Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME5806
2002-12-03 07:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

PROGRESS ON UNHCR-WFP MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

Tags:  EAID EAGR AORC PREF KUNR WFP UN 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 005806 

SIPDIS

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 05806 01 OF 02 030842Z
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
BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER
USUN FOR CSERWER
NSC FOR JDWOKEN
OMB FOR TSTOLL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF KUNR WFP UN KUNR EAID WFP UN
SUBJECT: PROGRESS ON UNHCR-WFP MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
SIGNED ON JULY 9 - SELECTION OF THREE PILOT COUNTRIES FOR
DIRECT WFP DELIVERY OF FOOD TO THE END USER

REF: (A) ROME 3566

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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 005806

SIPDIS

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 05806 01 OF 02 030842Z
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
BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER
USUN FOR CSERWER
NSC FOR JDWOKEN
OMB FOR TSTOLL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF KUNR WFP UN KUNR EAID WFP UN
SUBJECT: PROGRESS ON UNHCR-WFP MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
SIGNED ON JULY 9 - SELECTION OF THREE PILOT COUNTRIES FOR
DIRECT WFP DELIVERY OF FOOD TO THE END USER

REF: (A) ROME 3566

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


1. UNHCR AND WFP SIGNED A REVISED MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING (MOU) ON JULY 9 WHERE IT WAS AGREED THAT, 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. USMISSION HAS NOW BEEN
INFORMED BY WFP THAT BOTH UN AGENCIES HAVE AGREED ON
PAKISTAN, UGANDA AND SIERRA LEONE. TANZANIA, GUINEA AND
BANGLADESH - REMAIN UNDER DISCUSSION FOR THE REMAINING TWO
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 05806 01 OF 02 030842Z
PILOT TESTS. END SUMMARY.

--------------
BACKGROUND
--------------


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 MOU AIMED AT STRENGTHERNING
COPPERATION AT THE FIELD LEVEL IN DELIVERING FOOD AID TO
REFUGEES, RETURNEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS)
WORLDWIDE. CLAUSE 5.8 OF THE REVISION STATES: "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."


3. WFP HEADQUARTERS HAS ADVISED USMISSION THAT BOTH UN
AGENCIES HAVE NOW AGREED ON TESTING WFP FINAL DISTRIBUTION
OF BASIC FOOD COMMODITIES IN REFUGEE OPERATIONS IN PAKISTAN,
UGANDA AND SIERRA LEONE. TANZANIA, GUINEA AND BANGLADESH -
REMAIN UNDER ACTIVE DISCUSSION FOR THE REMAINING TWO PILOT
TESTS.


4. IN THE AGREED UPON COUNTRY OPERATIONS, WFP WOULD ASSUME
THE LEAD IN NEGOTIATING THE TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT AND
DIRECTLY CONTRACT WITH IMPLEMENTING PARTNER NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) FOR FINAL FOOD ASSISTANCE DISTRIBUTION
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 05806 01 OF 02 030842Z
TO BENEFICIARIES. NOTE: THIS IS STANDARD PRACTICE FOR WFP IN
NON-REFUGEE PROGRAMS, AND WFP BELIEVES THAT THIS PILOT
APPROACH COULD RESULT IN AN OVERALL COST-SAVINGS TO DONORS.
WFP IS ALSO OF THE VIEW THAT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR FOOD
DISTRIBUTION WOULD ALSO IMPROVE SINCE ONLY ONE AGENCY (I.E.,
WFP) WOULD RETAIN OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITY FROM START TO
FINISH. END NOTE.


5. FOR THE FIVE PILOT COUNTRIES IN WHICH WFP WILL TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION, WFP AND UNHCR WILL
ENACT TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS SO AS TO ENSURE A SMOOTH HAND-
OVER OF RELATED RESPONSIBILITIES. AT THE END OF A YEAR'S
TRIAL PER COUNTRY, THE PILOT ACTIVITIES WILL BE JOINTLY
EVALUATED. THE FINDINGS OF THAT EVALUATION AND ITS
IMPLICATIONS WILL THEN BE THE SUBJECT OF FURTHER DISCUSSIONS
BETWEEN UNHCR AND WFP.

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


6. IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE FIVE PILOTS WILL IMPLY
ADJUSTMENTS IN THE OPERATIONAL BUDGETS OF BOTH UNHCR AND
WFP, EQUIVALENT TO THE COST OF ONWARD MOVEMENT OF FOOD

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9386

PAGE 01 ROME 05806 02 OF 02 030842Z
ACTION PRM-00

INFO LOG-00 AF-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 NEA-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00
OIC-02 OMB-01 SSO-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00
SA-00 FMP-00 SAS-00 /003W
-------------- 11CC5B 030849Z /38
P 030715Z DEC 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7146
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
AMEMBASSY DHAKA
AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY BERN
USDA FAS WASHDC 2450
USEU BRUSSELS 2981

USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 005806

SIPDIS

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 05806 02 OF 02 030842Z
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
BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER
USUN FOR CSERWER
NSC FOR JDWOKEN
OMB FOR TSTOLL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF KUNR WFP UN KUNR EAID WFP UN
SUBJECT: PROGRESS ON UNHCR-WFP MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
SIGNED ON JULY 9 - SELECTION OF THREE PILOT COUNTRIES FOR
DIRECT WFP DELIVERY OF FOOD TO THE END USER

COMMODITIES FROM THE EXTENDED TO THE FINAL DELIVERY POINT
AND OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISTRIBUTION PER SE.
AS WE ENTER THE LAST MONTH OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, HOWEVER,
BOTH UNHCR AND WFP NEED TO BE URGED TO COME TO CLOSURE
SOONEST ON THE SELECTION OF THE REMAINING TWO PILOT REFUGEE
OPERATIONS. HALL

UNCLASSIFIED

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2002ROME05806 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED