APPROVAL OF AFGHANISTAN PROTRACTED RELIEF AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000638 SIPDIS FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME AMEMBASSY KABUL FOR AMBASSADOR AND USAID DIRECTOR BUCK STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, U/S LARSON, SA/PAB, PRM/P, EUR/WE, EUR/NE AND IO/EDA WINNICK USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00638 01 OF 02 142052Z DAA/DCHA/GRIGSBY, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, PPC/DC USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILLSWORTH GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE, CSERWER AND MLUTZ NSC FOR JDWORKEN GAO FOR PTHOMAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN AFGHANISTAN SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF AFGHANISTAN PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATION BY WFP'S EXECUTIVE BOARD - U.S. DOLLARS 337.5 MILLION REF: (A) ROME 000589 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. WFP'S EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVED ON FEBRUARY 7 THE AFGHANISTAN PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) ENTITLED FOOD ASSISTANCE TO RE-ESTABLISH LIVELIHOODS AND HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY IN AFGHANISTAN. THE PRRO WILL BE OPERATIONAL FOR TWO YEARS (APRIL 1, 2003-END MARCH 2005), COVERING 6.0 MILLION BENEFICIARIES IN YEAR ONE AND 5.27 MILLION IN YEAR TWO. THE TOTAL COST TO WFP IS U.S. DOLLARS 337.5 MILLION, WITH A TOTAL FOOD REQUIREMENT OF 618,989 METRIC TONS. THE CHALLENGE FOR THE NEW PRRO IS SECURITY. WITHOUT CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT IN THE SECURITY SITUATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WFP WILL BE CONFINED TO ASSISTING UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00638 01 OF 02 142052Z PRIMARILY BY SAVING LIVES WHEN THE NEEDS NOW ARE FOR RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION. END SUMMARY. -------------- U.S. INTERVENTION -------------- ¶2. USAID/DAA/DCHA GARRETT GRIGSBY DELIVERED THE U.S. INTERVENTION TO THE WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD ON FEBRUARY 6 AND HIGHLIGHTED THE FOLLOWING: -THE GOVERNMENT OF AFGHANISTAN, THE UNITED NATIONS, NON- GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND AFGHAN COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN IMMENSELY INVOLVED IN RESPONDING TO THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, ADDRESSING CRITICAL NEEDS. THE FOCUS HAS NOW SHIFTED TO A MULTIFACETED RESPONSE TO REBUILDING COMMUNITIES, RESPONDING TO THE MANY COMPONENTS OF FOOD INSECURITY, CREATING JOBS, IMPROVING EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE AND EXPANDING SOCIAL SERVICES; -SINCE OCTOBER 2001, THE UNITED STATES HAS MADE AVAILABLE CLOSE TO U.S. DOLLARS 600 MILLION IN HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN, MUCH OF WHICH HAS BEEN TARGETED TO WOMEN AND CHILDREN. AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH THE AFGHAN PEOPLE AS THEY REBUILD THEIR COUNTRY AND GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AGAIN; -THE UNITED STATES SUPPORTS THE FULL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN THE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL LIFE OF AFGHANISTAN AND SEES WFP'S FOOD-FOR-EDUCATION INTERVENTION AS A VITAL PART OF THE LONG-TERM EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THIS. ON THE ISSUE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 00638 01 OF 02 142052Z OF FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR TEACHER SALARY SUPPLEMENTS, ARE OTHER INTERVENTIONS ENVISIONED TO IMPROVE TEACHERS' SALARIES AND THUS OBVIATE THE NEED FOR FOOD RATIONS AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE? -THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE THAT BENEFICIARY GROUPS ARE BEING CONSULTED ON THE FOOD AID ACTIVITIES IMPACTING THEM. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN FOOD-FOR-WORK OR FOOD-FOR-ASSET CREATION. THE ROLE OF BENEFICIARIES IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING FOOD AID SHOULD BE A PROGRAM FIXTURE; -THE PROPOSED LTSH (LANDSIDE TRANSPORT, STORAGE AND HANDLING) RATE NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED AGAINST ACTUALS AND ADJUSTED AS APPROPRIATE. AS GIVEN, THE FIGURE OF U.S. DOLLARS 126.82/METRIC TON SEEMS DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE ASSURANCES THAT THE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WITH TRUCKING CHARGES IN HERAT IN LATE 2001-EARLY 2002 HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY RESOLVED; -THE U.S. APPRECIATES THE JOINT EFFORTS OF BOTH WFP AND FAO TO ESTABLISH A COMPREHENSIVE FOOD SECURITY AND INFORMATION UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ0318 PAGE 01 ROME 00638 02 OF 02 142053Z ACTION SSO-00 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 ANHR-00 EUR-00 E-00 UTED-00 FOE-00 TEDE-00 IO-00 MMP-00 NEA-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 SS-00 TEST-00 SA-00 FMP-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /002W -------------- 3698C0 142255Z /38 P 142005Z FEB 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8290 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY KABUL AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE AMEMBASSY TOKYO AMEMBASSY OTTAWA AMEMBASSY BERN USDA FAS WASHDC 2540 USEU BRUSSELS 3118 USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 000638 SIPDIS FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME AMEMBASSY KABUL FOR AMBASSADOR AND USAID DIRECTOR BUCK STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, U/S LARSON, SA/PAB, PRM/P, EUR/WE, EUR/NE AND IO/EDA WINNICK USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER, UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00638 02 OF 02 142053Z DAA/DCHA/GRIGSBY, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, PPC/DP, PPC/DC USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILLSWORTH GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH/USAID BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE, CSERWER AND MLUTZ NSC FOR JDWORKEN GAO FOR PTHOMAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EAGR AORC PREF KUNR EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN AFGHANISTAN SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF AFGHANISTAN PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATION BY WFP'S EXECUTIVE BOARD - U.S. DOLLARS 337.5 MILLION SYSTEM IN AFGHANISTAN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND THE MINISTRY OF RECONSTRUCTION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT. THE AVAILABILITY OF TIMELY PREDICTIONS OF FOOD SHORTAGES AND INFORMATION ABOUT AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND THE FOOD SECURITY SITUATION OF RURAL HOUSEHOLDS WILL GREATLY ASSIST IN IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY; -A RECENT USAID-FUNDED ASSESSMENT RECOMMENDS AGAINST SUCH LOCAL PURCHASES OF WHEAT WITHIN AFGHANISTAN AT THE PRESENT TIME, ARGUING THAT PURCHASES WOULD NOT PROVIDE A SUSTAINABLE BENEFIT TO PRODUCERS AND SERVES TO DISRUPT MARKETS; -ULTIMATELY THE RETURN OF REFUGEES AND ENDING THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE INTERNALLY DISPLACED WILL DEPEND UPON THE EMPLACEMENT OF A UNIFIED AND EFFECTIVE SECURITY STRUCTURE. THIS WILL REQUIRE CONTINUOUS MONITORING. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00638 02 OF 02 142053Z ¶3. ON THE MARGINS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, USDEL HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF WFP AREA OFFICES OPPORTUNELY TRANSMITTING MONTHLY FOOD ALLOTMENTS TO THEIR NGO PARTNERS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES AND COMMUNICATING ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BENEFICIARIES. USDEL ALSO STRESSED IMPROVED REPORTING RELATED TO ACTUAL DISTRIBUTIONS (TONNAGE AND BENEFICIARY NUMBERS) AS COMPARED WITH PLANNED DISTRIBUTION ALLOCATIONS. -------------- OTHER INTERVENTIONS -------------- ¶4. GERMANY COMMENTED THAT THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT HAS TO DO A BETTER JOB IN ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF TEACHER WAGES AND PAYMENT OF ADEQUATE SALARIES IN CASH IN LIEU OF KIND. IRAN WAS MOST SUPPORTIVE OF WFP'S EFFORTS IN AFGHANISTAN AND ANNOUNCED THAT THE GOI WAS GRANTING 1,700 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR AFGHAN YOUTHS TO STUDY IN IRAN. BOTH THE AFGHAN DELEGATE AND THE NETHERLANDS WARNED OF THE DANGER THAT FOOD AID (IN MORE THAN MODEST QUANTITIES) CAN DEPRESS PRICES AND LOWER EARNINGS FOR LOCAL FARMERS. ¶5. THE NETHERLANDS COMMENTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF AFGHANISTAN IS ENCOURAGING CASH-FOR-WORK, BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT AFGHANISTAN HAS REACHED A SITUATION WHERE CASH CAN BUY WHAT PEOPLE NEED AND THAT CASH WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR CASH-FOR-WORK PROGRAMS. THE WFP SECRETARIAT RESPONDED THAT BOTH FOOD-FOR-WORK AND CASH-FOR-WORK HAVE PROVEN EFFECTIVE IN ENDING POVERTY AND HELPING COMMUNITIES TO REBUILD LOST ASSETS - AND THAT PERHAPS THE BEST APPROACH IS A MIX OF CASH UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 00638 02 OF 02 142053Z AND FOOD ADAPTED TO LOCAL NEEDS. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. WFP'S CURRENT EMERGENCY OPERATION (EMOP),DUE TO END MARCH 31, 2003, IS 83 PERCENT FUNDED (U.S. DOLLARS 240.3 MILLION). TWENTY-THREE DONORS HAVE RESPONDED TO DATE. THIS STRONG MANIFESTATION OF MULTI-DONOR SUPPORT IS, IN THE BOARD'S VIEW, A TELLING ENDORSEMENT THAT WFP HAS PERFORMED EFFECTIVELY. THE CHALLENGE FOR THE NEW PRRO IS SECURITY. WITHOUT CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT IN THE SECURITY SITUATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WFP WILL BE CONFINED TO ASSISTING PRIMARILY BY SAVING LIVES WHEN THE NEEDS NOW ARE FOR RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION. HALL UNCLASSIFIED > 2003ROME00638 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED