REVISED UNHCR-WFP MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 003566

SIPDIS

FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, PRM/P, DAS/IO SANDERS AND IO/D
USAID FOR A/AID, AA/DCHA, AA/AFR, DCHA/FFP, PPC/DP, PPC/DC
USDA/FAS/FOR CHAMBLISS/TILLSWORTH
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 03566 01 OF 02 190646Z
BRUSSELS FOR USAID
USUN FOR LSHESTACK
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
OMB FOR TSTOLL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF KUNR WFP UN KUNR EAID WFP UN
SUBJECT: REVISED UNHCR-WFP MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
SIGNED ON JULY 9


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SUMMARY
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1. UNHCR AND WFP SIGNED A REVISED MEMORANDUM ON JULY 9
AIMED AT FURTHER STRENGTHENING COOPERATION IN THE PROVISION
OF FOOD AID FOR REFUGEES AND RETURNEES WORLDWIDE. ON A
PILOT ONE-YEAR TRIAL BASIS, WFP WILL ASSUME FULL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FINAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE BASIC FOOD
RATION IN FIVE REFUGEE PROGRAMS. UNHCR WILL FULLY INVOLVE
WFP IN THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF REFUGEE ENUMERATION,
REGISTRATION AND VERIFICATION EXERCISES FOR ACTUAL OR
POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES OF FOOD AID AND RELATED NON-FOOD
ITEMS. FURTHER, WFP AND UNHCR WILL TAKE MEASURES TO ENSURE
THAT AT LEAST 80 PER CENT OF FOOD INPUTS ARE DIRECTLY
MANAGED BY THE ADULT FEMALE IN THE HOUSEHOLD. END SUMMARY.

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BACKGROUND
UNCLASSIFIED

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2. RUUD LUBBERS, UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)
AND JIM MORRIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WORLD FOOD PROGRAM
(WFP) SIGNED ON JULY 9 A REVISED MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING AIMED AT STRENGTHERNING COPPERATION AT THE
FIELD LEVEL IN DELIVERING FOOD AID TO REFUGEES, RETURNEES
AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) WORLDWIDE. THIS
REVISION UPDATES A PREVIOUS MOU INITIALLY SIGNED IN 1985
AND AMENDED IN 1992, 1994 AND 1997. NOTE: FODAG HAS E-
MAILED COPIES OF THE REVISED MOU TO STATE/PRM, USDA/FAS AND
DCHA/FFP - AND WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE COPY TO ALL USG
PARTNERS UPON REQUEST. END NOTE.

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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2002 NEWLY REVISED UNHCR-WFP MOU
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3. HEREWITH THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2002 REVISED UNHCR-WFP
MOU, AS FOLLOWS:

A) "WFP AND UNHCR WILL TAKE MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT, TO THE
EXTENT POSSIBLE AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE DEMOGRAPHIC
PROFILE OF THE BENEFICIARY POPULATION, AT LEAST 80 PER
CENT OF FOOD INPUTS ARE DIRECTLY MANAGED BY THE ADULT
FEMALE IN THE HOUSEHOLD;
B) UNHCR WILL FULLY INVOLVE WFP IN THE PLANNING AND
EXECUTION OF REFUGEE ENUMERATION, REGISTRATION AND
VERIFICATION EXERCISES FOR ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL
BENEFICIARIES OF FOOD AID AND RELATED NON-FOOD ITEMS;
C) WFP WILL BE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PLANNING AND
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 03566 01 OF 02 190646Z
IMPLEMENTATION OF REPATRIATION OPERATIONS, PARTICULARLY
WITH REGARD TO TIMING, SECURITY AND OTHER COMPONENTS THAT
WOULD AFFECT FOOD AID PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION;
D) UNHCR WILL ENSURE THE FULL INVOLVEMENT AND THE EFFECTIVE
PARTICIPATION OF WFP STAFF IN BOTH THE PLANNING AND THE
EXECUTION OF THE NUTRITIONAL SURVEYS, AND IN THE ANALYSIS
OR INTERPRETATION AND DISSEMINATION OF THE RESULTS;
E) THE FINAL DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD COMMODITIES WILL BE
NORMALLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF AN IMPLEMENTING PARTNER OF
UNHCR (EXCEPT IN THOSE COUNTRIES SELECTED FOR THE PILOT
ACTIVITIES MENTIONED IN F BELOW),WHOSE DESIGNATION SHALL
BE JOINTLY AGREED UPON BY UNHCR AND WFP;
F) ON A PILOT BASIS AND FOR AN INITIAL DURATION OF 12 MONTHS
(PER COUNTRY),WFP WILL ASSUME, AT ITS OWN COST,
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FINAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE BASIC
FOOD RATION IN FIVE REFUGEE PROGRAMMES. THE PILOT COUNTRY
PROGRAMMES WILL BE SELECTED JOINTLY BY UNHCR AND WFP
BASED UPON JOINTLY AGREED CRITERIA AND IN CONSULTATION
WITH THE CONCERNED WFP/UNHCR COUNTRY TEAMS;
G) UNHCR AND WFP FIELD STAFF WILL UNDERTAKE PERIODIC JOINT
MONITORING ACTIVITIES AT THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITES
(WHICH INCLUDES FOOD BASKET MONITORING ACTIVITIES) AND AT
THE HOUSEHOLD LEVEL (WHICH INCLUDES POST-DISTRIBUTION
MONITORING OF THE END USE OF THE DISTRIBUTED

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ4999

PAGE 01 ROME 03566 02 OF 02 190646Z
ACTION PRM-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 COME-00
CTME-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 OIGO-00 E-00
UTED-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-01
OIC-02 OMB-01 SSO-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00
FMP-00 SAS-00 /004W
-------------- CD619A 190649Z /38
P 190645Z JUL 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4970
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY BERN
USDA FAS WASHDC 2228
USEU BRUSSELS 2753
USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 003566

SIPDIS

FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, PRM/P, DAS/IO SANDERS AND IO/D
USAID FOR A/AID, AA/DCHA, AA/AFR, DCHA/FFP, PPC/DP, PPC/DC
USDA/FAS/FOR CHAMBLISS/TILLSWORTH
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 03566 02 OF 02 190646Z
BRUSSELS FOR USAID
USUN FOR LSHESTACK
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
OMB FOR TSTOLL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF KUNR WFP UN KUNR EAID WFP UN
SUBJECT: REVISED UNHCR-WFP MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
SIGNED ON JULY 9

COMMODITIES)."

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COMMENT
--------------

4. WHO CONTROLS THE FINAL DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD TO REFUGEES,
RETURNEES AND IDPS HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY A POINT OF UNHCR-
WFP CONTENTION. WHEN THEN HIGH COMMISSIONER OGATA ADDRESSED
THE WFP BOARD IN OCTOBER 1996 SHE AFFIRMED UNHCR'S LEAD
POSITION: "I FEEL QUITE STRONGLY THAT RETAINING
RESPONSIBILITY FOR DISTRIBUTION, WHETHER OF FOOD OR NON-
FOOD ITEMS, IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE DISCHARGE OF MY MANDATE."
THIS MOU MOVES BEYOND THIS "BARRIER" (AND IN USMISSION'S
VIEW WISELY SO) IN CONFIRMING WFP'S LEAD IN FINAL FOOD AID
DISTRIBUTION IN FIVE REFUGEE SETTINGS ON A ONE-YEAR PILOT
BASIS. MOREOVER, "IF (AS THE UN PRESS RELEASE ON THE
SIGNING COMMENTED) THE NEW DIVISION OF LABOR PROVES MORE
EFFECTIVE, WFP WILL TAKE OVER THE TASK (I.E., FINAL FOOD
AID DISTRIBUTION IN ALL WFP/UNHCR PROGRAMS) WORLDWIDE."
TAMLYN

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 03566 02 OF 02 190646Z

UNCLASSIFIED

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2002ROME03566 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED