Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME2727
2002-06-06 12:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

WFP LOGISTICS-MOVING FOOD AND NON-FOOD ITEMS IN

Tags:  EAID EAGR AORC PREF WFP UN 
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UNCLAS ROME 002727 

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION ROME

LUANDA FOR USAID RHELLYER AND HEVANS
GENEVA FOR RMA FOR NANCE KYLOH
BRUSSELS FOR KFULLER AND KDEBLAUW
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
USUN FOR LSHESTACK
NAIROBI FOR ARO AND FFP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF WFP UN
SUBJECT: WFP LOGISTICS-MOVING FOOD AND NON-FOOD ITEMS IN
ANGOLA

REF: A) ROME 2065 B) 2711

---------
SUMMARY
---------

UNCLAS ROME 002727

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION ROME

LUANDA FOR USAID RHELLYER AND HEVANS
GENEVA FOR RMA FOR NANCE KYLOH
BRUSSELS FOR KFULLER AND KDEBLAUW
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
USUN FOR LSHESTACK
NAIROBI FOR ARO AND FFP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF WFP UN
SUBJECT: WFP LOGISTICS-MOVING FOOD AND NON-FOOD ITEMS IN
ANGOLA

REF: A) ROME 2065 B) 2711

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. SENIOR EMERGENCY COORDINATOR IN THE U.S. MISSION IN
ROME TO THE U.N. AGENCIES TRAVELED TO ANGOLA APRIL 13--
20 TO REVIEW THE OPERATIONS OF THE U.N. WORLD FOOD
PROGRAM (WFP) AND THE EMERGENCY COORDINATION UNIT OF THE
FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATION OF THE U.N.
(FAO/ECU),AS WELL AS TO LOOK AT THE COMPLEMENTARITY
BETWEEN THE TWO. WFP'S PROGRAMS AND FAO/ECU ACTIVITIES
WERE REPORTED IN REF TELS. THIS REPORT FOCUSES SOLELY
ON WFP LOGISTICS ACTIVITIES.


2. IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS, WFP WAS ABLE TO INCREASE
THE PERCENTAGE OF ROAD TRANSPORT VERSUS AIR FOR MOVING
ITS FOOD COMMODITIES. WFP IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING A
REVIEW OF ITS LAND TRANSPORT RATES, IN THE HOPES THAT
THEY WILL DECREASE IN THE POST-WAR ENVIRONMENT. FOR THE
TIME BEING, WFP CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN ITS SECURITY
SAFEGUARDS FOR ROAD AND AIR TRANSPORT. THE POOR
CONDITION OF SOME AIRSTRIPS CONTINUES TO HAMPER WFP'S
OPERATIONS AND BE A SAFETY CONCERN. WFP IS MAKING
CONTINUAL STRIDES TO TIGHTEN AND STRENGTHEN ITS TWO
SPECIAL OPERATIONS: THE AIR PASSENGER SERVICE AND THE
AIRLIFT OF NON-FOOD ITEMS. SUCH SERVICES ARE CRITICAL
TO THE OVERALL HUMANITARIAN EFFORT IN ANGOLA AND MERIT
CONTINUED USG SUPPORT. SEE PARA 18 FOR RECOMMENDATIONS.
END SUMMARY.

--------------
AIR VERSUS ROAD
--------------


3. THE SEC MET WITH WFP'S LOGISTICS CHIEF, CHRIS NIKOI,
TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CURRENT CHALLENGES
FACING WFP'S OPERATIONS. WFP'S LOGISTICS UNIT ARRANGES
FOR AND OVERSEES THE MOVEMENT OF ITS FOOD COMMODITIES BY
ROAD AND AIR, AND ALSO RUNS TWO SPECIAL OPERATIONS
(SOS),NAMELY THE PASSENGER AIR SERVICE AND THE AIRLIFT
OF NON-FOOD ITEMS (NFIS) FOR THE HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY.


4. IN 2001, THE RATIO OF AIR TO ROAD TRANSPORT WAS 60
PERCENT AIR AND 40 PERCENT ROAD. SINCE JANUARY OF THIS
YEAR, WFP WAS ABLE TO INCREASE ROAD TRANSPORT BY ABOUT
13 PERCENT, SO THAT THE RATIO HAS IMPROVED TO 47 PERCENT
AIR AND 53 PERCENT ROAD.


5. GIVEN THE NEW OPERATIONAL SCENARIO IN-COUNTRY, I.E.,

NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR ROAD TRANSPORTATION, NEWLY
ACCESSIBLE AREAS IN NEED OF HUMANITARIAN AID, THE
POSSIBLE RETURN OF REFUGEES, AND THE NEED FOR FOOD
ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES OF EX-UNITA COMBATANTS, WFP'S
TRANSPORT CHALLENGES MAY INCREASE ALONGSIDE THE
PROGRAMMATIC CHALLENGES AS REPORTED IN REF TEL A.
NONETHELESS, WFP RE-TENDERED THE CONTRACTS FOR ROAD
TRANSPORT IN THE LAST PART OF MAY TO SURVEY THE
TRANSPORT MARKET IN THE CHANGED ENVIRONMENT. IN TANDEM,
WFP IS CONDUCTING A LAND, TRANSPORT, SHIPPING AND
HANDLING (LTSH) REVIEW TO SEE IF THERE ARE CORRIDORS
WHERE THE LTSH RATE CAN BE REDUCED. WFP HOPES THE
INCREASED POSSIBILITIES FOR ROAD TRANSPORT WOULD RESULT
IN A REDUCTION IN THE LTSH RATE, NOTWITHSTANDING
CHALLENGES IMPOSED BY THE VERY POOR STATE OF ROAD
INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COUNTRY AND THAT AREAS TO BE
SERVICED HAVE NOW INCREASED.


6. NOTE: WITH THE NUMBER OF INCREASED NEEDS AND SITES,
SOME OF WHICH ARE LOCATED IN REMOTE LOCATIONS, IT IS
FORESEEABLE THAT THE NEED FOR AIR TRANSPORT COULD
INCREASE IN THE SHORT TERM. THE POTENTIAL FOR BANDITRY
IS ALSO A VALID CONCERN. END NOTE.

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LINGERING SECURITY PRECAUTIONS
--------------


7. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT FOR REASONS OF SECURITY, THE
COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTERS CONTINUE TO USE ARMED FORCES OF
ANGOLA (FAA) ESCORTS FOR SOME CORRIDORS. IN ADDITION,
WFP PLANES CONTINUE TO SPIRAL INTO THE PROVINCIAL
CAPITALS WHEN ARRIVING AND DEPARTING. WFP PLANS TO
MAINTAIN THESE SAFETY PRACTICES FOR THE FORESEEABLE
FUTURE, BUT HAS BEGUN INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THE
POSSIBILITY OF REVISING THESE SAFETY OPERATIONAL
PROCEDURES.

--------------
AIRSTRIPS-THE PERENNIAL PROBLEM
--------------


8. THE POOR CONDITION OF MANY OF THE AIRSTRIPS HAS BEEN
A MATTER OF PERPETUAL DIALOGUE IN ANGOLA. DURING THE
SEC'S VISIT, WFP HAD JUST RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS THAT OUTLINED A SCHEDULE FOR
MAINTENANCE OF THE KUITO AIRSTRIP, WHEREBY THE AIRSTRIP
WILL BE OPEN FOR 10 DAYS FOR FLIGHTS AND THEN CLOSED FOR
TWO WEEKS OF MAINTENANCE. THE MINISTRY INTENDS TO
CONTINUE THIS SCHEDULE FOR THE COMING MONTHS. (COMMENT:
THIS IS A VERY WELCOME GESTURE FROM THE MINISTRY, AS THE
APPALLING CONDITION OF THE KUITO AIRSTRIP HAS BEEN A
MATTER OF MANY DEBATES OVER THE PAST YEARS. LET'S HOPE
THE GRA'S INTENTIONS ARE GENUINE. END COMMENT.)


9. THE LOGISTICS CHIEF VOICED A SIMILAR CONCERN ABOUT
THE LUENA AIRSTRIP, AS IT ALSO REQUIRES MAINTENANCE.
THE TONNAGE NEEDS IN LUENA ARE SO HIGH, SHUTTING DOWN
THE AIRSTRIP FOR EVEN A FEW DAYS COULD HAVE A
DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE STATUS OF THE BENEFICIARIES.
THUS, REGULAR MAINTENANCE IS NECESSARY, BUT THE AIRSTRIP
CANNOT BE CLOSED FOR SEVERAL CONSECUTIVE DAYS. WFP IS
FLYING TWO TO THREE FLIGHTS A DAY, FIVE TO SIX DAYS A
WEEK INTO LUENA AS IT IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY AIR. DUE TO
THE PHYSICAL DISTANCE THAT EXISTS BETWEEN LUENA AND A
PORT, WFP CANNOT BEGIN ROAD DELIVERIES INTO LUENA UNTIL
SEVERAL BRIDGES IN SEVERAL PROVINCES ARE REPAIRED. THE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OF THE BRIDGES BELONGS TO
THE GRA.


10. WHERE POSSIBLE, WFP TRIES TO KEEP A BUFFER STOCK OF
TWO WEEKS IN THE PROVINCES TO PROVIDE FOR UNFORESEEN
CLOSURES OF THE AIRSTRIPS.

--------------
SPECIAL OPERATIONS: AIR PASSENGER SERVICE
--------------


11. UNDER THIS SO, WFP RUNS FOUR KING AIR AND ONE
CARAVAN AIRCRAFT. THIS IS A SERVICE THAT WFP HAS
MANAGED FOR MANY YEARS IN ANGOLA, AND HAS BEEN FUNDED
CONSISTENTLY BY USAID/DCHA/OFDA.


12. NIKOI EXPLAINED THAT HE HAS BEEN TRYING TO BE MORE
AGGRESSIVE ABOUT ENSURING THAT THE PEOPLE WHO FLY ON THE
PLANE ARE INDEED LEGITIMATE PASSENGERS, I.E. FROM THE
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY. HE HAS ASKED NGOS, EMBASSIES,
AND U.N. AGENCIES TO SUBMIT POSSIBLE NAMES OF TRAVELERS,
THAT THEN CAN BE CROSS-CHECKED WITH SUBMITTED NAMES FOR
EACH SCHEDULED FLIGHT. IN ADDITION, WFP IS CONSIDERING
A "NO-SHOW" POLICY, WHEREBY AN ORGANIZATION IS PENALIZED
FOR RESERVING A SEAT, BUT NOT SHOWING UP FOR THE FLIGHT.


13. FOLLOWING THE VISIT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CIVILIAN
AVIATION ORGANIZATION (ICAO) LAST YEAR, WFP HAS REMOVED
FROM ITS ROSTER SOME AIR OPERATORS THAT DID NOT PASS
ACCREDITATION. ONCE THE OPERATORS CAN PROVE THAT THE
NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS FOR ACCREDITATION HAVE BEEN MADE,
THEY WILL BE REINSTATED TO WFP'S LIST.


14. COMMENT: IN LATE 1999 AFTER THE CRASH OF THE WFP
PLANE IN KOSOVO, THE U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL REQUESTED
ICAO TO REVIEW THE AIR OPERATIONS (OPS) OF ALL U.N.
AGENCIES. ICAO BEGAN ITS REVIEW OF WFP AIR OPS IN THE
FOURTH QUARTER OF 2000, AND SINCE THEN, WFP HAS MADE
TREMENDOUS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE ITS SAFETY AND OPERATING
PROCEDURES IN ALL ITS AIR OPS WORLDWIDE. WFP/ANGOLA'S
EFFORTS OUTLINED ABOVE ARE PROOF OF ITS CONTINUING
STRIDES TO IMPROVE. END COMMENT.

-------------- --------------
SPECIAL OPERATIONS: AIR TRANSPORT OF NON-FOOD ITEMS
-------------- --------------


15. THIS SO BEGAN IN 1997 BUT HAS SUFFERED FROM
CONTINUED FUNDING PROBLEMS. IT IS ALSO A RATHER
COMPLICATED OPERATION. NGOS AND UN AGENCIES SUBMIT
REQUESTS TO WFP TO AIRLIFT A PARTICULAR QUANTITY OF NFIS
TO ONE OR MORE LOCATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR OPERATIONS.
AS ONE NGO'S OR UN AGENCY'S GOODS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO
FILL A PLANE (17 TONS),WFP CONSOLIDATES THE REQUESTS IN
ORDER TO SEND FULL PLANE LOADS TO A DESTINATION. IN
ADDITION, THE NFIS MUST BE PRIORITIZED, AND SOMETIMES
PRIORITIES CHANGE WITH THE SEASON WHICH AFFECTS THE
TIMING OF THE TRANSPORT.


16. WFP DOES NOT LIKE TO TRANSPORT NFIS ON THE SAME
PLANE AS THE FOOD FOR TWO REASONS: 1) DOING SO SLOWS
DOWN THE TURN-AROUND TIME FOR THE PLANES IN LOADING AND
UNLOADING FOOD AND 2) DELIVERY OF NFIS TO THE AIRPORT BY
NGOS TENDS TO BE UNRELIABLE AND THEREFORE CREATES
OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS IF SCHEDULED WITH FOOD FLIGHTS.
GENERALLY, NFI FLIGHTS ARE SCHEDULED ON SATURDAYS,
EXCEPT WHEN THE ITEMS ARE OF AN EMERGENCY NATURE.


17. SEVERAL NGOS, AS WELL AS THE FAO/ECU, EXPRESSED
FRUSTRATION TO THE SEC REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF THE
WFP PLANE FOR NFI TRANSPORT. IN AN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS
THE CRITICISMS AND FRUSTRATION, NIKOI WANTS TO ARRANGE
QUARTERLY PRIORITIZATION MEETINGS WHERE IT IS DECIDED
WHAT ITEMS WOULD BE THE PRIORITY FOR THE UPCOMING THREE
MONTHS. THIS WOULD HELP TO DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF
DISGRUNTLEMENT. WFP ALSO IS TRYING TO COMMISSION A
SOFTWARE PACKAGE FOR TRACKING NFIS, SO THAT
COMMUNICATION REGARDING THE POTENTIAL MOVEMENT AND PAST
MOVEMENTS OF NFIS IMPROVES BETWEEN THE REQUESTING BODY
AND WFP.

--------------
RECOMMENDATIONS
--------------


18. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

- THE USG SHOULD SUPPORT WFP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN ITS
QUEST TO GET THE GRA TO REPAIR CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION
LINKS IN THE PROVINCES, MOST NOTABLY AIRSTRIPS AND
BRIDGES.

- IT IS SUGGESTED THAT USAID/DCHA/OFDA CONTINUE ITS
SUPPORT OF BOTH WFP SPECIAL OPERATIONS, AS THEY ARE
PLAYING A CRITICAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE
HUMANITARIAN EFFORT, AND WILL BE NEEDED FOR SOME TIME
YET. HEILEMAN