WFP'S ATTENTION TO ZIMBABWE

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.

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