WFP APPEAL FOR WEST AFRICA COASTAL SPECIAL

UNCLAS ROME 004603 SIPDIS AIDAC FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME STATE FOR PRM/P AND IO/EDA INFO USAID FOR A/AID, DCHA/FFP LANDIS, DCHA/OFDA MENGHETTI INFO GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID MONROVIA FOR DART E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR PREF WFP UN SUBJECT: WFP APPEAL FOR WEST AFRICA COASTAL SPECIAL OPERATIONS -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM (WFP) HAS FOUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS (SO) WHICH ADDRESS RECENT THREATS TO ITS PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATION FOR REFUGEES, RETURNEES, AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN GUINEA, SIERRA LEONE, AND LIBERIA. TOTAL REQUIRED FUNDING IS U.S. DOLLARS (USD) 6.8 MILLION, YET ONLY ABOUT 3.3 MILLION USD HAS BEEN PLEDGED TO DATE. END SUMMARY. -------------- FOUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS (SO) -------------- ¶2. LIBERIA SO 10300, "AUGMENTED LOGISTICS AND ICT CAPACITY IN SUPPORT TO THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN LIBERIA," PLANNED FROM AUGUST 2003 THROUGH JANUARY 2004, IS ESTIMATED AT 1,345,589 USD. A SUPPLY VESSEL WAS CHARTERED FOR 60 DAYS TO PROVIDE THE ENTIRE HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY WITH FUEL TO OPERATE THEIR VEHICLES AND GENERATORS; PROVIDE BASIC COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT FOR OPERATIONS AND SECURITY TO ESTABLISH A COUNTRY OFFICE AND SIX SUB-OFFICES; AND PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN WORKERS A SAFE BASE FROM WHICH TO WORK UPON THEIR RE-ENTRY TO LIBERIA. THIS SUPPLY VESSEL HAS BEEN DEMOBILIZED, AND A SMALLER REPLACEMENT SHIP WITH A CAPACITY OF 1,000 METRIC TONS IS NOW BEING USED TO TRANSPORT FOOD. ALTHOUGH THIS IS A CRITICAL OPERATION AND SERVES TO JUMP- START THE UN'S OPERATIONS, NO CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED TO DATE. ¶3. LIBERIA SO 10263, "EMERGENCY TRUCKING CAPACITY INCREASE TO THE WFP FLEET IN SUPPORT TO THE HUMANITARIAN OPERATION IN LIBERIA," BEGAN IN FEBRUARY 2003 FOR A ONE-YEAR PERIOD. ESTIMATED AT 2,547,270 USD, ITS PURPOSE IS TO PURCHASE THREE NEW 15-METRIC TON TRUCKS AND RELATED SERVICES REQUIRED TO INCREASE TRUCKING CARGO CAPACITY BY 120 TO 324 METRIC TONS, I.E., TO PRE-CIVIL WAR LEVELS. THE CURRENT FUNDING SHORTFALL IS 985,475 USD. ¶4. LIBERIA UNJLC SO 10303, "ESTABLISHMENT OF A UNITED NATIONS JOINT LOGISTICS CENTER IN SUPPORT OF THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN LIBERIA," ESTIMATED AT 799,536 USD AND RUNNING FROM AUGUST THROUGH NOVEMBER 2003, WOULD DEPLOY UP TO SEVEN SPECIALIZED STAFF, INCLUDING THE HEAD OF THE UNJLC, AN OPERATIONS COORDINATOR, LOGISTICS INFORMATION SUPPORT OFFICER, GIS/DATA OFFICER, CIVIL MILITARY COORDINATOR, AIR PLANNING OFFICER, AND AIR INFORMATION OFFICER. Q ¶5. WEST AFRICA COASTAL SO 10061.1, "WFP AIR SUPPORT SERVICE FOR THE WEST AFRICA COASTAL REGION," ESTIMATED AT 2,150,609 USD, HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING OPERATION FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND AT THIS JUNCTURE IS SCHEDULED TO END IN DECEMBER 2003. THIS PROJECT ESTABLISHED PASSENGER SERVICE TO THE HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY WORKING IN THE COASTAL REGION. IN AUGUST, WFP CHARTERED A SECOND AIRCRAFT TO ACCOMMODATE INCREASED DEMAND. THE SHORTFALL FOR THIS SO IS 877,610 USD. -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶6. PER WFP'S APPEAL, SUPPORT TO THESE SPECIAL OPERATIONS WILL ENABLE WFP AND PARTNERS TO EXTEND THEIR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO BROADER SEGMENTS OF THE LIBERIAN POPULATION. HALL NNNN 2003ROME04603 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED