RSA AMBASSADOR SHEILA SISULU NAMED WFP DEPUTY

UNCLAS ROME 005899 SIPDIS FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME USAID/W FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, DCHA/D/FFP LANDIS, USAID/GLOBAL/HEALTH STATE FOR U/S GROSSMAN, U/S LARSON, IO A/S HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, AFR/SA USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS, RTILSWORTH AND LREICH UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 05899 091632Z USDA/FAS PRETORIA FOR RHELM NSC FOR JDWORKEN GAO FOR PTHOMAS TOKYO FOR USAID REP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID AORC PREF EAGR EU WFP UN SUBJECT: RSA AMBASSADOR SHEILA SISULU NAMED WFP DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, 2003 ¶1. WFP HAS ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT OF AMBASSADOR SHEILA SISULU AS DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. AMBASSADOR SISULU WILL ASSUME HER NEW DUTIES ON FEBRUARY 1, 2003. ¶2. A NATIONAL OF SOUTH AFRICA, AMBASSADOR SISULU BRINGS TO WFP AN EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND AS AN EDUCATION REFORMER AND ANTI-APARTHEID ACTIVIST. OVER A TEN YEAR PERIOD, AMBASSADOR SISULU HELD VARIOUS SENIOR POSITIONS AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMITTEE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION. SHE HAS ALSO HELD POSITIONS AS THE NATIONAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR AT THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES COUNCIL AND AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES. AT THE END OF APARTHEID, AMBASSADOR SISULU WAS APPOINTED AS A SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. IN 1997 SHE WAS ASKED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO SERVE AS CONSUL- GENERAL AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSULATE IN NEW YORK. TWO YEARS LATER SHE WAS APPOINTED AS SOUTH AFRICA'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES AND PRESENTLY OCCUPIES THAT POST. ¶3. IN A RECENT EVENT IN WASHINGTON ON DECEMBER 2, MARKING AIDS DAY 2002, AMBASSADOR SISULU, COMMENTED THAT THE DROUGHT IN SOUTHERN AFRICA WAS "CONSPIRING WITH AIDS TO CREATE A UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 05899 091632Z DISASTER" IN HER COUNTRY. BY THAT SHE MEANT THAT "MORE WOMEN ARE NOW INFECTED THAN MEN [WHICH] MEANS FOOD PRODUCTION IS AFFECTED." -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF AMBASSADOR SISULU, WFP REAFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF STAFF FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, INCLUDING AT THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE LEVEL. AND AS WAR AND DROUGHT (PARTICULARLY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA) CONTINUE TO DRASTICALLY RATCHET UP HUMANITARIAN FOOD AID NEEDS, WFP ALSO SIGNALS ITS DESIRE TO HAVE A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR AFRICA AT THE HIGHEST RUNG OF THE ORGANIZATION. U.S. MISSION IS PLEASED WITH THE APPOINTMENT AND LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH AMBASSADOR SISULU. HALL UNCLASSIFIED > 2002R