Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KINSHASA549
2006-04-07 11:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kinshasa
Cable title:  

FOOD SECURITY REPORT: USAID/FFP DEMOCRATIC

Tags:  EAID EAGR PREF CG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0016
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKI #0549/01 0971131
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071131Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3593
INFO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4897
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 4551
UNCLAS KINSHASA 000549 

SIPDIS

AID

SIPDIS

AID/W FOR DCHA/FFP TMCRAE AND CMUTAMBA
NAIROBI FOR ECA/FFP ADEPREZ AND NESTES
KAMPALA FOR RFFPO DSUTHER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR PREF CG
SUBJECT: FOOD SECURITY REPORT: USAID/FFP DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC OF CONGO

REF: A. KINSHASA 451


B. KINSHASA 450

-------
SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000549

SIPDIS

AID

SIPDIS

AID/W FOR DCHA/FFP TMCRAE AND CMUTAMBA
NAIROBI FOR ECA/FFP ADEPREZ AND NESTES
KAMPALA FOR RFFPO DSUTHER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR PREF CG
SUBJECT: FOOD SECURITY REPORT: USAID/FFP DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC OF CONGO

REF: A. KINSHASA 451


B. KINSHASA 450

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. KAMPALA-BASED REGIONAL FOOD FOR PEACE (FFP) OFFICER
TRAVELED FEBRUARY 5-22 TO KINSHASA, GOMA, BUNIA, BUKAVU,
MOBA AND KALEMIE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) TO
EVALUATE FOOD SECURITY CONDITIONS AND MONITOR PARTNERS'
IMPLEMENTATION IN THE COUNTRY.

2. IN EASTERN DRC, THE SECURITY SITUATION IS STILL A MAJOR
CONCERN FOR FFP. CERTAIN AREAS HAVE IMPROVED, ESPECIALLY
IN ITURI PROVINCE (BUNIA),DUE TO HEAVY MONUC/FARDC
OPERATIONS AGAINST MILITIAS OPERATING IN THE AREA - THOUGH
OFFENSIVES IN IRUMU WERE CAUSING DISPLACEMENT AT THE TIME
OF THE VISIT. SOUTH KIVU (BUKAVU) HAS CONTINUING
INSECURITY IN A NUMBER OF AREAS, BUT HAS NOT SEEN NEW
LARGE-SCALE DISPLACEMENT. CONFLICT HAS INTENSIFIED IN
RECENT MONTHS, HOWEVER, IN NORTH KIVU AND KATANGA
PROVINCES. IN CENTRAL KATANGA - THE MANONO-PWETO-MITWABA
TRIANGLE AREA - CONFLICTS BETWEEN NOTORIOUS LOCAL
COMMANDER GEDEON'S MAI MAIS AND FARDC TROOPS CONTINUE TO
CAUSE LARGE-SCALE DISPLACEMENT, INCLUDING WELL OVER 50,000
NEWLY-DISPLACED SINCE NOVEMBER (AND MORE THAN 100,000
PEOPLE OVER THE PAST YEAR).

3. WFP'S EASTERN SUB-OFFICE FOOD ALLOCATIONS HAVE BEEN CUT
SIGNIFICANTLY FROM LAST YEAR, AND WFP OFFICES ARE FINDING
IT DIFFICULT TO RESPOND TO NEW DISPLACEMENTS IN NORTH KIVU
AND KATANGA WITHOUT SUFFICIENT FOOD RESOURCES, TRANSPORT
FUNDS AND IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS. TITLE II PARTNER FOOD FOR
THE HUNGRY INTERNATIONAL (FHI),HOWEVER, IS RESPONDING
WELL TO THE DISPLACEMENT OF 10,000-15,000 PEOPLE IN THE
MOBA (KATANGA) AREA.

4. FFP IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH WFP TO ENSURE SUFFICIENT
ACCESS TO POPULATIONS IN NEED. GIVEN WFP'S CURRENT
RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, FFP RECOMMENDS AN IMMEDIATE
CONTRIBUTION OF APPROXIMATELY $8 MILLION TO ALLOW THE
ORGANIZATION TO MEET NEEDS OF NEWLY-DISPLACED POPULATIONS.
FHI WILL ALSO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO FFP/W FOR FY 2006
FUNDING. END SUMMARY.
--------------
DRC - CURRENT FOOD SITUATION
--------------


5. WFP'S UPCOMING PRRO JULY 2006-DECEMBER 2008 WILL BE
MORE FOCUSED ON RECOVERY ACTIVITIES, WITH SUPPORT TO
RETURNEES (BOTH FORMER IDPS AND REFUGEES) AND SCHOOL

FEEDING PROGRAMS EXPANDED. IT WILL, HOWEVER, MAINTAIN A
SIGNIFICANT EMERGENCY CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO CONFLICT-
INDUCED DISPLACEMENT AND MALNUTRITION. WFP WILL BE
REQUESTING APPROXIMATELY 368,000 METRIC TONS (MT) OF
COMMODITIES VALUED AT $327 MILLION FOR THE 30-MONTH
PERIOD.


6. WHILE WFP'S CURRENT FOOD PIPELINE LOOKS FAIRLY GOOD ON
PAPER, EASTERN SUB-OFFICE ALLOCATIONS WERE CUT
SIGNIFICANTLY THIS YEAR TO REPAY $8.5 MILLION IN ADVANCE
FUNDING FROM ROME. NEW FIGHTING AND DISPLACEMENT,
ESPECIALLY IN NORTH KIVU AND KATANGA, ARE MAKING IT MORE
DIFFICULT FOR WFP TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY WITH THESE
LIMITED RESOURCES.


7. ADDING TO WFP'S DIFFICULTIES IN RESPONDING TO NEW
DISPLACEMENTS WITH VERY LIMITED FOOD, TRANSPORT FUNDING
AND OVERLAND LOGISTICAL OPTIONS IS THE FACT THAT ECHO HAS
REPORTEDLY REDUCED ITS FUNDING SUBSTANTIALLY IN EASTERN
DRC, MEANING THAT WFP HAS NOW ALSO LOST A NUMBER OF ITS
STRONGER PARTNERS.

--------------
GOMA - NORTH KIVU: NEW RUTSHURU CONFLICT DISPLACES 100,000
--------------


8. WFP'S GOMA SUB-OFFICE HAD FOCUSED APPROXIMATELY 60% OF
ITS RESOURCES ON RELIEF - MAINLY SUPPORT FOR IDPS AND
NUTRITIONAL FEEDING - WITH THE BALANCE GOING TOWARD SCHOOL
FEEDING, FFW AND FOOD FOR TRAINING (FFT). HOWEVER, WITH
THE DETERIORATING SECURITY IN JANUARY, WHEN FIGHTING
OCCURRED IN RUTSHURU TERRITORY, WFP NOW ESTIMATES THAT
THERE ARE OVER 100,000 IDPS IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE, THE
BULK OF THEM DISPLACED FROM THE RECENT FIGHTING.


9. WITH THE NEED TO SUPPORT THE NEW CASELOAD OF IDPS, MANY

OF THEM REPEATEDLY DISPLACED, WFP/GOMA'S PIPELINE
(ESPECIALLY FOR CEREALS) IS CURRENTLY QUITE POOR. WFP HAS
STOPPED VIRTUALLY ALL BUT EMERGENCY ACTIVITIES, AND EVEN
REDUCED THE EMERGENCY RATIONS. WFP EXPECTS INSECURITY AND
DISPLACEMENT TO WORSEN IN THE RUN-UP TO ELECTIONS, AND
COULD CONTINUE AFTERWARDS AS WELL.


10. WITH POPULATIONS ALREADY DISPLACED, AND COPING
MECHANISMS STRETCHED, WFP IS SHIFTING BACK TO EMERGENCY
MODE IN NORTH KIVU, THOUGH WITH LESS FOOD AND FEWER
PARTNERS DUE TO ECHO CUTS. WFP FED 100,000 IDPS IN
FEBRUARY, COMPARED TO ONLY 40,000 IN JANUARY. NORWEGIAN
REFUGEE COUNCIL (WHICH IS INDEPENDENT OF ECHO FUNDING) IS
CURRENTLY WFP'S MAIN PARTNER, AS WELL AS CARITAS, AND MSF-
FRANCE FOR NUTRITIONAL FEEDING IN A NUMBER OF LOCATIONS.


11. IN FEBRUARY, WFP DISTRIBUTED FOOD FOR 60,000 DISPLACED
IN KANYABAYONGA, BUT MSF-FRANCE NOTES THAT NEW
DISPLACEMENTS CONTINUE TO OCCUR, AND THERE ARE 2-3 NEW
ENTRANTS PER DAY IN ITS TFC. LOCAL RESIDENTS HAVE SHARED
FOOD WITH DISPLACED PERSONS, AND THE FAVOR IS NOW BEING
RETURNED. MSF BELIEVES THE SITUATION WILL CONTINUE FOR
SOME TIME, AND EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT WITH ECHO'S
PULLING OUT, AS A NUMBER OF KEY NGOS HAD REPORTEDLY LEFT
DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING.


12. THOUGH SECURITY IN GENERAL IN NORTH KIVU HAS IMPROVED
OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, THE RECENT RUTSHURU BLOWUP
EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR WFP TO MAINTAIN SIGNIFICANT
EMERGENCY CAPABILITY IN ITS PROGRAMMING. LOWER SUB-OFFICE
ALLOCATIONS AND A POOR PIPELINE EXACERBATE WFP'S PROBLEMS
BY SUBSTANTIALLY LIMITING ITS ABILITY TO RESPOND
EFFECTIVELY TO EMERGENCY NEEDS.

--------------
BUNIA - ITURI PROVINCE
--------------


13. IN 2005, THE WFP/BUNIA SUB-OFFICE DEALT MAINLY WITH
IDPS AND RETURNEES, AND WAS ABOUT 90% EMERGENCY FOCUSED,
DELIVERING 9,915 MT LAST YEAR.


14. DURING THE VISIT, THE WFP SUB-OFFICE HAD SUFFICIENT
COMMODITIES FOR FEBRUARY AND HALF OF MARCH. RFFPO VISITED
WFP SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMS AND CONSTRUCTION FFW, AS WELL
AS RETURNEES WORKING ON FAO-SUPPORTED MOSAIC-RESISTANT
CASSAVA FARMS. RFFPO VISITED VILO DISPLACED CAMP WITH
APPROXIMATELY 4,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED IN JANUARY FROM 50-60
KM SOUTH, FLEEING FIGHTING BETWEEN FARDC AND MILITIAS.
SECURITY IN VILO WAS GOOD, AND ITALIAN NGO CESVI WAS
SUPPORTING THE GROUP. THE AREA APPEARED TO HAVE EXTREMELY
FLUID DISPLACEMENT AND RETURNS.


15. GERMAN AGRO-ACTION (GAA) HAS BEEN WFP'S LARGEST
PARTNER IN ITURI, DISTRIBUTING APPROXIMATELY 95% OF
COMMODITIES. HOWEVER, WITH ITS LOSS OF ECHO FUNDING, GAA
WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH SOME FFW, BUT NO LONGER
IDP/RETURNEE SUPPORT. ACCORDING TO PARTNERS, THE SECURITY
SITUATION, EXCEPT IN IRUMU, IS MUCH BETTER NOW THAN IN THE
PAST TWO YEARS, WITH MANY RETURNS. THERE IS STILL SOME
DISPLACEMENT NEAR MONUC/FARDC OPERATIONAL AREAS, BUT ALSO
HOPE THAT IDPS CAN RETURN SOON.(NOTE: WFP DOES NOT HAVE
ENOUGH RESOURCES TO FUND NGO PROGRAMS AND STAFF TO BE ON
THE GROUND, BUT RATHER TAPS INTO THOSE ALREADY IN PLACE
WITH SUPPLEMENTARY FUNDING FOR TRANSPORT AND DISTRIBUTION
MONITORING. END NOTE.)


16. ON THE WHOLE, THIS WAS THE MOST POSITIVE AREA OF THE
EAST, WITH THE SECURITY SITUATION FAR IMPROVED FROM
PREVIOUS YEARS. WHILE CONFLICT IN CERTAIN AREAS CONTINUED
TO CAUSE SOME DISPLACEMENT, IMPROVED SECURITY IN MUCH OF
THE PROVINCE WAS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO RETURN AND PLANT THEIR
FIELDS. SINCE FFPO VISIT, HOWEVER, A FARDC/MONUC JOINT
OFFENSIVE SOUTHEAST OF BUNIA LED TO SERIOUS SETBACKS FOR
THE FARDC AND FORCED AN ESTIMATED 13,000 IDPS TO THE TOWN
OF CANTONNIER (REF A).

-------------- --------------
BUKAVU-SOUTH KIVU: MORE OF THE SAME - NOT TOO GOOD
-------------- --------------


17. SECURITY IN SOUTH KIVU CONTINUES TO BE POOR, AND IS
AFFECTED BY RECENT FARDC/MONUC OFFENSIVES. SEVERAL FDLR-
RELATED GROUPS ARE REPORTED TO BE IN KAHUZI-BIEGA PARK,
AND IN NUMEROUS LOCALITIES (BUNYAKIRI, KALEHE, MWENGA AND

SHABUNDA) POPULATIONS CONTINUE TO FACE ATROCITIES BY THE
VARIOUS MILITIAS.


18. MALNUTRITION RATES ARE A BIT BETTER THAN IN 2005,
THOUGH NOT VERY STABLE, CURRENTLY AT APPROXIMATELY 5-15%
GLOBAL ACUTE MALNUTRITION (GAM). MAJOR REFUGEE RETURNS
(150,000 PEOPLE IN TANZANIA) ARE BEING PLANNED WITH UNHCR.
AS OF MID-FEBRUARY, THERE HAVE BEEN ONLY 8,000 OFFICIAL
AND APPROXIMATELY 16,000 SPONTANEOUS RETURNS, BUT NUMBERS
ARE EXPECTED TO RISE SUBSTANTIALLY THIS YEAR.


19. WFP HAS A MIXED PROGRAM IN SOUTH KIVU, WITH SUPPORT TO
IDPS, RETURNEES, NUTRITIONAL FEEDING, FFW, FOOD FOR
TRAINING, SCHOOL FEEDING AND DEMOBILIZATION ACTIVITIES.
HOWEVER, IT ALSO FACES A NUMBER OF CONSTRAINTS:
IDENTIFICATION OF IDPS DUE TO THEIR CONTINUAL MOVEMENT;
INSECURITY; LACK OF PARTNERS; EXPENSIVE AIRLIFT IF
OVERLAND NOT POSSIBLE; INSUFFICIENT LOCAL TRANSPORT; BAD
ROADS; HIGH FUEL COST; AND POOR FOOD PIPELINE.


20. THE PIPELINE WAS A MAJOR ISSUE. IN FEBRUARY, WFP
DISTRIBUTED ONLY BEANS AND SALT, DUE TO LACK OF CEREALS
AND VEGOIL, THOUGH EXPECTED ARRIVALS SHOULD ALLOW
DELIVERIES TO PROCEED WITH A FULLER BASKET. WFP'S PIPELINE
FROM MARCH LOOKS REASONABLY GOOD ON PAPER, BUT AGAIN, THE
$8.5 MILLION REPAYMENT AND INCREASED NEEDS WILL MAKE IT
DIFFICULT TO RESPOND AS EFFECTIVELY AS HOPED.


21. WFP/BUKAVU'S FOOD ALLOCATION WAS CUT FROM 2,800
MT/MONTH LAST YEAR TO THE CURRENT 1,690 MT. WITH INCREASED
NEEDS AND A POOR PIPELINE, SUB-OFFICES ARE SCRAMBLING FOR
SCARCE RESOURCES, OFTEN AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER SUB-
OFFICES. WHILE THERE IS A REGIONAL LOGISTICS COORDINATOR
BASED IN GOMA, WFP'S REGIONAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR POSITION
WAS SCRAPPED A FEW YEARS AGO. IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO REVISIT
THIS POSITION (OR AT LEAST STRENGTHEN FIELD COLLABORATION)
IN ORDER TO PRIORITIZE NEEDS FROM THE FIELD, RATHER THAN
FROM KINSHASA, WHERE WFP RECEIVES EACH SUB-OFFICE REQUEST
WITHOUT SUFFICIENT COORDINATION AND PRIORITIZATION.


22. WFP NEEDS TO REPRIORITIZE EASTERN DRC, AND BRING MORE
ATTENTION (BOTH OF DONORS AND OF THE PUBLIC) TO ITS
PIPELINE DIFFICULTIES AND CHALLENGES IN RESPONDING
EFFECTIVELY TO MEET EMERGENCY NEEDS.

-------------- ---
KATANGA: MAI MAI/FARDC FIGHTING CAUSING LARGE-SCALE
DISPLACEMENT
-------------- ---

23. IN CENTRAL KATANGA - THE MANONO-PWETO-MITWABA TRIANGLE
AREA - NOTORIOUS LOCAL MAI MAI MILITIA COMMANDER GEDEON'S
CONFLICT WITH FARDC TROOPS CONTINUES TO CAUSE LARGE-SCALE
DISPLACEMENT, INCLUDING WELL OVER 50,000 NEWLY-DISPLACED
SINCE NOVEMBER (AND MORE THAN 100,000 PEOPLE OVER THE PAST
YEAR).

24. ACCORDING TO UNOCHA, THOSE DISPLACED FROM MARCH-
SEPTEMBER 2005 NUMBER APPROXIMATELY 75,000 PEOPLE, AND
FROM NOVEMBER 2005 AT LEAST 40,000 AND GROWING. THESE
OFFICIAL UN NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE THOSE NOW IN THE MOBA
AREA - OVER 10,000 PEOPLE - AND PROBABLY MORE THAT HAVE
FLED TO LESS-ACCESSIBLE AREAS. OFDA REPORTS (REF B) THAT
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 30,000 NEW IDPS AROUND MITWABA, SO
THE NEWLY-DISPLACED FIGURE INCLUDING PWETO IS WELL OVER
50,000.


25. THE MITWABA AND PWETO AREAS ARE EXTREMELY ISOLATED,
AND VIRTUALLY THE ONLY FEASIBLE ACCESS TO MITWABA IS BY
AIR. MONUC DELIVERED 31 MT OF WFP FOOD TO MITWABA BY
HELICOPTER, AND 99 MT REPORTEDLY ARRIVED BY TRUCK ON MARCH
2, AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS ON THE ROAD. HOWEVER, THESE MINIMAL
QUANTITIES ARE INSUFFICIENT. ROAD TRANSPORT IS EXTREMELY
SLOW AND AIR TRANSPORT IS VERY EXPENSIVE. WHILE MONUC'S
SHORT-TERM ASSISTANCE WAS APPRECIATED, WFP NEEDS A MORE
SUSTAINABLE OPTION.


26. FHI IS ALSO DISTRIBUTING FOOD TO IDP AND RETURNEE
POPULATIONS IN NORTHERN KATANGA (MOBA, KALEMIE AND
KONGOLO). DURING OUR MOBA VISIT, FHI WAS PLANNING SUPPORT
TO SOME 10,000-15,000 NEW IDPS WHO WERE FLEEING FROM
GEDEON ALL THE WAY EAST TO MOBA. IN LUSAKA, 50 KM WEST OF
MOBA, APPROXIMATELY 1,000 IDPS HAD ARRIVED IN THE DAYS
PRECEEDING THE VISIT (INCLUDING SOME ON THE MORNING OF THE
VISIT),CAMPING AT A LOCAL SCHOOL. ALL WERE EXHAUSTED FROM
THEIR JOURNEY, AND THOUGH MANY HAD BEEN ABLE TO CARRY SOME
BASIC PROVISIONS, LACK OF FOOD WAS ALREADY BECOMING AN

ISSUE FOR MANY PEOPLE.


27. AS WFP SUB-OFFICE FOOD ALLOTMENTS WERE CUT FROM 2005,
WITHOUT RESERVE STOCKS IN PLACE, IT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT FOR THE ORGANIZATION TO RESPOND TO NEW
DISPLACEMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN NORTH KIVU AND CENTRAL
KATANGA. POOR RESOURCES AND LOGISTICS ARE ESPECIALLY
INTERTWINED IN KATANGA, AS WFP HAS NEITHER ADEQUATE
FOODSTOCKS NOR SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO MOVE COMMODITIES TO
MITWABA AND PWETO, AREAS THAT ARE EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT
TO ACCESS WITHOUT AN EXPENSIVE AIR CAPACITY. WHILE MONUC
HAS ASSISTED WITH LIMITED AIRLIFTS IN THE SHORT TERM, A
MORE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION CLEARLY NEEDS TO BE FOUND.

--------------
FHI KATANGA PROGRAM
--------------


28. IN MOBA AND KALEMIE, RFFPO VISITED A NUMBER OF SITES
WHERE FHI WAS CONDUCTING GENERAL DISTRIBUTIONS FOR IDPS
AND RETURNEES, FFW ACTIVITIES - MAINLY ROADWORKS - AND
SEED FAIRS/SEED PROTECTION RATION (SPR) FOOD DISTRIBUTION.


29. FHI'S MAIN CHALLENGES HAVE BEEN THE LATE ARRIVAL OF
COMMODITIES, AS WELL AS THE DAUNTING LOGISTICS TO GET FOOD
INTO AND AROUND KATANGA. OUT OF ITS TOTAL 4,900 MT, IT HAD
MOVED OVER 2,000 MT OUT OF DAR ES SALAAM, AND DISTRIBUTED
OVER 700 MT. DISTRIBUTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE
RAPIDLY NOW THAT FOOD IS ON THE GROUND IN THE LOCATIONS.


30. MOBA CLEARLY REMAINS THE BREADBASKET OF THE AREA, WITH
TONS OF MAIZE BEING SHIPPED OUT TO KALEMIE AND UVIRA
(DESTINED AS FAR AS BUKAVU) WITH EVERY BOAT. SEED AND
GRAIN PRICES ARE APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD THE PRICE IN
KALEMIE. GIVEN GOOD FOOD AVAILABILITY AND GROWING
POTENTIAL, FHI NEEDS TO BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL TO ENSURE
PROPER TARGETING WITH FOOD AID DISTRIBUTIONS IN MOBA.


31. A NUMBER OF OBSERVATIONS CENTERED ON FHI'S SEED FAIRS
AND SPR. MOST AREAS WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE SEEDS,
WHICH ALLOWED THEM TO PLANT A GOOD CROP. HOWEVER, FHI
CURRENTLY PROVIDES A THREE-MONTH "SEED PROTECTION" FOOD
RATION, WHICH DOES NOT REALLY "PROTECT" THE SEEDS FROM
BEING EATEN AFTER THE FIRST MONTH. GIVEN ALSO THAT SEED
BENEFICIARIES CURRENTLY RECEIVE A LARGER PACKAGE
(SEEDS/TOOLS PLUS THREE-MONTHS RATION) THAN MORE
VULNERABLE IDPS AND RETURNEES WHO ONLY RECEIVE A THREE-
MONTH FOOD RATION, FHI WILL REDUCE THE SPR TO 1.5 MONTHS.
IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT SEED FAIR TARGETING WAS POOR:
EVERYONE IN A LOCATION WAS REGISTERED TO RECEIVE SEEDS AND
FOOD, EVEN VILLAGE CHIEFS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT NEW
RETURNEES WHO HAD ARRIVED AFTER REGISTRATION WERE NOT DUE
TO RECEIVE ANYTHING. FHI WILL WORK WITH VILLAGE COMMITTEES
TO STRENGTHEN TARGETING OF THE SEED FAIRS/SPR, AND ENSURE
THAT THOSE MOST VULNERABLE ARE TARGETED.


32. FHI PLANS TO SUBMIT A FOLLOW-ON PROPOSAL FOR
APPROXIMATELY $6 MILLION FOR MOBA, KALEMIE, KONGOLO AND
EXPANDING TO KABALO. THIS CONTINUATION OF ACTIVITIES
TARGETED PRIMARILY TO IDPS AND RETURNEES IS ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT, GIVEN CONTINUING TENSIONS IN CENTRAL KATANGA
AND DISPLACED POPULATION FLOWS INTO THE MOBA AREA. FHI
ALSO PLANS TO WORK AS A UNHCR PARTNER PROVIDING FOOD FOR
UP TO 10,000 REFUGEE RETURNEES FROM ZAMBIA AND TANZANIA,
AND TO CONTINUE SEED FAIRS AND FFW ACTIVITIES IN ORDER TO
LAY A FOUNDATION FOR IMPROVED FOOD SECURITY IN THE AREA.
WE BELIEVE THAT FHI, WHILE STILL IN ITS EARLY DAYS IN
TERMS OF FOOD ACTIVITIES, SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED,
AS THERE IS A NEED TO REMAIN ON THE GROUND IN
NORTHERN/CENTRAL KATANGA TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCY NEEDS AND
HELP PREPARE THE GROUND FOR RETURNS. FFP LOOKS FORWARD TO
RECEIVING AND HELPING REFINE FHI'S PROPOSAL.

--------------
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS
--------------

33. IN DRC, WFP SUB-OFFICE ALLOCATIONS HAD ALREADY BEEN
CUT SIGNIFICANTLY FROM LAST YEAR, AND THE ORGANIZATION'S
ABILITY TO RESPOND TO NEW DISPLACEMENTS - ESPECIALLY IN
NORTH KIVU AND KATANGA - WITH INSUFFICIENT FOOD RESOURCES,
TRANSPORT FUNDS AND PARTNERS HAS BEEN PROVING EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT. FHI IS RESPONDING WELL TO NEW DISPLACEMENT OF
10,000-15,000 PEOPLE IN THE MOBA AREA, AND WILL SUBMIT A
NEW PROPOSAL TO FFP/W FOR FY 06 FUNDING.

34. WFP/KINSHASA NEEDS TO REPRIORITIZE EASTERN DRC, AND

BETTER PUBLICIZE ITS CHALLENGES IN RESPONDING EFFECTIVELY
TO EMERGENCY NEEDS, BOTH TO DONORS AND THROUGH THE MEDIA.
GIVEN WFP'S CURRENT RESOURCE DIFFICULTIES, WE RECOMMEND AN
IMMEDIATE CONTRIBUTION OF APPROXIMATELY $8 MILLION TO
ALLOW IT TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF NEWLY-DISPLACED
POPULATIONS.
MEECE