WFP'S ATTENTION TO ZIMBABWE

UNCLAS HARARE 002514 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER PLEASE PASS USAID FOR A/AID, AA/BHR, AND AFR/SA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR ECON PHUM PREF SUBJECT: WFP'S ATTENTION TO ZIMBABWE REF: ROME 4322 ¶1. POST WAS CONCERNED BY THE STATEMENT IN REFTEL THAT THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM (WFP) "HAS NO PLANS TO START UP ANY OPERATIONS IN ZIMBABWE." HOWEVER, WE SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED FROM UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE VICTOR ANGELO ON AUGUST 23 THAT WFP PLANS TO ASSIGN TEMPORARILY TWO PROGRAM OFFICERS TO ZIMBABWE FOR A TWO-MONTH PERIOD, BEGINNING IMMEDIATELY. THE TWO-PERSON TEAM APPARENTLY WILL CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EXPECTED FOOD SHORTAGE AND DO CONTINGENCY PLANNING. (NB. OTHER THAN A PROCUREMENT OFFICIAL, THERE IS NO WFP FOOD EXPERT RESIDENT IN ZIMBABWE.) WFP HAS A CRITICAL ROLE TO PLAY IN COORDINATING THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE; WITHOUT ENERGETIC COORDINATION FROM WFP, WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE A MOSAIC OF BILATERAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS THEY SHOULD BE IN MEETING THE HUMANITARIAN NEED. WE ARE PLEASED, THEREFORE, TO SEE THAT WFP APPEARS TO BE STEPPING UP ITS INVOLVEMENT, BUT WASHINGTON WILL NEED TO REMAIN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH WFP ON THE URGENCY OF THE FOOD CRISIS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF COORDINATION. ¶2. ON A RELATED NOTE, ANGELO TOLD US THAT THE GOVERNMENT SEEMS TO BE CHANGING ITS TUNE A BIT ON THE ISSUE OF THE IMPENDING FOOD SHORTAGE. UNTIL RECENTLY, OF COURSE, THE GOZ DENIED THE POSSIBILITY OF A SHORTFALL. EARLIER THIS WEEK, HOWEVER, A SENIOR FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL ACKNOWLEDGED TO ANGELO THAT INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE WOULD BE REQUIRED AND INDICATED THAT HE WOULD TRY TO BE HELPFUL IN SECURING GOZ COOPERATION ON THIS ISSUE. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 02514 241110Z ROTH UNCLASSIFIED >