USAID/OFDA PROGRAMMING IN EASTERN CHAD

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 001708 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/C, AF/EPS, EB AND PRM USAID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA, FFP, CMM AND OTI ACCRA FOR USAID/WARP NAIROBI FOR OFDA AND RFFPO DAKAR FOR RFFPO LIBREVILLE FOR REO, M. CASSETTA ROME FOR FODAG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID SOCI PREF PREL CD USAID SUBJECT: USAID/OFDA PROGRAMMING IN EASTERN CHAD REF: A) NDJAMENA 0020, B) STATE 05201 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. A USG team found that six aid organizations implementing OFDA-funded projects in eastern Chad have gotten off to a good start with funding provided late in the fiscal year. Their work is welcomed by local authorities and individual Chadians, will help ease conditions in an arid and undeveloped area, and reduce tension between refugees and Chadians. ¶2. A USG team consisting of USAID/OFDA Nairobi-based Principal Regional Advisor Jack Myer and Embassy Ndjamena Assistance Officer Leslie McBride traveled by road in areas of eastern Chad affected by the presence of Sudanese refugees November 17-25. The two objectives of the trip were to assess relations between the refugees and the local Chadian population and to monitor USAID/OFDA-funded projects in the area. This cable reports on OFDA-funded projects. The general state of relations between and amongst the refugees, local population, local, regional and national authorities, NGOs and U.N. agencies; coordination; security; and other issues are addressed in septel. End summary. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶3. Myer and McBride traveled by U.N. plane to Bahai November 17 and then drove to Abeche over the next week in a vehicle provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) via Iriba and Guereda, ending the trip by flying to Goz Beida and then back to Ndjamena on November 25. Security was good throughout. ¶4. USAID/OFDA provided $3,393,724 million in funding in fiscal year (FY) 2005 for six projects to benefit Chadian populations negatively affected by the presence of 200,000 Sudanese refugees and several consecutive years of drought. ¶5. Funding was provided to the non-governmental organization (NGO) ACTED ($50,000) for food security and environmental activities near Bahai; the International Rescue Committee (IRC - $410,000) for water/sanitation and health near Bahai; International Relief and Development (IRD - $1,243,386) for nutrition, water, animal health and agriculture near Iriba; International Medical Corps (IMC - $530,541) for health near Guereda; Catholic Relief Services (CRS - $408,049) for food security near the Farchana and Kounoungo camps; and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO - $537,042) for seed and tool distribution in Ouaddai and Wadi Firah regions. ¶6. Although developed in April 2005, the OFDA program was funded late in the FY. Therefore, most activities are just getting started. Nevertheless, the team was able to get a good sense of partner progress thus far. ¶7. The program focuses on the key sectors of food security, animal health, human health, nutrition, water and sanitation. Chadians in the area practice agro- pastoralism, relying mostly on animals in the north and agriculture in the south to earn a living. Agriculture is mostly rain-fed, with some small-scale irrigation near scarce permanent water sources. Most villages have no health facility or latrines, and water is obtained from the surface during rains and wells and boreholes, often at considerable distance, during the dry season. ¶8. With the exception of FAO and IRD, OFDA-funded partners also provide services to refugees with UNHCR and other funding. -------------- ACTED -------------- ¶9. ACTED is implementing a small project funded with $50,000 provided through the Ambassador's disaster authority (Ref B) to promote vegetable gardening and tree planting for refugees and Chadians on the shores of Lake Cariari near the Bahai refugee camp. Using water from the lake (created by a dam built 15 years ago by the GOC and holding water year-round; also t