DEEPENING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN COTE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ROME 005236 SIPDIS FROM AMEMBASSY ROME GENEVA FOR RMA AND NANCE KYLOH BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER AND KDEBLAUW NSC FOR JDWORKEN USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA RWINTER, D/OFDA BMCCONNELL, D/FFP LLANDIS STATE FOR AF, ACTING A/S IO, A/S PRM DEWEY USDA FOR FAS/EC/PDD TILLSWORTH AND FAS/ICD KRAMER, LEBLANC USUN FOR LSHESTACK NAIROBI FOR REDSO AND OFDA/ARO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: DEEPENING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE - UN AND WFP LAUNCH EMERGENCY APPEAL -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, THE U.N. WORLD FOOD PROGRAMS PLANS TO LAUNCH A REGIONAL EMERGENCY OPERATION (EMOP) TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT AND POSSIBLE FUTURE NEEDS DEVELOPING AS A RESULT OF THE DEEPENING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE. THE EMOP WILL COVER THE PERIOD NOVEMBER 1, 2002 THROUGH JANUARY 31, 2003, AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY USD 3 MILLION. 4,145 MT FOOD IS REQUESTED FOR 94,000 BENEFICIARIES. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 05236 01 OF 04 251423Z WFP IS ESTABLISHING A CRISIS SUPPORT UNIT IN ABIDJAN LED BY AN EXPERIENCED WFP EMERGENCY MANAGER TO COORDINATE AND MANAGE WFP'S RESPONSE OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS ADDRESS NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN A TIMELY FASHION. WFP IS CURRENTLY PROVIDING FOOD TO 13,250 BENEFICIARIES INSIDE COTE D'IVOIRE. END SUMMARY. I CANNOT GET RID OF THIS STUPID LINE. CAN YOU?? -------------- LAUNCH OF NEW REGIONAL EMOP -------------- ¶2. EVEN THOUGH A CEASE-FIRE HAS BEEN SIGNED IN COTE D'IVOIRE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE REBELS (HALTING A MONTH-LONG INSURRECTION) AND A FRAGILE PEACE IS HOLDING IN THE COUNTRY, THE U.N. IS LAUNCHING A FLASH APPEAL THIS WEEKEND FOR THE UNFOLDING CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE AND SURROUNDING COUNTRIES. AS PART OF THAT DOCUMENT, WFP IS ISSUING A SMALL REGIONAL EMOP THAT WILL COVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS (NOVEMBER 1 THROUGH JANUARY 31). THE COST IS APPROXIMATELY USD 3 MILLION AND 4,145 MT FOOD IS REQUESTED FOR 94,000 BENEFICIARIES. ¶3. AS PART OF THE WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD (EB) MEETING THIS PAST WEEK, WFP WEST AFRICA REGIONAL DIRECTOR MANUEL ARANDA DA SILVA PROVIDED THE EB MEMBERS AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEMS IN COTE D'IVOIRE AND OUTLINED WFP'S RESPONSE THUS FAR. THIS CABLE PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF WFP'S CURRENT WORK, AS WELL AS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 05236 01 OF 04 251423Z ITS PREPAREDNESS STEPS TO ADDRESS A GREATER CRISIS, IF ONE DEVELOPS. -------------- EMERGING PROBLEMS -------------- ¶4. WFP'S EMOP REPORTS THAT INCREASED HOSTILITY TOWARDS FOREIGNERS IN COTE D'IVOIRE HAS CAUSED 3,300 PERSONS TO CROSS INTO MALI, 1,000 INTO BURKINA FASO, 1,500 INTO GHANA, 400 INTO LIBERIA, AND 200 INTO NIGER. MOST OF THESE WERE IMMIGRANTS LIVING AND WORKING IN COTE D'IVOIRE WHO HAVE CHOSEN DURING THE LAST SIX WEEKS TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY. BY CONTRAST, A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN COTE D'IVOIRE PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE CRISIS ON SEPTEMBER 19 WAS AS FOLLOWS: 800,000 FROM MALI, 2.2 MILLION FROM BURKINA FASO, 133,000 FROM GHANA, 78,000 FROM LIBERIA, AND UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5184 PAGE 01 ROME 05236 02 OF 04 251424Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 SRPP-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 FDRE-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 NSAE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 TEST-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /004W -------------- FE4753 251514Z /38 P 251333Z OCT 02 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6571 INFO USMISSION GENEVA NSC WASHDC USDA FAS WASHDC 2345 AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN AMEMBASSY CONAKRY AMEMBASSY FREETOWN AMEMBASSY MONROVIA AMEMBASSY ABUJA AMEMBASSY BAMAKO AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY DAKAR AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY TOKYO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USEU BRUSSELS 2872 JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3/J4/J5 HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4-ID-HA UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 05236 02 OF 04 251424Z UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 04 ROME 005236 SIPDIS FROM AMEMBASSY ROME GENEVA FOR RMA AND NANCE KYLOH BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER AND KDEBLAUW NSC FOR JDWORKEN USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA RWINTER, D/OFDA BMCCONNELL, D/FFP LLANDIS STATE FOR AF, ACTING A/S IO, A/S PRM DEWEY USDA FOR FAS/EC/PDD TILLSWORTH AND FAS/ICD KRAMER, LEBLANC USUN FOR LSHESTACK NAIROBI FOR REDSO AND OFDA/ARO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: DEEPENING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE - UN AND WFP LAUNCH EMERGENCY APPEAL 230,000 FROM GUINEA. ¶5. WFP IS QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT THE REGIONAL IMPACT OF A WIDENING CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE GROWING PROBLEMS OF DROUGHT IN THE SAHEL. ABIDJAN SERVES AS THE PORT OF ENTRY FOR MANY OF THE SAHEL COUNTRIES. HIGH PRICES FOR BASIC CEREALS CAUSED BY THE DROUGHT WILL BE FURTHER EXACERBATED BY TRANSPORT BLOCKAGES. CONVERSELY, EXPORTS FROM THE SAHEL THAT TRADITIONALLY TRANSIT THROUGH ABIDJAN HAVE ALREADY SLOWED OR STOPPED. LASTLY, MANY PEOPLE IN THE SAHEL COUNTRIES RELY ON REMITTANCES FROM UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 05236 02 OF 04 251424Z RELATIVES IN COTE D'IVOIRE. IT IS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT REMITTANCE FLOWS WILL SUBSTANTIALLY DIMINISH, THEREBY ADDING TO THE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES OF COTE D'IVOIRE'S NEIGHBORS. -------------- -------------- ADDRESSING CURRENT NEEDS AND PREPARING FOR THE WORST -------------- -------------- ¶6. WFP'S REGIONAL EMOP IS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE CURRENT POLITICAL STALEMATE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE DE FACTO PARTITION REMAINING (I.E. THE REBELS NOW CONTROL THE NORTHERN REGION, ROUGHLY HALF OF THE COUNTRY). IT IS EXPECTED THAT THIS WILL ENGENDER CONTINUED POPULATION DISPLACEMENT BOTH INSIDE COTE D'IVOIRE AND OUTFLOWS TO BURKINA FASO, MALI, GHANA, AND LIBERIA. ¶7. ALTHOUGH WFP AND ITS U.N. AGENCY PARTNERS ARE HOPING FOR A POSITIVE OUTCOME TO THE CRISIS, WFP IS TAKING A REALISTIC LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITIES FOR FURTHER DETERIORATION AND THE IMPACT AS PART OF ITS CONTINGENCY READINESS. EVEN SO, IF THERE ARE SWIFT, MASSIVE MOVEMENTS ACROSS BORDERS, NO AGENCY WILL BE PREPARED OVERNIGHT TO RESPOND, BUT VICE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON ESTABLISHING RESPONSE MECHANISMS THAT MAY NOT BE NEEDED, WFP IS TAKING THE NECESSARY STEPS NOW TO REVIEW WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO RESPOND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. -------------- UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 05236 02 OF 04 251424Z CRISIS SUPPORT UNIT -------------- ¶8. WFP'S CURRENT COTE D'IVOIRE COUNTRY DIRECTOR LEAVES ABIDJAN SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, DUE TO UNSECORD'S DECISION TO PASS ABIDJAN TO PHASE III SECURITY WHICH ALLOWS NO DEPENDENTS. TO ENSURE AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT IMPLEMENTATION OF WFP'S REGIONAL EMOP, WFP IS ESTABLISHING A CRISIS SUPPORT UNIT IN ABIDJAN. BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTRIES SURROUNDING COTE D'IVOIRE ARE COUNTRIES WITH DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS RATHER THAN EMERGENCIES, NO STRUCTURE NOR TRADITION OF EMERGENCY OPERATIONS EXISTS. THE CRISIS SUPPORT UNIT WILL THUS SERVE TO PROVIDE THIS EXPERTISE. ¶9. THE UNIT WILL OVERSEE COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT OF WFP'S RESPONSE OPERATIONS. WFP IS TEMPORARILY TRANSFERRING ITS GUINEA COUNTRY DIRECTOR, GEMMO LODESANI, A VERY EXPERIENCED EMERGENCY WFP MANAGER, UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5188 PAGE 01 ROME 05236 03 OF 04 251424Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 SRPP-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 FDRE-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 NSAE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 TEST-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /004W -------------- FE4764 251515Z /38 P 251333Z OCT 02 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6572 INFO USMISSION GENEVA NSC WASHDC USDA FAS WASHDC 2346 AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN AMEMBASSY CONAKRY AMEMBASSY FREETOWN AMEMBASSY MONROVIA AMEMBASSY ABUJA AMEMBASSY BAMAKO AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY DAKAR AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBSSY TOKYO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USEU BRUSSELS 2873 JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3/J4/J5 HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4-ID-HA UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 05236 03 OF 04 251424Z UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 04 ROME 005236 SIPDIS FROM AMEMBASSY ROME GENEVA FOR RMA AND NANCE KYLOH BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER AND KDEBLAUW NSC FOR JDWORKEN USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA RWINTER, D/OFDA BMCCONNELL, D/FFP LLANDIS STATE FOR AF, ACTING A/S IO, A/S PRM DEWEY USDA FOR FAS/EC/PDD TILLSWORTH AND FAS/ICD KRAMER, LEBLANC USUN FOR LSHESTACK NAIROBI FOR REDSO AND OFDA/ARO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: DEPENING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE - U AND WFP LAUNCH EMERGENCY APPEAL TO ABIDJAN TO SERVE AS THE REGIONAL COORDINATOR OF THE UNIT. HE IS TO ARRIVE OCTOBER 29 OR 30 IN ABIDJAN. HIS COORDINATION STRUCTURE IS MEANT TO ENHANCE WFP'S FLEXIBILITY TO RESPOND SWIFTLY AND EFFICIENTLY TO THE CURRENT NEEDS AND ADDRESS ANY DEEPENING CRISIS. ¶10. WFP HAS ALREADY SENT A FEW ADDITIONAL SECURITY, LOGISTICS, AND PROGRAM STAFF TO THE REGION, AND HAS OTHERS ON STAND-BY IF NEEDED. -------------- UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 05236 03 OF 04 251424Z WFP'S ACTION THUS FAR -------------- ¶11. IN ITS INITIAL RESPONSE, WFP HAS BORROWED FOOD FROM ITS DEVELOPMENT STOCKS, AND THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO CONTRIBUTE AN INITIAL 79 MT RICE TO THE EMERGENCY OPERATION FROM ITS BILATERAL STOCKS. A TOTAL OF ABOUT 13,250 PEOPLE INSIDE COTE D'IVOIRE ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FROM WFP. THE NUMBERS BREAK DOWN AS FOLLOWS: ¶12. IN BOUAKE, 3,000 VULNERABLE PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY BEING SUPPORTED THROUGH HEALTH AND SOCIAL STRUCTURES WITH 100 MT RICE VIA THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS (ICRC). COMPLEMENTARY RATIONS, SUCH AS FISH, OIL AND SALT, ARE BEING PREPARED FOR TRANSFER. ¶13. AMONG THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS WHO HAVE FLED BOUAKE, ABOUT 2,000 ARE TEMPORARILY SETTLED IN TRANSIT SITES IN YAMOUSSOUKRO, DIDIEVI AND SAKASSOU, WHILE WAITING FOR ONWARD TRANSPORT. WFP IS PROVIDING THESE POPULATIONS, VIA THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION (NGO) CROIX DE LA PAIX INTERNATIONAL, WITH HIGH-ENERGY BISCUITS (HEBS) AND 15 MT RICE FOR TWO WEEKS. ¶14. A TOTAL OF 2,700 IDPS IN THE LOCALITIES OF TIE N'DIEKO, MOLONOU, AND GARE KAN, NORTH OF BOUAKE, WILL BE PROVIDED WITH WFP FOOD ASSISTANCE VIA CARE. AN INITIAL DISTRIBUTION OF 2 MT OF HEBS HAS ALREADY OCCURRED. (NOTE: ON OCTOBER 15, WFP AIRLIFTED 40 MT UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 05236 03 OF 04 251424Z OF HEBS FROM THE UN HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE DEPOT IN BRINDISI, ITALY, TO BURKINA FASO, WHERE THEY ARE ON STAND-BY FOR REGIONAL NEEDS. END NOTE.) ¶15. IN THE REFUGEE ZONE, APPROXIMATELY 4,540 BURKINABES, MALIANS, AND IVORIANS HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR VILLAGES AND ARE GATHERED IN SITES IN MAN AND DUEKOUE. WFP IS PROVIDING A FULL, GENERAL RATION TO THESE IDPS, CONSISTING OF BULGUR WHEAT, PEAS, OIL, AND SALT. A TOTAL OF 18.8 MT OF FOOD COMMODITIES FOR ONE WEEK HAS THUS FAR BEEN TRANSFERRED TO DUEKOUE, AND TRANSFERS TO MAN ARE TAKING PLACE NOW. ¶16. UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE REGIONAL WEST AFRICA COASTAL PRRO, WFP IN COORDINATION WITH UNHCR, HAS AGREED TO ASSIST 1,000 REFUGEES IN ABIDJAN WHO WERE DISPLACED BY THE GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN OF LEVELING SHANTYTOWNS FOR SECURITY REASONS. THEY HAVE RESETTLED IN THREE SITES IN ABIDJAN AND ARE BEING UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5192 PAGE 01 ROME 05236 04 OF 04 251424Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 SRPP-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 FDRE-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 NSAE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 TEST-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /004W -------------- FE477C 251515Z /38 P 251333Z OCT 02 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6573 INFO USMISSION GENEVA NSC WASHDC USDA FAS WASHDC 2347 AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN AMEMBASSY CONAKRY AMEMBASSY FREETOWN AMEMBASSY MONROVIA AMEMBASSY ABUJA AMEMBASSY BAMAKO AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY DAKAR AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY TOKYO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USEU BRUSSELS 2874 JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3/J4/J5 HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4-ID-HA UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 05236 04 OF 04 251424Z UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 04 ROME 005236 SIPDIS FROM AMEMBASSY ROME GENEVA FOR RMA AND NANCE KYLOH BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER AND KDEBLAUW NSC FOR JDWORKEN USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA RWINTER, D/OFDA BMCCONNELL, D/FFP LLANDIS STATE FOR AF, ACTING A/S IO, A/S PRM DEWEY USDA FOR FAS/EC/PDD TILLSWORTH AND FAS/ICD KRAMER, LEBLANC USUN FOR LSHESTACK NAIROBI FOR REDSO AND OFDA/ARO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: DEEPENING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE - UN AND WFP LAUNCH EMERGENCY APPEAL ASSISTED BY UNHCR AND CARITAS. TRANSFERS OF FOOD IN ABIDJAN HAVE BEEN PREPARED, BUT SO FAR POSTPONED DUE TO SECURITY CONSTRAINTS. -------------- TYPES OF INTERVENTIONS -------------- ¶17. THE PRIMARY EMERGENCY INTERVENTION WILL BE TO PROVIDE A GENERAL RATION TO ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY FOOD INSECURITY DUE TO DISPLACEMENT. A RATION OF 2,100 KILO-CALORIES (KC) PER DAY WILL BE GIVEN TO UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 05236 04 OF 04 251424Z THOSE BENEFICIARIES ENTIRELY RELIANT ON FOOD ASSISTANCE AND WHO DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER MEANS OF COPING. ¶18. A RATION OF 1,850 KC/DAY WILL BE PROVIDED TO THOSE WHO HAVE LIMITED MEANS OF COPING WITH FOOD INSECURITY (E.G. THOSE WHO ARE RETURNING TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN) FOR A PERIOD OF TWO MONTHS. THESE BENEFICIARIES WILL GO THROUGH TRANSIT CENTERS WHERE WFP PLANS TO GIVE THEM HEBS. THE EMOP PROJECTS 160,000 RATIONS OF HEBS MAY BE NEEDED IN THE TRANSIT CENTERS. EACH BENEFICIARY WOULD RECEIVE 500 GRAMS (2,250 KC/DAY) OF HEBS WHILE IN THE TRANSIT CENTER. ¶19. THE EMOP ALSO PLANS FOR SPECIAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTARY AND THERAPEUTIC FEEDING INTERVENTIONS. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶20. WFP IS TO BE COMMENDED FOR ITS PROACTIVE AND TIMELY RESPONSE TO THE CURRENT PROBLEMS IN COTE D'IVOIRE. WFP REGIONAL DIRECTOR DA SILVA HAS SWIFTLY AND SMARTLY ORGANIZED A COMPETENT TEAM TO RESPOND TO THE POTENTIALITY OF A WIDENING CRISIS. WFP'S DECISION TO TAP USD 3 MILLION FROM ITS IMMEDIATE RESPONSE ACCOUNT (IRA) DEMONSTRATES WFP'S COMMITMENT NOT TO BE "OVERTAKEN BY EVENTS" IN THIS LINCHPIN WEST AFRICAN NATION. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 05236 04 OF 04 251424Z ¶21. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. HALL UNCLASSIFIED > 2002ROME05236 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED