FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM

UNCLAS ROME 000886

SIPDIS

FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

STATE FOR A/S/PRM, PRM/P, EUR/WE, AND IO/D
USAID FOR A/AID, AA/DCHA, AA/ANE, DCHA/FFP, PPC/DP, PPC/DC
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS, BGAINOR AND VHUNTER
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID
BRUSSELS FOR USEU AMBASSADOR AND USAID/KFULLER
USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE AND LSHESTACK
PARIS FOR OECD
NAIROBI FOR USAID/REDSO, BAMAKO FOR USAID/NESTES
OMB FOR TSTOLL
NSC FOR JDWORKEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF KUNR WFP UN
SUBJECT: FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM
EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 11-14, 2002

SUMMARY
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1. DESPITE OBJECTIONS TO THE PROCESS, THE BOARD WELCOMED
THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL AND THE
DIRECTOR GENERAL OF FAO'S INTENTION IS APPOINT JAMES T.
MORRIS (AMCIT) AS THE NEXT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WORLD FOOD
PROGRAM. ON WFP'S SIZABLE CASH AND INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT,
THE BOARD REQUESTED THAT A DETAILED ANALYSIS BE PROVIDED OF
THE REASONS FOR THE CURRENT LEVEL OF CASH BALANCES AND THAT
AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CASH BALANCES BE INDICATED BY WFP'S
SECRETARIAT LATEST OCTOBER 2002. THE UNITED STATES AND THE

SIPDIS
EUROPEAN COMMISSION REQUESTED THAT A REVISED INDIRECT
SUPPORT COST (ISC) RATE, BASED ON ACTUALS FROM THE 2000-
2001 BIENNIUM, BE PRESENTED TO THE MAY 2002 BOARD SESSION
AND THAT ADJUSTMENTS BE MADE AT THAT TIME APPLICABLE FOR CY
2002 ISC CHARGES. WFP COUNTRY PROGRAMS FOR YEMEN AND BHUTAN
TOTALING USD 54.7 MILLION WERE APPROVED, AS WELL AS A
COUNTRY STRATEGY OUTLINE (CSO) FOR MAURITANIA. PROTRACTED
RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS (PRROS) FOR UGANDA,
ETHIOPIA, INDONESIA, BURMA, NEPAL AND SUDAN, TOTALING USD
248.1 MILLION WERE APPROVED EN BLOC. BOTH USAID
ADMINISTRATOR ANDREW NATSIOS AND EC COMMISIONER POUL
NEILSON ADDRESSED THE BOARD. THIS SESSION MARKED THE FINAL
BOARD APPEARANCE OF CATHERINE BERTINI WHOSE TENURE AS WFP'S
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AFTER TEN YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE,
ENDS APRIL 5. END SUMMARY.

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CATHERINE BERTINI'S REPLACEMENT - "IN LOGIC PROCESS AND
RESULTS ARE EQUIVALENT. (THEREFORE NO SURPRISES)."

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2. ON MONDAY AFTERNOON FEBRUARY 11, THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF
FAO DR. JACQUES DIOUF ADDRESSED THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND
ANNOUNCED THE INTENTION OF THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL AND
HIMSELF AS DG FAO TO APPOINT JAMES T. MORRIS (AMCIT) AS THE
NEXT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WORLD FOOD PROGRAM EFFECTIVE
APRIL 2002. SEVERAL OECD MEMBERS TOOK STRONG OBJECTION TO
THE ANNOUNCEMENT CLAIMING THAT THE SPIRIT OF WFP'S GENERAL
REGULATION (ARTICLE VII.2) WHICH REQUIRES THAT "THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE SECRETARY
GENERAL AND THE DIRECTOR GENERAL (FAO) AFTER CONSULTATION
WITH THE BOARD" HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY FOLLOWED.


3. THE LEGAL COUNSEL OF FAO WAS ASK TO APPEAR BEFORE THE
BOARD AND PROVIDE A LEGAL OPINION ON THE MEANING OF
"CONSULTATION." THE OPINION RENDERED IS AS FOLLOWS: "WITH
REFERENCE TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THE TERM 'CONSULTATION',
THE OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS HAS CONSISTENTLY TAKEN THE
POSITION THAT THE MEANING OF THE EXPRESSION 'IN
CONSULTATION WITH' AND 'AFTER CONSULTATION WITH' IN THE
PRACTICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE
VIEWS OF THE PARTIES CONSULTED ARE SOUGHT OR ASCERTAINED,
AND THAT IT MUST BE DISTINGUISHED FROM 'AGREEMENT',
'CONCURRENCE' OR 'CONSENT'."


4. THE BOARD WAS HOWEVER CAREFUL TO SEPARATE THE SPECIFIC
CANDIDACY AND QUALIFICATIONS OF JAMES T. MORRIS FROM THIS
ARGUMENT ON PROCESS, AND "REQUESTED THE PRESIDENT OF THE
BOARD TO ADDRESS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND TO INFORM
HIM OF THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD TO WORK WITH HIM IN CLOSE
AND HARMONIOUS COLLABORATION."


5. ON A SEPARATE ITEM UNDER "OTHER BUSINESS," THE BOARD
"REGRETTED THAT THE CURRENT APPLICATION OF ARTICLE VII.2
HAD NOT MADE IT POSSIBLE TO CONDUCT A CLEAR AND
SATISFACTORY CONSULTATION," AND "PROPOSED THAT MEASURES BE
TAKEN TO CARRY OUT FUTURE CONSULTATIONS IN A CONSTRUCTIVE
MANNER. TO THAT END, IT REQUESTED THE BUREAU TO EXAMINE THE
MATTER AND TO REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD."

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BERTINI ANALYZES "A DECADE OF CHANGE" AT WFP
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6. CATHERINE BERTINI OPENED THE BOARD SESSION ON FEBRUARY
11 BY DESCRIBING KEY CHANGES AT WFP OVER THE PERIOD 1992-
2002, AND SUMMARIZED THE CHALLENGES THAT REMAIN. SHE
FOCUSED ON HOW WFP HAS BUILT ITS CAPACITY TO DELIVER FOOD
AID TO THE HUNGRY POOR. KEY STEPS INCLUDE THE USD 40
MILLION FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (FMIP),
EXTENSIVE DECENTRALIZATION, INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF GENDER
EQUALITY, SHARPENING THE GEOGRAPHIC TARGETING OF FOOD AID
FOR DEVELOPMENT, AND THE ORGANIZATION'S ENHANCED EMERGENCY
RESPONSE CAPABILITY.



7. IN 2001, BERTINI COMMENTED THAT WFP SHIPPED 3.9 MILLION
METRIC TONS, MEETING 83 PERCENT OF OVERALL TONNAGE
REQUIREMENTS. CONFIRMED CONTRIBUTIONS TOTALED NEARLY USD
1.9 BILLION. BERTINI REGRETTED THAT FOOD AID FOR WFP'S
DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO HAD FURTHER DECLINED TO USD 273
MILLION (14.4 PERCENT OF THE OVERALL PROGRAM) DESPITE THE
SUBSTANTIAL CY 2001 U.S. GLOBAL FOOD FOR EDUCATION
INITIATIVE CONTRIBUTION. SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE TOP FIVE
DONORS (UNITED STATES, EUROPEAN COMMISSION, JAPAN, THE
NETHERLANDS AND GERMANY) HAD CONTRIBUTED 80 PERCENT OF
WFP'S 2001 BUDGET AND REMARKED ON WFP'S NEED TO BROADEN ITS
DONOR BASE WITH OTHER OECD COUNTRIES.


8. BERTINI DIRECTLY ADDRESSED A NUMBER OF CONTROVERSIAL
TOPICS. ON THE ISSUE OF "SURPLUS COMMODITIES" (FROM THE
UNITED STATES UNDER SECTION 416(B)),SHE ASKED: "WHAT IS
WRONG WITH SURPLUS WHEN IT IS TARGETED TO CHRONICALLY FOOD
INSECURE POPULATIONS?" SHE RENEWED HER APPEAL FOR GREATER
UN SECURITY ATTENTION FOR HUMANITARIAN STAFF IN
EMERGENCIES, COMMENTING THAT "OF THE 200 PLUS UN STAFF
KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY OVER THE PAST DECADE, ONLY 3
CULPRITS WERE EVER HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DEATHS OF THESE
UN STAFFERS."



9. SHE ALSO HAD A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS ON UN REFORM
ISSUES. BERTINI REITERATED THAT ALL UN ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD
HAVE TERM LIMITS; THAT DONOR GOVERNMENTS SHOULD REQUIRE
CLOSER COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE WORLD BANK/IMF AND UN
DEVELOPMENT/RELIEF AGENCIES; THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR
GREATER STAFF INTERCHANGE BETWEEN THE THREE UN AGENCIES
BASED IN ROME; THAT DONORS SHOULD CALL A HALT TO THE EVER
INCREASING NUMBER OF UN "SUMMITS;" AND THAT THE BOARD
SHOULD FOCUS MORE ON BROAD STRATEGIC ISSUES (E.G.,
INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS, UN AGENCIES WORKING WITH THE
MILITARY IN RELIEF OPERATIONS) RATHER THAN ON INDIVIDUAL
PROJECT APPROVALS.

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ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS AND EC COMMISSIONER NEILSON RESPOND
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10. BOTH USAID ADMINISTRATOR ANDREW NATSIOS AND EC
COMMISSIONER (DEVELOPMENT) POUL NEILSON ADDRESSED THE BOARD
ON FEBRUARY 11. NATSIOS ON BEHALF OF THE USG THANKED
BERTINI FOR TEN YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE ON BEHALF OF THE
WORLD'S HUNGRY POOR, COMMENTING THAT "THE OUTSTANDING
EFFORTS OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND HER STAFF OVER THIS
PAST DECADE HAVE GREATLY ADVANCED BOTH WFP'S INTERNAL
REFORMS AND THE OVERALL UN REFORM AGENDA." NATSIOS NOTED
THAT OVERALL DONOR SUPPORT TO WFP 1992-2001 TOTALED USD
15.54 BILLION, OF WHICH THE UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTED USD
6.38 BILLION (41 PERCENT). NOTE: WITHIN THE UN-SYSTEM, ONLY
THE UNDP SURPASSES WFP IN DONOR SUPPORT. END NOTE.



11. NATSIOS SPECIFICALLY CITED WFP EFFORTS IN AFGHANISTAN
WHERE, SINCE SEPTEMBER 11, WFP HAD DELIVERED NEARLY 300,000
METRIC TONS OF FOOD AT AN UNPRECEDENTED RATE AVERAGING MORE
THAN 2,000 TONS PER DAY TO ASSIST SOME 6.6 MILLION PEOPLE.
HE FURTHER NOTED THAT NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF THE FOOD THAT
WENT INTO AFGHANISTAN OVER THIS PERIOD THROUGH WFP CAME
FROM THE UNITED STATES. IN GENERAL, HE LAUDED THE
SIGNIFICANT STEPS TAKEN BY WFP OVER THE PAST DECADE TOWARDS
STRENGTHENING ITS EMERGENCY RESPONSE (SERC) CAPACITY.


12. NATSIOS ASSURED MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD THAT THE
U.S. REMAINS COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING LEADERSHIP IN
SUPPLYING FOOD AID TO VULNERABLE PEOPLE. HE COMMENTED THAT
SUPPORT FOR FOOD AID IS EVEN MORE VITAL IN THIS NEW ERA OF
TERRORIST THREATS AS HUNGER LEADS TO DESPERATION, AND
POTENTIALLY, VIOLENCE. HE UNDERLINED HOWEVER THAT IT IS
INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT THAT WFP BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
MEASURABLE PROGRESS AND REAL IMPACT IN ITS FOOD ASSISTANCE
EFFORTS.


13. EC COMMISSIONER (DEVELOPMENT) POUL NIELSON REMARKED
THAT THE EC, WHILE "AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTOR TO WFP," WAS
NOT "AN EASY PARTNER." HE QUESTIONED THE PRESENT MODE OF
CALCULATING INDIRECT SUPPORT COSTS, POSTULATED THAT THE
PRESENT ISC RATE WAS "TOO HIGH," AND REQUESTED THAT A
REVIEW AND REVISION OF THE RATE BE INSTITUTED BY OCTOBER

2002.


14. NEILSON PROCEEDED TO CLARIFY THE EC POSITION ON FOOD
AID AS FOLLOWS: "WE DO NOT REGARD FOOD AID AS AN
APPROPRIATE INSTRUMENT TO CREATE LONG-TERM FOOD SECURITY,
BUT RATHER AS AN ESSENTIAL INSTRUMENT FOR EMERGENCY AND
HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTIONS TO LINKING RELIEF,
REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND AS AN ELEMENT OF SAFETY
NET STRATEGIES FOR PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE SECTIONS OF THE
POPULATION." HE INDICATED THAT THE EC WOULD MAKE SURE THAT
DEVELOPMENT FOOD AID "BE GIVEN APPROPRIATE ATTENTION IN THE
WTO TRADE AGENDA."


15. ON WFP'S PRROS, NEILSON URGED FURTHER WFP THINKING,
PARTICULARLY ON LINKING IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND EMERGENCY
INTERVENTIONS TO RECOVERY/DEVELOPMENT. ON RESULTS-BASED
MANAGEMENT, HE OPINED THAT "MOST OF THE DONORS, INCLUDING
THE EC HAVE NOT YET DELIVERED. EVERYONE IS ASKING FOR
INDICATORS. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO PRETEND THAT THE
WORLD IS SIMPLER THAN IT REALLY IS."

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WFP CASH MANAGEMENT AND REVIEW OF WFP FINANCIAL BALANCES OF
PROJECTS CLOSED PRIOR TO 2001
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16. THE BOARD NOTED THE PRESENT LEVEL OF WFP'S CASH
BALANCES, AND REVIEWED THE ORGANIZATION'S LEVEL OF
FINANCIAL INVESTMENT AND INVESTMENT POLICY. ON CASH
BALANCES, IT REQUESTED THAT A DETAILED ANALYSIS BE PROVIDED
OF THE REASON FOR THE CURRENT LEVEL OF CASH BALANCES AND
THAT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CASH BALANCES BE INDICATED BY
WFP'S SECRETARIAT LATEST OCTOBER 2002.


17. ON ACCOUNTS CLOSED PRIOR TO 2001 AND RECENTLY MIGRATED
INTO THE NEW WFP INFORMATION NETWORK AND GLOBAL SYSTEM
(WINGS),THE BOARD ASK THE SECRETARIAT TO COMPLETE ITS
ANALYSIS AND ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH INDIVIDUAL DONORS
TO CLEAR ALL CONTRIBUTIONS AND BALANCES OF CLOSED PROJECTS.


18. ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS COMMENTED THAT THE UNITED STATES
HAD OFTEN RAISED THE ISSUE OF WFP'S SIZABLE CASH BALANCES
AND THAT THESE AMOUNTS SHOULD BE REASONABLY MODEST. HE
ENDORSED THE POSITION OF THE UN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON
ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY QUESTIONS (ACABQ) THAT THE
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM PROVIDE SOONEST A DETAILED ANALYSIS AS
TO THE APPROPRIATE CASH BALANCE LEVEL NEEDED TO CONDUCT ITS
BUSINESS.


19. HE SUPPORTED THE POSITION OF THE EC (PARA 13 ABOVE)
THAT THE WFP PRESENT ITS ANALYSIS OF INDIRECT SUPPORT COSTS
(ISC) TO THE MAY 2002 EXECUTIVE BOARD AND THAT ADJUSTMENTS
BE MADE AT THAT TIME IN ITS PERCENTAGE RATE, APPLICABLE FOR
CY 2002 ISC CHARGES.


20. FINALLY, NATSIOS ALSO FAVORED TASKING WFP'S EXTERNAL
AUDITOR TO PROVIDE ITS CONSIDERED OPINION ON THE SUBJECT OF
THE APPROPRIATE CASH BALANCE LEVEL AT THE TIME OF ITS
PRESENTATION OF THE 2000-2001 BIENNIUM ACCOUNTS IN OCTOBER

2002.

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PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS - PRROS
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21. PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS FOR UGANDA
(USD 102.9 MILLION); ETHIOPIA (USD 40.36 MILLION);
INDONESIA/INTERNALLY DISPLACED AND URBAN POOR (USD 65.5
MILLION); BURMA/NORTH RAKINE STATE RETURNEES (USD 6.84
MILLION); NEPAL/BHUTANESE REFUGEES (USD 8.5 MILLION)
SUDAN/ERITREAN REFUGEES (USD 7.43 MILLION); AND THE FEDERAL
REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA (EXCLUDING KOSOVO) (USD 16.53
MILLION) -TOTALING OVERALL USD 248.13 MILLION- WERE
APPROVED EN BLOC BY THE BOARD. NOTE: USDEL MET SEPARATELY
WITH WFP REGIONAL MANAGERS ON THESE AND OTHER MAJOR WFP
OPERATIONS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE REGIONS. SEPTEL WILL PROVIDE
AN UPDATE ON THE ALGERIA PRRO - ASSISTANCE TO WESTERN
SAHARA REFUGEES. END NOTE.

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APPROVED COUNTRY PROGRAMS - 2002-2007 - WFP'S 2002
DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO FUNDING IN SERIOUS TROUBLE
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22. THE BOARD APPROVED COUNTRY PROGRAMS FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTRIES: BHUTAN, USD 14.7 MILLION; AND YEMEN, USD 40
MILLION. IN ADDITION, A COUNTRY STRATEGY OUTLINE FOR
MAURITANIA WAS APPROVED.


23. ON THE WIDER ISSUE OF GLOBAL FOOD AID NEEDS FOR WFP'S
DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO FOR CY 2002, THESE ARE CURRENTLY
ESTIMATED AT 1.2 MILLION TONS VALUED AT USD 389 MILLION.
BASED ON AN ANALYSIS OF THE EXPECTED LEVEL OF CONTRIBUTIONS
AND THE AMOUNT OF CARRY-OVER PLEDGES FROM 2001, WFP
ESTIMATES A CURRENT SHORTFALL OF 571,000 METRIC TONS (USD
180.2 MILLION),OR 46 PERCENT OF REQUIREMENTS. THE FORECAST
AVAILABILITY, 660,000 METRIC TONS (USD 208.8 MILLION)
REPRESENTS THE LOWEST LEVEL OF RESOURCES FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT CATEGORY OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

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HARMONIZATION OF PROGRAMMING PROCESSES AMONG THE UN FUNDS
AND PROGRAMS




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24. THE BOARD REQUESTED THE SECRETARIAT TO PRODUCE AN
ADDITIONAL AND MORE DETAILED REPORT PURSUANT TO GENERAL
ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION A/56/201 "TRIENNIAL POLICY REVIEW OF
OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED
NATIONS SYSTEM." IT RECOMMENDED THAT THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE ROME - AND NEW YORK - BASED BOARDS OF THE
UNITED NATIONS FUNDS AND PROGRAMS BE STRENGTHENED THROUGH
WFP BOARD PARTICIPATION IN THE JOINT MEETING(S) OF THE
EXECUTIVE BOARDS OF UNDP/UNFPA AND UNICEF.


25. USDEL APPLAUDED THE RECENTLY ISSUED "IDEAS TO
STRENGTHEN THE COMMON COUNTRY ASSESSMENT (CCA)/ UNITED
NATIONS DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK (UNDAF) PROCESS," BY THE
GOVERNMENTS OF DENMARK, FINLAND, NORWAY AND SWEDEN (OCTOBER
2001) - THAT MANY COUNTRIES HAVE EITHER DEVELOPED OR ARE
DEVELOPING BROAD-BASED NATIONAL POVERTY REDUCTION
STRATEGIES (PRSP) AND HENCE CCA/UNDAF GUIDELINES "BE
ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THIS MAJOR AND POSITIVE CHANGE."


26. USDEL ALSO SUGGESTED THAT WFP PURSUE WITH OTHER UN
AGENCIES, AS PART OF THE UNDAF PROCESS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF
COMMON TOOLS TO MONITOR PROGRESS AND EVALUATE
OUTCOMES/RESULTS OF THE RESPECTIVE COUNTRY PROGRAMS, AS
RECOMMENDED AT THE ANNUAL SESSION OF THE UNDP/UNFPA 2001
EXECUTIVE BOARD.

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PAPER ON NON-FOOD COMPONENTS OF RELIEF INTERVENTION IN THE
HORN OF AFRICA
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27. THE PRINCIPAL FINDING OF THIS PAPER RELATED TO THE CY
2000 DROUGHT IN THE HORN OF AFRICA WAS THAT, IN ORDER TO
ENABLE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES TO EFFECTIVELY RECOVER FROM
DROUGHTS OF THIS MAGNITUDE, BOTH FOOD AND NON-FOOD
SHORTFALLS NEEDED TO BE RESOURCED AS A MATTER OF PRIORITY.
IN SHORT, IN ADDITION TO FOOD, URGENT DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS
WERE REQUIRED PARTICULARLY FOR INTERVENTIONS IN THE WATER,
HEALTH, LIVESTOCK, AGRICULTURAL AND SEED SECTORS. FOOD AID
ALONE AS AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE IS NOT ENOUGH.


28. USDEL COMMENTED THAT, GIVEN RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, THERE
IS A CLEAR NEED FOR UN AGENCIES TO BE ABLE TO BETTER
DEMONSTRATE COST EFFICIENCIES, ECONOMIES OF SCALE, AND THE
UN'S ABILITY, WHERE APPROPRIATE, TO OBTAIN HOST GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT. MOREOVER, THE UN AGENCIES NEED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT
RIGOR IS SYSTEMATICALLY APPLIED TO THE CONSOLIDATED APPEALS
(CAP) PROCESS IN ORDER TO AVOID "INFLATING THE NUMBERS."
THE UPCOMING UN CAP REVIEW (MONTREUX) SHOULD PROVIDE A GOOD
UN INTERAGENCY AND DONOR FORUM TO FURTHER "STREAMLINE" THE
CAP.

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HOMAGE TO OUTGOING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BERTINI
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29. ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON FEBRUARY 14, A VIDEO PRESENTATION
BY UN SECRETARY GENERAL ANNAN, SPEECHES BY IFAD DIRECTOR
BAGE AND FAO DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL HARCHARIK, WRITTEN
TESTIMONIES OF UNICEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BELLAMY, UNHCR
COMMISSIONER LUBBERS, UNDP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MALLOCK
BROWN, AND THE INTERVENTIONS OF 44 ROME-BASED PERMANENT
REPRESENTATIONS - CONSTITUTED A MOVING TRIBUTE TO THE TEN
YEARS OF DEVOTED SERVICE BY CATHERINE BERTINI AT THE HELM
OF WFP.

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COMMENT
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30. THERE WAS NO DOWN SIDE TO THIS TRIBUTE. IN SHORT,
UNIVERSAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF A JOB WELL DONE. INDEED, AS
ELOQUENTLY EXPRESSED BY UNICEF'S CAROL BELLAMY: "FOR ME, AS
FOR OTHERS, CATHERINE HAS BEEN MORE THAN A GIFTED LEADER.
SHE HAS BEEN A GOOD AND LOYAL COLLEAGUE-AND A TRUE FRIEND.
I WOULD EXPECT NOTHING LESS OF ONE NEW YORK GIRL TO
ANOTHER-CATHERINE THE UPSTATER AND ME THE CITY GIRL. I
THINK I SPEAK FOR A MULTITUDE-MILLIONS OF WHOM MAY NEVER
EVEN KNOW HER NAME-WHO WILL MISS HER VERY MUCH."


31. USAID ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS DID NOT CLEAR THIS CABLE
PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. HEILEMAN