LETTER TO CAROL BELLAMY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,

UNCLAS ROME 002442

SIPDIS


FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

USUN NEW YORK FOR ACTING AMBASSADOR AND LTAMLYN
AMEMBASSY ALGIERS FOR AMBASSADOR ERDMAN AND DMCNICHOLAS
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DCHA/D/FFP LANDIS, D/OFDA, AA/GLOBAL PETERSON
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A/S AF NEWMAN, AF/NEA, IO/EDA BEHREND/KOTOK,
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NSC FOR JDWORKEN AND AFRICA DIRECTORATE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AORC PREF EAGR WI AG WFP UNICEF
SUBJECT: LETTER TO CAROL BELLAMY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
UNICEF, FROM AMBASSADOR TONY P. HALL ON THE NEED FOR A
UNICEF PRESENCE IN TINDOUF TO ASSIST WESTERN SAHARA REFUGEES



1. FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF A LETTER TO CAROL BELLAMY,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNICEF, DATED JUNE 23, 2004, FROM TONY

P. HALL, AMBASSADOR, U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES, ROME.
BEGIN LETTER:

"MS. CAROL BELLAMY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNICEF
UNICEF HOUSE
3 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK 10017-3505

DEAR CAROL:

AT THE RECENT SECOND REGULAR SESSION (MAY 26-27) OF THE
WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD, THE BOARD APPROVED A SEPTEMBER 2004-
AUGUST 2006 WFP PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATION
(PRRO) TO ASSIST WESTERN SAHARA REFUGEES (158,000
BENEFICIARIES) AT A TOTAL COST TO WFP OF $39.5 MILLION. THE
OPERATION HAS LONG BENEFITED FROM FUNDING BY UNHCR, THE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION (ECHO),NON-
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (PRIMARILY SPANISH),AND PRIVATE
DONATIONS. THE UNITED STATES IS ALSO A MAJOR DONOR.

ONE OF MY OFFICERS VISITED THE FOUR SAHARAWI REFUGEE
CAMPS IN THE TINDOUF REGION OF SOUTHWESTERN ALGERIA - EL
AIUN, AWSERD, SMARA AND DAKHLA - IN JANUARY 2004. HE
REPORTED ON A UNHCR, WFP, AND THE CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL
CHILD HEALTH, INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH (LONDON)
ANTHROPOMETRIC AND NUTRITION SURVEY IN THE TINDOUF CAMPS
THAT DOCUMENTED: A) GLOBAL ACUTE MALNUTRITION OF 10.6
PERCENT AMONG 6-59 MONTH OLD CHILDREN; B) CHRONIC
MALNUTRITION IN EXCESS OF 30 PERCENT FOR UNDER-FIVES; AND C)
ANEMIA AMONG REFUGEE CHILDREN (AROUND 35 PERCENT) AND FOR
WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE (47.6 PERCENT AMONG NON-PREGNANT
WOMEN).

CLEARLY, THIS SURVEY RAISES NUTRITIONAL CONCERNS THAT
MUST BE SYSTEMATICALLY ADDRESSED. FORTUNATELY, BOTH UNHCR
AND WFP HAVE STEPPED UP THEIR PHYSICAL PRESENCE IN THE FOUR
CAMPS AND NOW HAVE FUNCTIONING OFFICES IN TINDOUF. BUT THEY
REPORT THAT FAR TOO MANY CHILDREN HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED
AND ARE NOW AT HIGH RISK OF THE LETHAL COMBINATION OF
MALNUTRITION, ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS AND DIARRHEA.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE UNICEF CONSIDER ESTABLISHING A
PRESENCE IN THE CAMPS FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING HEALTH, PUBLIC
NUTRITION AND DISEASE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS.

CAROL, I KNOW THAT UNICEF'S PLATE IS FULL AND THAT YOU
AND YOUR UN COLLEAGUES ARE INTENTLY AND RIGHTLY FOCUSED ON
THE HORRIBLE TRAGEDY STILL UNFOLDING IN DAFUR AND EASTERN
CHAD. BUT IN THIS LARGELY "FORGOTTEN" EMERGENCY IN THE
WESTERN SAHARA, THESE CHILD MALNUTRITION LEVELS CAN BE A DE-
STABILIZING FACTOR IN THE REFUGEE CAMPS AND COULD IMPEDE
CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES WITH THE CONCERNED PARTIES,
LIMITING UN LEVERAGE IN MOVING THE POLITICAL PROCESS
FORWARD.

IN CLOSING, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING ON BEHALF OF
THE POOR AND HUNGRY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. GOD BLESS.
SINCERELY, AMBASSADOR TONY P. HALL
CC: JIM MORRIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WFP." END OF LETTER.


2. US MISSION ROME WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF USUN NEW YORK COULD
PASS THIS TEXT ALONG TO CAROL BELLAMY.


3. ORIGINAL SIGNED LETTER WILL FOLLOW. HALL

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2004ROME02442 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED