ASPECTS OF WFP NEPAL COUNTRY PROGRAM - US

UNCLAS ROME 003595

SIPDIS


AIDAC

FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

STATE FOR PRM/P AND IO/EDA
USAID FOR AA/DCHA, AA/ANE, DCHA/FFP LANDIS
USDA/FAS FOR CHAMBLISS/TILSWORTH/GAINOR
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID
BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER AND PRM REP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR PREF AORC WFP UN
SUBJECT: ASPECTS OF WFP NEPAL COUNTRY PROGRAM - US
MISSION/ROME VISIT TO NEPAL JULY 26 - 30, 2003

REF (A) KATHMANDU 01295

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Summary
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1. A representative of the US Mission to the UN Food and
Agricultural Agencies (FODAG) visited the United Nations
World Food Programme (WFP) operations in Nepal to assess
security aspects of WFP's on-going development activities in
view of the Maoist insurrection. UN controls to prevent
sexual and gender-based violence against Bhutanese refugees
in eastern Nepal were also reviewed. End summary.

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Background
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2. Upon arrival on July 26, Philip Lamade, FODAG Program
Analyst, met with WFP Country Director Erika Joergensen and
US Embassy Kathmandu RSO to discuss WFP's operations in
general and the security situation in particular. Because
of security concerns, Lamade was not permitted to visit the
northern mountains or hill districts of Nepal. From July 27
through July 29, Lamade visited Terai districts Banke,
Bardiya, Kailali, and Kanchanpur, where he met with WFP
regional staff, Government of Nepal (GON) district
administrators, and representatives of international (GTZ)
and local NGOs. Before departing Nepal, Lamade met with
Bill Berger, OFDA/USAID Regional Avisor, and Crystal
Kaplan, US Embassy Political fficer, and consulted again
with WFP staff regaring Bhutanese refugees.


3. Nearly half of Nepals population lives below the poverty
line. Agricuture provides a livelihood for over 80 percent
o the population and accounts for 41 percent of GDP
Industrial activity mainly involves the processng of
agricultural produce including jute, sugarane, tobacco, and
grain. Textile and carpet prodution, accounting for about
80 percent of foreignexchange earnings in recent years,
contracted sinificantly in 2001 following the world
economic lowdown and pressures by Maoist insurgents on
fatory owners and workers. Security concerns in the wke of
Maoist activity, the June 2001 massacre of many members of
the royal family, and the September 11 terrorist attacks in
the US led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign
exchange.


4. Reference A discusses security concerns over the Maoist
insurgency, which beginning in 1996 has claimed about 7000
lives. Last month the Maoists closed their office in
Kathmandu, and last week they clashed with soldiers in
western Nepal, thus ending a ceasefire that had been in
effect since January 2003.


5. UNSECOORD, through a field security office, provides
assistance to WFP and its sister agencies in Nepal as
follows:

- Manages the interagency field security system to ensure
the integrity of the travel clearance system into districts
where UN security phases are applicable;
- Supplements mandatory WFP Security Awareness Training; and
- Provides security training for the UN Country Team and
local area security coordinators, including overseeing the
implementation of UN operating security standards and CD-ROM
training in "Basic Security in the Field - Staff Safety,
Health and Welfare."


6. Lamade urged WFP and NGO personnel to be vigilant, follow
established security procedures, and exercise great caution
in Maoist threat areas. Lamade also advised interlocutors
that the US is WFP's largest donor, and the US and other
members of WFP's Executive Board are the only outside
entities authorized to approve WFP's work plan for Nepal.


7. Despite uncertainty regarding Maoist intentions, WFP and
NGOs uniformly expressed confidence that their projects can
and should continue.


8. Under a separate Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation
(PRRO) and memorandum of understanding with UNHCR, WFP Nepal


provides food assistance to Bhutanese refugees (of Nepali
origin) that started to arrive in Nepal in late 1990. By
1993, over 80,000 were granted prima facia refugee status.
On June 18, 2003, the latest Nepal-Bhutan joint verification
team (JVT) exercise announced that repatriation to Bhutan
may recommence as early as September, but the international
community is concerned that only a few refugee families will
be permitted repatriation.


9. UNHCR is responsible for the protection of refugees in
the camps. WFP provides food assistance within the
framework of letters of understanding with the GON and
UNHCR. The Ministry of Home Affairs is the GON counterpart
responsible for refugee-related affairs and the monitoring
of assistance to refugees. Since 1994, the Nepal Red Cross
Society has been WFP's operational partner managing the camp
warehouses and overseeing food distribution.


10. In March of 2002 as an immediate response to allegations
of sexual exploitation in West Africa, a UN interagency task
force was established to support refugee communities and
prevent any reoccurrence of exploitation. Nevertheless,
instances of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) were
discovered subsequently in the refugee camps, which resulted
in criminal prosecutions and convictions. As of July 2003,
UNHCR reported 9 cases of refugees and 2 cases of local
workers being held in detention for SGBV offenses.


11. In addition, the interagency task force, including WFP,
established a policy of zero tolerance toward SGBV; wrote
and promulgated a "Manual of Interagency Procedures and
Practices: Support to Refugee Communities for Prevention and
Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Jhapa and
Morang Districts, Nepal;" instituted a procedure requiring
employees and implementation partners to agree to a code of
conduct; increased the number of female food distribution
monitors; and formed refugee committees to increase
awareness of SGBV in the camps.


12. On August 25, 2003, WFP Regional Manager Anthony Banbury
is scheduled to arrive in Nepal as the head of WFP/UNHCR's
annual joint assessment mission. Among other areas of
inquiry, the mission is charged with reviewing the
effectiveness of monitoring systems, including women's
participation in management and distribution systems.

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Comment
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13. FODAG agrees with Embassy Political Officer that WFP has
taken appropriate precautions to contend with Maoists
security risks and that its country program should continue
despite these risks. In addition, FODAG finds that WFP has
implemented necessary policies and procedures designed to
prevent future instances of sexual and gender-based violence
in Nepal generally and specifically related to refugee
populations. Hall


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2003ROME03595 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED