WFP's Executive Director writes to the President on

UNCLAS ROME 005223

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FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

USDA FOR SECRETARY VENEMAN, U/S/FAS PENN, MCHAMBLISS
STATE FOR U/S LARSON, IO A/S HOLMES, EUR/WE, IO/EDA
RBERHEND, E FOR CPENCE
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP
LANDIS
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AORC PREF EAGR ECON KUNR UN WFP
SUBJECT: WFP's Executive Director writes to the President on
support for school feeding


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SUMMARY
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1. WFP's Executive Director Jim Morris has written to
President Bush a letter (reproduced below) requesting
support for restoring the US contribution to global school
feeding efforts to USD 300 million per year through the
McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child
Nutrition Program. End summary.


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Text of letter of WFP Executive Director Jim Morris dated
September 25 to the President of the United States
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2. Begin text of WFP letter:

"Dear Mr. President:

Thank you so much for the kind words about the World Food
Program in your recent statement to the General Assembly in
New York. All of us really appreciated the recognition.
We are, in fact, quite proud of our achievements in helping
prevent widespread hunger in Iraq as it seeks to rebuild.
At its peak, our emergency operation there was moving 1,000
tons of food an hour, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a
week -- the most massive humanitarian operation in history.
This would never have been possible without the strong
commitment of the Bush Administration.

I am writing you now on behalf of tens of millions of
children who need your help and support even more than the
people of Iraq. Hungry children in the world's poorest
countries need the same compassion and helping hand you have
extended to America's children. Worldwide there are still
some 100-million school-age children who do not go to
school, and 6 out of 10 are girls. In several regions, the
problem has worsened as children whose parents have HIV/AIDS
are pulled out of school to help support their families. At
the same time, about 300 million children are chronically
hungry, even if they are able to go to school.

We can make solid progress against hunger and bring children
into school at the same time if you are willing to commit
the United States to multi-year and consistent funding of
the Global School Feeding Initiative -- a bipartisan effort
spearheaded by former Senators McGovern and Dole. Despite
your well-known commitment to children and education, US
funds for this program have been subject to politically
embarrassing cutbacks. Several key school feeding programs
in places such as Nicaragua, Colombia, Chad and Kenya were
left unfunded this year because of the reduction in funds
made available, and other donors have begun to question
America's commitment.

Restoring the US contribution to global school feeding
efforts to USD 300 million per year through approval of
supplemental funds for the McGovern-Dole International Food
for Education and Child Nutrition Program would mean that
WFP and other partners could provide school meals for
millions more poor children worldwide than would otherwise
be possible. While US funding has decreased, the demand for
school feeding has grown dramatically since the U.S.
announced the initial contribution in 2000. USDA reported
that the proposals received from WFP and private voluntary
organizations (PVOs) totaled about USD 1 billion (against a
reduced funding of USD 100 million) for 2003. It is clear
that there is both the demand and the capacity to do much
more; to reach millions more poor children in developing


countries.

School feeding has served as an incredible magnet for
attracting children to school and keeping them there. In
Pakistan, for example, we have had increases of up to 300
percent. Responding to early United States General
Accounting Office (GAO) recommendations, we have refined our
projects and have managed to attract a substantial multi-
year commitment from Canada and more donations from Europe
as well. The growing worldwide support for school feeding
is a result of America's incredible leadership and
commitment to the issue.

I am certain that nearly everyone who seeks funding these
days tries to tie their favorite program to the war on
terrorism, but let me draw your attention to an article that
appeared in Time magazine on 22 September on the dangerous
political influence that some extremist madrasah schools
have in Pakistan. "`It's poverty and hunger that drive
these students to the madrasahs,' says Aziz Ahmed Faruqi,
who teaches in a Karachi seminary. `If their stomachs
weren't empty, they wouldn't come.'" WFP and PVOs can use
school feeding to attract students and offer an alternative
in all schools with government-approved curriculums that do
not foster extremism.

We appreciate the tremendous pressure on the US Government's
budget, but investing in children is surely the best
investment we all can make. Sincerely, James Morris" End
text of WFP letter.

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Personal Comment from Ambassador Tony Hall
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3. I can attest to the truth of the Pakistani teacher's
comments about poverty driving parents to send their kids to
the madrasahs and learn the foundations of hate instead of
basic education. In a trip last year with Representatives
Frank Wolf and Joe Pitts, we spoke directly with Pakistani
and Afghan parents who wanted to send their children,
including daughters, to schools where they would be fed.
School feeding is clearly a positive tool in our efforts to
prevent more terrorists from being trained.


4. In addition to meeting our strategic goals, school
feeding is attracting more attention and funding from our
allies. WFP has received significant commitments for school
feeding from Canada, Switzerland, Italy, Chile and Honduras
(to name just a few). WFP's research is showing positive
results in increasing nutritional status and getting girls
into school. I strongly encourage a return to the USD 100
million investment for the McGovern-Dole International Food
for Education and Child Nutrition Program as stated in the
2002 Farm Bill and contained in FY 2003 funding levels.
Hall


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2003ROME05223 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED