (THE BULK
OF THE WINTER WHEAT IN ZIMBABWE IS GROWN ON THE PREDOMINANTLY
WHITE-OWNED, IRRIGATED COMMERCIAL FARMS) IS EXPECTED TO
RESULT IN A 20-30% REDUCTION IN THIS SEASON'S OCTOBER HARVEST
(I.E., 250,000 MT VS. AN ESTIMATED 400,000+ MT ANNUAL
CONSUMPTION REQUIREMENT). WITH THE CONTINUING SEVERE
FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT ZIMBABWE WILL BE
ABLE TO AFFORD THE IMPORTS REQUIRED TO ADDRESS THIS
SIGNIFICANT PROJECTED WHEAT DEFICIT AS IT HAS IN RECENT
YEARS. WHILE SOME OF THIS SHORTFALL CAN/WILL BE MET THROUGH
SUBSTITUTION OF RELATIVELY ABUNDANT MAIZE ('MEALIE MEAL') FOR
WHEAT (BREAD) BY CONSUMERS, FLOUR AND BREAD PRICES ARE
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO ESCALATE OVER THE COMING MONTHS.
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 HARARE 04810 02 OF 03 300751Z
THESE SHORTAGES/PRICE INCREASES WILL BE MOST SEVERELY FELT IN
THE URBAN AREAS, WHERE CONSUMERS RELY MORE HEAVILY ON
PURCHASED BREAD FOR THEIR DAILY FOOD SUPPLIES. ALTHOUGH
ESTIMATES VARY, THIS SITUATION COULD BECOME CRITICAL NEAR THE
END OF THIS YEAR, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS URBAN UNREST
(SIMILAR TO THE FOOD RIOTS WHICH OCCURRED IN DECEMBER 1998).
MOREOVER, OVER THE LONGER TERM, PROSPECTS ARE EVEN BLEAKER AS
THE CONTINUING DISRUPTIONS AND GROWING DISLOCATIONS ON THE
COMMERCIAL FARMS ARE EXPECTED TO SEVERELY IMPACT NEXT YEAR'S
WHEAT HARVEST.


6. WITH THE NATIONAL POVERTY RATE ALREADY AROUND 70%, MOST
ZIMBABWEANS ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO ABSORB THIS SEEMINGLY
INTERMINABLE STREAM OF NEGATIVE ECONOMIC SHOCKS. AND, WITH
EMPTY COFFERS AND LITTLE/NO PROSPECTS FOR ADDITIONAL
INTERNATIONAL CREDIT, GOVERNMENT APPEARS POWERLESS TO BE ABLE
TO MOUNT ANY EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO THIS INCREASINGLY DIRE
HUMANITARIAN THREAT. NOTE: EVEN NOW, THE GRAIN MARKETING
BOARD (GMB) - THE GOVERNMENT'S MONOPOLY GRAIN TRADING
PARASTATAL - IS UNABLE TO SOURCE THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO
PURCHASE LAST YEAR'S MAIZE CROP FROM FARMERS. THIS DELAY IS

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9505

PAGE 01 HARARE 04810 03 OF 03 300751Z
ACTION AID-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AGRE-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00
EB-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 FDRE-01 TEDE-00 IO-00 MMP-00
DCP-01 OIC-02 IRM-00 TRSE-00 SAS-00 /004W
-------------- 7F8EB3 300751Z /38
P 300731Z AUG 00
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6965
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
INFO USMISSION GENEVA
AMEMBASSY ROME
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 004810

SIPDIS

AIDAC

USAID FOR BHR/OFDA FOR B. SANFORD, M. ROGERS; BHR/FFP FOR
C.W.T. HAGELMAN3, B. VOGLER; A/AID FOR R. MCCALL; DAA/AFR FOR

V. NEWTON; AFR/SA FOR N. NEWMAN, C. PALMA; AFR/SD FOR W.
WHELAN; NAIROBI FOR BHR/OFDA/ARO FOR G. GOTTLIEB; STATE FOR
AF/S KRAFT; GABORONE FOR RCSA, R. MORTON; GENEVA PLEASE PASS
TO UNOCHA; ROME PLEASE PASS TO FODAG, PRETORIA PASS TO AG MIN
RHELM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 HARARE 04810 03 OF 03 300751Z
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE'S POTENTIAL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE NEEDS

SERIOUSLY JEOPARDIZING NEXT YEAR'S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AS
THE RAINY SEASON APPROACHES AND FARMERS HAVE NO FUNDS/CREDIT
TO PURCHASE THE NECESSARY INPUTS. END NOTE.

NOTE: OVER THE LONGER TERM, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IN RECENT
TIMES ZIMBABWE HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERE (MAJOR, WIDESPREAD)
DROUGHTS EVERY SEVERAL YEARS. WITH AT LEAST AVERAGE RAINFALL
FOR THE PAST THREE SEASONS, THE CHANCES FOR ANOTHER MAJOR
DROUGHT EVENT ARE INCREASING EACH YEAR. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NO
INFORMATION TO SUGGEST THAT A DROUGHT WILL OCCUR THIS YEAR,
THE POTENTIAL HUMANITARIAN EFFECTS OF SUCH AN EVENT WOULD BE
MOST SERIOUS, INDEED, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMBINED WITH THE
CURRENT WIDESPREAD TURMOIL IN THE COUNTRY'S FARMING SECTOR.
THE PROVERBIAL STRAW ON THE CAMEL'S BACK COMES TO MIND HERE.
END NOTE.


7. MULTI-DONOR RESPONSE: IN RESPONSE TO THIS EMERGING
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, SEVERAL DONORS HAVE EMBARKED ON
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS/CONTINGENCY PLANNING ACTIVITIES. THE
MOST PROMINENT OF THESE ACTIVITIES IS THE UNITED NATIONS
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM'S (UNDP'S) INTER-AGENCY EFFORT AIMED AT
CONTINGENCY PLANNING IN THE HEALTH AND NUTRITION, WATER AND
SANITATION, FOOD (SECURITY) AND EDUCATION SECTORS. ONGOING
SINCE JULY, A FINAL REPORT ON THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED IN
EARLY SEPTEMBER, AT WHICH TIME UNDP PLANS TO PRESENT THE PLAN
- INCLUDING A SERIES OF AGENCY/SECTOR-SPECIFIC PROJECT
PROPOSALS - TO OTHER DONORS FOR CONSIDERATION FOR SUPPORT.
COMPLEMENTING THIS EFFORT, OVER THE MEDIUM-LONGER TERM, IS
THE WORLD BANK'S (WB'S) PLANNED ENHANCED SOCIAL PROTECTION
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 HARARE 04810 03 OF 03 300751Z
PROGRAM AIMED AT ESTABLISHING A SOCIAL SAFETY NET FOR
ZIMBABWE'S INCREASINGLY DESPERATE POPULATION.


8. MISSION IS INCREASINGLY CONCERNED WITH THIS RAPIDLY
DETERIORATING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE. FOR A
VARIETY OF REASONS, ANY ASSISTANCE THE U.S.G. MIGHT OFFER IN
ADDRESSING THIS SITUATION SHOULD BE PART OF A CONCERTED MULTI-
DONOR RESPONSE. ACCORDINGLY, IT IS IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO
PARTICIPATE IN AND ENSURE A USEFUL AND SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME TO
THE CURRENT U.N. AND WB-SPONSORED CONTINGENCY PLANNING
ACTIVITIES.


9. IN ADDITION TO THE EMERGING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, OTHER
FACTORS - HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT, THE RECENT VIOLENCE, FUEL
SHORTAGES AND INCREASING POLITICAL COMPETITION - ARE CREATING
A POTENTIALLY COMBUSTIBLE COMBINATION. IN RESPONSE, THE
U.S.G. SHOULD ENGAGE IN A PREPAREDNESS AND MITIGATION
PLANNING EXERCISE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.


10. ACTION REQUEST: BASED ON THE ABOVE, MISSION REQUESTS
USAID BUREAU OF HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR) ASSISTANCE IN
PROVIDING THE SERVICES OF ONE/TWO OFFICE OF FOREIGN DISASTER
ASSISTANCE (OFDA) AND/OR FOOD FOR PEACE (FFP) EXPERTS TO
ZIMBABWE FOR AN APPROXIMATE TWO WEEK PERIOD IN MID-SEPTEMBER
TO FACILITATE OUR EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION AND INPUT INTO
ONGOING IN-COUNTRY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS/CONTINGENCY
PLANNING ACTIVITIES. MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE PURPOSE OF THIS
ASSISTANCE WOULD BE TO: 1) REVIEW THE RESULTS OF CURRENT ON-
GOING IN-COUNTRY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS/CONTINGENCY PLANNING
ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING THE RESULTS OF THE CURRENT UNDP INTER-
AGENCY CONTINGENCY PLANNING PROCESS AND THE STATUS OF THE
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 HARARE 04810 03 OF 03 300751Z
WB'S ENHANCED SOCIAL PROTECTION PROGRAM ACTIVITY, THE ANNUAL
FAMINE EARLY WARNING SERVICE (FEWS) VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
EXPECTED IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, AS WELL AS SIMILAR ON-GOING
CONTINGENCY PLANNING EFFORTS BY SEVERAL LOCALLY-BASED PRIVATE
VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS); 2) PROVIDE AN INDEPENDENT,
REALISTIC ASSESSMENT FOR THE U.S.G. OF THE LIKELY SHORT AND
LONGER-TERM HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE NEEDS IN ZIMBABWE; 3)
PROVIDE EXPERT U.S.G. INPUT INTO THE FINAL RECOMMENDED MULTI-
DONOR RESPONSE TO THESE IDENTIFIED HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
NEEDS; AND 4) (FOLLOWING DEPARTURE FROM POST) FACILITATE THE
MISSION'S CONTINUING DIALOGUE ON THIS SUBJECT WITH CONCERNED
USAID/W OFFICES AND OTHER AGENCIES (E.G., U.N. FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO),WFP, ETC.) FOR THE TIMELY
PREPARATION AND INITIATION OF ANY AGREED UPON U.S.G.
ASSISTANCE (AS PART OF A GREATER MULTI-DONOR EFFORT).
MISSION WILL APPRECIATE YOUR TIMELY RESPONSE TO THIS REQUEST
FOR ASSISTANCE.

MCDONALD

UNCLASSIFIED

>