FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ROME 000589 SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00589 01 OF 05 131315Z FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, U/S LARSON, AFR/SA, PRM/P, EUR/WE, EUR/NE AND IO/EDA WINNICK USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, DAA/DCHA/GRIGSBY, AA/AFR, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, PPC/DC USDA/FAS FOR GSM KMILLER, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILLSWORTH AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE FOR AMBASSADOR HUDDLE GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE, CSERWER AND MLUTZ NSC FOR JDWORKEN OMB FOR TSTOLL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 5-7, 2003 REF: (A) ROME 00341 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. THE WFP BOARD SESSION TOOK PLACE AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF EVER-INCREASING EMERGENCY NEEDS (PARTICULARLY IN AFRICA WHERE 38 MILLION PEOPLE FACE STARVATION) AND HOW BEST TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY LEVEL OF RESOURCES (4.8 MILLION METRIC TONS VALUED AT U.S. DOLLARS 2.4 BILLION) TO ENSURE AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR WFP. U.S. DOLLARS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00589 01 OF 05 131315Z 465.6 MILLION IN PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS (PRROS) FOR AFGHANISTAN, TAJIKISTAN, NEPAL, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND SUDAN - WERE APPROVED. WFP AND UNAIDS (REPRESENTED BY DR. PETER PIOT) CALLED FOR A RADICAL AND URGENT APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE FATAL LINKS BETWEEN HIV/AIDS, CHRONIC FOOD SHORTAGES AND MALNUTRITION. US MISSION AMBASSADOR TONY HALL NOTED THAT AIDS IS RAPIDLY WIPING OUT DECADES OF DEVELOPMENT WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO REGIONAL INSTABILITY AND THAT EVERY UN ORGANIZATION AND ALL OF US NEED TO COMMIT OURSELVES TO COMBATING THIS TERRIBLE PANDEMIC. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ENUMERATES 2003 CHALLENGES -------------- -------------- ¶2. WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JIM MORRIS LISTED 2003 NEEDS FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE AS UNPRECEDENTED - 4.8 MILLION METRIC TONS, AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF U.S. DOLLARS 2.4 BILLION, A 28 PERCENT INCREASE IN BUDGET REQUIREMENTS OVER LAST YEAR. THE NEEDS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA ALONE, ESTIMATED AT U.S. DOLLARS 1.8 BILLION, EQUAL THE 2002 WORLDWIDE WFP PROGRAM BUDGET. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS (EMOPS) WILL REQUIRE U.S. DOLLARS 1.2 BILLION (2.4 MILLION MTS),PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS (PRROS) U.S. DOLLARS 893 MILLION (1.6 MILLION MTS),AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES (LARGELY SCHOOL FEEDING AND MOTHER-CHILD CARE),U.S DOLLARS 340 MILLION (844,000 MTS). MORRIS ANNOUNCED RECEIPT OF A CASH CONTRIBUTION FROM THE OPEC FUND OF U.S. DOLLARS 10 MILLION. ¶3. MORRIS REPORTED ON HIS RECENT TRIPS TO THE HORN, SOUTHERN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 00589 01 OF 05 131315Z AFRICA AND ANGOLA. ON ETHIOPIA, HE REMARKED THAT ETHIOPIA HAS THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA RELIEF INPUT IN THE WORLD AND THE WORLD'S LOWEST PER CAPITA DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT. FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA, HE ESTIMATED THAT FOOD AID NEEDS IN 2003 WOULD REMAIN ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS IN 2002, CITING PARTICULARLY BAD GOVERNANCE IN ZIMBABWE AND THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF HIV/AIDS ON AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT THROUGHOUT THE REGION. HE UNDERLINED THE TRAGEDY ASSOCIATED WITH TODAY'S 11 MILLION HIV/AIDS ORPHANS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. ON DPRK, MORRIS MENTIONED THAT THE EMERGENCY OPERATION FOR 2003 IS 10 PERCENT FUNDED TO DATE, MEANING THAT IN ALL PROBABILITY WFP WILL BE UNABLE TO REACH UP TO 2.9 MILLION OF ITS INTENDED BENEFICIARIES DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR. ON PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT, HE COMMENTED ON A U.S. DOLLAR 5 MILLION COMMITMENT FROM THE DUTCH CONGLOMERATE TPG WHOSE 150,000 EMPLOYEES WILL SUPPORT CERTAIN WFP SCHOOL FEEDING OPERATIONS FOR A YEAR. ¶4. IN THE U.S. INTERVENTION, AMBASSADOR HALL NOTED THAT THE UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3457 PAGE 01 ROME 00589 02 OF 05 131315Z ACTION SSO-00 INFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 ANHR-00 EUR-00 E-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00 IO-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 SS-00 TEST-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- 35B97A 131610Z /38 P 131228Z FEB 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8218 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY KABUL AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE AMEMBASSY TOKYO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY KINSHASA AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY OTTAWA AMEMBASSY BERN SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO USDA FAS WASHDC 2530 USEU BRUSSELS 3109 USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 05 ROME 000589 SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00589 02 OF 05 131315Z FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, U/S LARSON, AFR/SA, PRM/P, EUR/WE, EUR/NE AND IO/EDA WINNICK USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, DAA/DCHA/GRIGSBY, AA/AFR, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, PPC/DC USDA/FAS FOR GSM KMILLER, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILLSWORTH AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE FOR AMBASSADOR HUDDLE GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE, CSERWER AND MLUTZ NSC FOR JDWORKEN OMB FOR TSTOLL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 5-7, 2003 UNITED STATES HAS COMMITTED MORE THAN 500,000 METRIC TONS OF FOOD TO FEED FAMINE VICTIMS IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA, WITH ALMOST HALF OF THAT FOOD HAVING ALREADY BEEN DELIVERED AND MORE FOOD PLEDGES PENDING. HALL URGED BOTH WFP AND DONORS TO ENCOURAGE THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP A TRANSITIONAL FRAMEWORK TO PROTECT AND BUILD ASSETS FOR ITS FOUR MILLION PREDICTABLY FOOD-INSECURE CASELOAD. -------------- -------------- DRAFT ANNOTATED OUTLINE: WFP STRATEGIC PLAN 2004-2007 -------------- -------------- UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00589 02 OF 05 131315Z ¶5. WFP PRESENTED ITS DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN ANNOTATED OUTLINE 2004-2007 (REF A) WHICH WILL BE FORMALLY REVIEWED AT THE OCTOBER 2003 BOARD. WFP LISTS FOUR PROGRAM WORK OBJECTIVES: A) SUPPORTING UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION AND REDUCING GENDER DISPARITY IN ACCESS TO EDUCATION; B) SUPPORTING IMPROVED HEALTH OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE GROUPS THROUGH NUTRITION EDUCATION; C) SAVING LIVES IN CRISIS SITUATIONS; AND D) PRESERVING LIVELIHOODS IN CRISIS SITUATIONS. TWO OF THE FOUR CORE THEMES DESCRIBE HUMANITARIAN OBJECTIVES. GENDER CONSIDERATIONS APPLY TO ALL THEMES. ¶6. DAA/DCHA GRIGSBY UNDERLINED USDEL'S CONCERN THAT THE DRAFT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AS PRESENTED WAS OVERLY OPTIMISTIC. HE QUESTIONED WFP'S CAPACITY TO PROMOTE LONGER- TERM SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, GIVEN WFP'S PRIMARY MISSION (IN USDEL'S VIEW) OF DELIVERING FOOD AND SAVING LIVES IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. USDEL SHARED COPIES OF THE DRAFT USAID- COMMISSIONED "FOOD AID AND FOOD INSECURITY - USAID STRATEGIC PLAN 2004-2009" (P. WEBB AND B. ROGERS),WHICH FOCUSES "ATTENTION TO RISKS AND RESILIENCIES (WHICH IN TURN) FACILITATES ATTENTION TO DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABILITY." -------------- -------------- PROGRAMMING IN THE ERA OF AIDS: WFP'S RESPONSE TO HIV/AIDS -------------- -------------- ¶7. WFP AND UNAIDS (REPRESENTED BY DR. PETER PIOT) SIGNED AN AGREEMENT ON FEBRUARY 6 WHICH CALLS FOR A RADICAL AND URGENT APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE FATAL LINKS BETWEEN HIV/AIDS, CHRONIC FOOD SHORTAGES AND MALNUTRITION. THE BOARD ENDORSED WFP'S INCORPORATION OF HIV/AIDS CONCERNS IN ALL OF ITS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 00589 02 OF 05 131315Z PROGRAMMING CATEGORIES. FOOD INSECURITY DRIVEN BY AIDS CAN BE ADDRESSED DIRECTLY THROUGH WFP PROGRAMS, AND WFP ACTIVITIES CAN BE USED AS PLATFORMS FOR OTHER TYPES OF HIV/AIDS EFFORTS, SUCH AS PREVENTION EDUCATION. WFP WILL WORK PARTICULARLY CLOSELY WITH UNAIDS CO-SPONSORS AND THE UNAIDS SECRETARIAT IN THIS REGARD. MOREOVER, WFP WILL ADJUST PROGRAMMING TOOLS SUCH AS NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS, THE DESIGN OF RATIONS AND OTHER NUTRITION-RELATED ACTIVITIES AS INFORMATION AND RESEARCH RESULTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO REFLECT THE NEW REALITY PRESENTED BY HIV/AIDS. FINALLY, WHEN HIV/AIDS THREATENS FOOD SECURITY AND INFLUENCES MORTALITY, WFP WILL CONSIDER HIV/AIDS AS A BASIC COMPONENT OF A PRRO, CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT WFP POLICY ON PRROS. ¶8. AMBASSADOR HALL NOTED THAT AIDS IS RAPIDLY WIPING OUT DECADES OF DEVELOPMENT WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO REGIONAL INSTABILITY AND THAT EVERY UN ORGANIZATION AND ALL OF US NEED TO COMMIT OURSELVES TO COMBATING THIS TERRIBLE UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3456 PAGE 01 ROME 00589 03 OF 05 131315Z ACTION SSO-00 INFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 ANHR-00 EUR-00 E-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00 IO-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 SS-00 TEST-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- 35B986 131609Z /38 P 131228Z FEB 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8219 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY KABUL AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE AMEMBASSY TOKYO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY KINSHASA AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY OTTAWA AMEMBASSY BERN SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO USDA FAS WASHDC 2531 USEU BRUSSELS 3110 USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 05 ROME 000589 SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00589 03 OF 05 131315Z FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, U/S LARSON, AFR/SA, PRM/P, EUR/WE, EUR/NE AND IO/EDA WINNICK USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, DAA/DCHA/GRIGSBY, AA/AFR, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, PPC/DC USDA/FAS FOR GSM KMILLER, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILLSWORTH AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE FOR AMBASSADOR HUDDLE GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE, CSERWER AND MLUTZ NSC FOR JDWORKEN OMB FOR TSTOLL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 5-7, 2003 PANDEMIC. HE UNDERLINED THAT THE UNITED STATES IS THE LARGEST PROVIDER OF INTERNATIONAL HIV/AIDS FUNDING - IN FY 2002 SOME U.S. DOLLARS 1.17 BILLION WAS SPENT TO FIGHT THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND WE INTEND TO PROVIDE MORE THAN U.S. DOLLARS 1.3 BILLION IN 2003. HALL ENCOURAGED WFP TO WORK CLOSELY WITH ITS UN PARTNERS IN ESTABLISHING STANDARD INDICATORS AND METHODS FOR INCORPORATING HIV/AIDS IN FOOD SECURITY, CROP AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS. HE REQUESTED WFP AND THE UN AGENCIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FOOD DELIVERIES (WHERE LARGE NUMBERS OF BENEFICIARIES OFTEN WAIT FOR HOURS TO RECEIVE THEIR RATION) TO IMPART MOTHER-CHILD CARE, HEALTH TRAINING AND NUTRITION EDUCATION MESSAGES, HIV/AIDS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00589 03 OF 05 131315Z AWARENESS, ETC. FINALLY, HALL URGED WFP AND ITS SISTER UN AGENCIES TO BECOME FORCEFUL ADVOCATES WITH PARLIAMENTARIANS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN EVERY COUNTRY TO DEVELOP NATIONAL POLICIES FOR ORPHANS AND INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE CARE AND SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN NEED. -------------- -------------- PROGRAM OF WORK: REVIEW OF WFP'S RESOURCE AND LONG-TERM FINANCING POLICY/EXTERNAL AUDITOR - 2002-2003 BIENNIUM -------------- -------------- ¶9. ON THE 2003 REVIEW OF RESOURCE AND LONG-TERM FINANCING POLICIES, THE BOARD ENDORSED THE ANNOTATED OUTLINE AS A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND INSTRUCTED THE BUREAU TO DETERMINE HOW THE PROGRAM OF WORK SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED. USDEL ASKED WFP TO REVIEW AND CONFIRM THAT IT HAS A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF COMPETENT TRAINED PROFESSIONALS BOTH IN HEADQUARTERS AND IN THE FIELD TO PROPERLY ACCOUNT FOR ITS DIVERSE AND SUBSTANTIVE RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS. ¶10. THE UK'S COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL, SIR JOHN BOURN, STRESSED THE NEWLY-APPOINTED EXTERNAL AUDITOR'S DESIRE TO "PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO MANAGEMENT OF RISK." IN PARTICULAR, THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR WILL FOCUS ON WFP'S NEW FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING SYSTEM (WINGS),THE ORGANIZATION'S DECENTRALIZATION, HOST GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS, AND WFP'S HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES. USDEL ASKED THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR TO REVIEW SECRETARIAT'S EFFORTS TO APPLY COST CONTAINMENT PRINCIPLES TO ALL WFP OFFICES, INCLUDING HEADQUARTERS UNITS, AND TO COMMENT ON THE PROCEDURE USED BY WFP IN SELECTING UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 00589 03 OF 05 131315Z FREIGHT FORWARDERS, BROKERS AND/OR AGENTS. -------------- -------------- PRROS - AFGHANISTAN/TAJIKISTAN/NEPAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO/SUDAN (ERITREAN REFUGEES) -------------- -------------- ¶11. PRROS: THE BOARD APPROVED PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS: -AFGHANISTAN (APRIL 2003-MARCH 2005),U.S. DOLLARS 337.5 MILLION, 6 MILLION BENEFICIARIES IN YEAR ONE - 5.27 MILLION IN YEAR TWO; -TAJIKISTAN (JULY 2003-JUNE 2005),U.S. DOLLARS 74.75 MILLION, 1.48 MILLION BENEFICIARIES; -NEPAL/BHUTANESE REFUGEES (JULY 2003-JUNE 2004),U.S. DOLLARS 8.64 MILLION, 103,850 BENEFICIARIES; -DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (BUDGET INCREASE, APRIL- DECEMBER 2003),U.S. DOLLARS 39.8 MILLION, 264,609 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3461 PAGE 01 ROME 00589 04 OF 05 131316Z ACTION SSO-00 INFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 ANHR-00 EUR-00 E-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00 IO-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 SS-00 TEST-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- 35B997 131610Z /38 P 131228Z FEB 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8220 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY KABUL AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE AMEMBASSY TOKYO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY KINSHASA AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY OTTAWA AMEMBASSY BERN SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO USDA FAS WASHDC 2532 USEU BRUSSELS 3111 USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 05 ROME 000589 SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00589 04 OF 05 131316Z FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, U/S LARSON, AFR/SA, PRM/P, EUR/WE, EUR/NE AND IO/EDA WINNICK USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, DAA/DCHA/GRIGSBY, AA/AFR, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, PPC/DC USDA/FAS FOR GSM KMILLER, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILLSWORTH AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE FOR AMBASSADOR HUDDLE GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE, CSERWER AND MLUTZ NSC FOR JDWORKEN OMB FOR TSTOLL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 5-7, 2003 BENEFICIARIES; -SUDAN/ERITREAN REFUGEES (BUDGET INCREASE, JANUARY-DECEMBER 2003),U.S. DOLLARS 4.88 MILLION, 91,000 BENEFICIARIES. ¶12. THE AFGHANISTAN PRRO DISCUSSION/APPROVAL WILL BE DISCUSSED SEPTEL. ON NEPAL, USDEL NOTED THE TROUBLING UNHCR INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORT (NOVEMBER 2002) RELATED TO THE DISCOVERY OF 16 CASES OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF REFUGEE WOMEN AND GIRLS BY MEN WORKING FOR THREE UNHCR-FUNDED NGO PARTNERS AND BY TWO UNHCR-FUNDED LOCAL NEPALESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. WHILE CONCURRING THAT THE UN AGENCIES HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS ON PLANS OF ACTION DEALING WITH PROTECTION FROM UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00589 04 OF 05 131316Z SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION IN HUMANITARIAN CRISES, USDEL URGED ACCELER ATED IMPLEMENTATION OF "ZERO TOLERANCE" MEASURES TO PREVENT SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, HOLD VIOLATORS ACCOUNTABLE AND ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF UN OPERATIONS. ¶13. ON THE DROC REVISED AND EXPANDED PRRO, USDEL COMMENTED THAT THE DEMANDING AND COMPLEX OPERATING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS WILL REQUIRE DEPLOYMENT OF EXPERIENCED AND SAVVY WFP OFFICERS. KEY WILL BE "WIDENING THE HUMANITARIAN SPACE" IN THE MOST AFFECTED AREAS OF THE COUNTRY. REACHING THESE "HIDDEN" TARGET GROUPS ON A CONSISTENT BASIS WILL BE A DAILY TASK, LINKED TO FOSTERING RAPID INTERVENTION AND INFORMATION SHARING CAPACITIES. ¶14. ON THE SUDAN/ERITREAN REFUGEES PRRO, USDEL REQUESTED THAT THE JOINT UNHCR-GOVERNMENT OF SUDAN SCREENING TEAMS REMAIN FULLY OPERATIVE IN THE EASTERN REGIONS OF KASSALA, WAD, MADANE AND GEDAREF, IN ORDER TO FURTHER CLARIFY AND FINALIZE: A) THE NUMBER OF ERITREANS STILL IN NEED OF INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION; AND B) THE NUMBER APPLYING TO REMAIN AS IMMIGRANTS. -------------- OTHER ISSUES -------------- ¶15. THE BOARD TOOK NOTE OF WFP PAPERS ON: A) EXIT STRATEGIES FOR SCHOOL FEEDING; B) COMPARISON STUDY OF WFP AND NON- GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS; C) FOLLOW UP TO ECOSOC AND GA RESOLUTIONS ON ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARDS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 00589 04 OF 05 131316Z OF THE UN FUNDS AND PROGRAMS; AND D) BRUSSELS PROGRAM OF ACTION FOR LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES FOR THE DECADE 2001- ¶2010. ¶16. LATIN AMERICA SCHOOL FEEDING NETWORK - ON THE MARGINS OF THE BOARD, WFP SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CHILEAN GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL NETWORK FOR STUDENT SUPPORT (JUNAEB), AND THE AMERICAN SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATION (ASFSA) AIMED AT ESTABLISHING AN INDEPENDENT NETWORK TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMS IN LATIN AMERICA. THE NETWORK WILL BE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED IN NOVEMBER 2003 AT A SCHOOL FEEDING CONFERENCE IN SANTIAGO, CHILE. NOTE: ASFSA HAS A U.S. MEMBERSHIP OF 55,000. END NOTE. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶17. THE INTERVENTION OF UNAIDS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DR. PETER PIOT TO THE BOARD WAS SOBERING AND DRAMATICALLY UNDERSCORED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3464 PAGE 01 ROME 00589 05 OF 05 131316Z ACTION SSO-00 INFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 ANHR-00 EUR-00 E-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00 IO-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 SS-00 TEST-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- 35B9A7 131610Z /38 P 131228Z FEB 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8221 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY KABUL AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE AMEMBASSY TOKYO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY KINSHASA AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY OTTAWA AMEMBASSY BERN SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO USDA FAS WASHDC 2533 USEU BRUSSELS 3112 USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK UNCLAS SECTION 05 OF 05 ROME 000589 SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00589 05 OF 05 131316Z FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, A/S AFR KANSTEINER, U/S LARSON, AFR/SA, PRM/P, EUR/WE, EUR/NE AND IO/EDA WINNICK USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, DAA/DCHA/GRIGSBY, AA/AFR, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, PPC/DC USDA/FAS FOR GSM KMILLER, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILLSWORTH AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE FOR AMBASSADOR HUDDLE GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE, CSERWER AND MLUTZ NSC FOR JDWORKEN OMB FOR TSTOLL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM EXECUTIVE BOARD, ROME, FEBRUARY 5-7, 2003 HOW FAR THE UN AGENCIES HAVE YET TO GO IN "RETROFITTING" THEIR CORE PROGRAMS PARTICULARLY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA TO ADDRESS THE TRULY CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES OF HIV/AIDS. ¶18. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. HALL UNCLASSIFIED > 2003ROME00589 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED