USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TEAM: DELAYS DISRUPT FOOD AID

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 000152 SIPDIS STATE DEPARTMENT FOR A/S FRAZER, DAS AF JSWAN, AF/E, AF/PDPA, OES, A/S PRM SAUERBREY, AND PRM/AFR AFR/AA KALMQUIST, WWARREN, JBORNS, KNELSON, CTHOMPSON DCHA/AA MHESS, GGOTTLIEB DCHA/OFDA KLUU, ACONVERY, CCHAN, PMORRIS, KCHANNELL DCHA/FFP JDWORKEN, PMOHAN, SANTHONY, PBERTOLIN LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, RTILSWORTH, AND LPANASUK NAIROBI FOR OFDA/ECARO JMYER, GPLATT, RFFPO NCOX, USAID/EA ROME FOR AMBASSADOR, OHA, HSPANOS BRUSSELS FOR USEU PBROWN GENEVA FOR NKYLOH, RMA USUN FOR FSHANKS NSC FOR PMARCHAN AIDAC SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PHUM SENV EAGR PGOV ET REF: A) ADDIS 3644 SUBJECT: USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TEAM: DELAYS DISRUPT FOOD AID IN ETHIOPIA'S SOMALI REGION -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. Between January 2 and 9, U.S. Government (USG) Humanitarian Assistance Team (HAT) in Ethiopia staff, traveled to Degehabur and Fik zones in Somali Region as part of a second field visit to assess current humanitarian conditions. A primary focus of the field visit was to assess the status of food aid deliveries to the region and associated reports of logistical constraints and delays. USG HAT staff note that although a portion of intended food aid to assist vulnerable populations within the conflict-affected areas of Somali Region has begun to be distributed, the majority of food designated for distribution between October and December 2007 remains in regional, zonal, and district capitals awaiting military escort to final distribution points (FDPs) and beneficiaries. In addition, USG HAT staff note delays and management concerns regarding the transfer of funds for food handling costs associated with secondary transport from the regional to district level. ¶2. Food assistance serves as a critical coping mechanism for vulnerable populations in Somali Region, particularly during the January to March jilal dry season. In the short-term, USG HAT staff identify the delay in the delivery of food assistance as the most significant threat to humanitarian conditions. USG HAT staff emphasize that addressing delays is critical to prevent a consumption crisis among vulnerable populations in the coming months. End summary. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶3. The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (GFDRE) Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA) is the U.N. World Food Program's (WFP) main partner on all aspects of relief operation implementation in Ethiopia. The DPPA and the Regional Bureaus (DPPB) are responsible for food allocations, dispatches, and distributions to beneficiaries. All emergency food assistance is coordinated under the Food Aid Task Force led by the DPPA. -------------- -------------- ONLY A THIRD OF FOOD ASSISTANCE DISTRIBUTED TO DATE -------------- -------------- ¶4. To date, food aid distribution is largely confined to district capitals with limited assistance reaching secondary food distribution points and beneficiaries. As of January 17, 17,526 metric tons (MT) of the total 23,786 metric tons (MT) of emergency food aid designated for the five conflict-affected zones in Somali Region for October and November 2007, or approximately 74 percent, has been dispatched from the regional warehouse in Dire Dawa to district capitals. However, only 10,712 MT has been delivered to FDPs, and only 8,191 MT, or approximately 34 percent, has actually been distributed to beneficiaries. As of January 15, 1,536 MT of the 2,792 MT of food assistance allocated for December had been dispatched to zonal and district capitals, according to the WFP. (Note: Dispatched food assistance refers only to food aid that has been released from the regional warehouse in Dire Dawa for transport to district capitals. This is distinct from distributed food aid that has actually reached beneficiaries. End note.) ¶5. In addition, the majority of food rations distributed have been incomplete, resulting from delivery delays and limited logistical and management capacity. In Gunagado village, Degehabur Zone, USG HAT staff observed monthly rations comprised of only five to six kilograms (kg) of cereal per person, significantly less than the allocated 15 kg of cereal per person per month. USG HAT staff emphasize the need for improved distribution monitoring and DPPA/B capacity building to facilitate improved targeting and distribution. -------------- -------------- REQUIRED MILITARY ESCORTS RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT DELAYS -------------- -------------- ¶6. GFDRE required military escorts for the transport of food assistance within the conflict-affected areas of Somali Region has resulted in significant delays. Military escorts are not required from Jijiga to Kebribeyah towns within Jijiga zone. However, required military escorts for onward travel from Kebribeyah town, from the regional warehouse to other district capitals, and to all secondary FDPs continue to hinder relief efforts. Protracted delays resulting from uncoordinated and unpredictable military escorts have led to high levels of frustration among truckers. Despite ENDF expressions of willingness to escort food aid, a lack of available trucks and limited logistical capacity hamper escorts, according to the DPPA. USG HAT staff note that truckers interviewed in both Degehabur and Fik zones reported delays of up to 20 days. Prior to the military escort requirement, truckers reported an average of five food aid deliveries per month, in contrast to the current average of one delivery per month. USG HAT staff caution that continued delays undermine the commercial viability of food aid transport and threaten future WFP and DPPA trucking contracts in the region. ¶7. However, USG HAT staff also note reports of slowly improving access in recent weeks and months and increased WFP efforts to address the problem. On January 6, a day after USG HAT staff observed a 30-truck convoy delayed in Babile town, en route to Fik town, Fik zone, from Jijiga town, Jijiga Zone, the convoy arrived in Fik town. In addition, WFP has proposed an alternative to required military escorts in the form of a civilian escort comprised of DPPA and WFP staff to ease the logistical burden on the military. According to WFP, the military commander in Harar has verbally agreed to remove escort requirements along three main corridors, including routes from Dira Dawa to Fik and Degehabur towns. WFP reports that it is finalizing a formal proposal with DPPA to submit to the military commander in Hahar in the coming days and that it will continue to advocate for additional open corridors. -------------- LIMITED CAPACITY AND LOGISITICAL LOGJAMS -------------- ¶8. WFP recognizes current staffing and capacity limitations within WFP and DPPA to adequately implement and monitor food assistance programming in Somali Region. In a December 31 meeting with USG HAT staff, WFP attributed delays in the transfer of funds for offloading and loading costs associated with secondary transport from the regional to district level to DPPA management deficiencies. WFP recommends a joint WFP/DPPA investigation to identify improved mechanisms to address delays. WFP has also begun adjusting trucking contracts to enable all money associated with onward food commodity transport and storage to be provided directly to trucking companies, eliminating the need for DPPA involvement at the regional level. ¶9. In addition, WFP is in the process of increasing international staff presence to two staff per each of the four WFP offices in Degehabur, Kebridahar, Jijiga, and Gode towns, in addition to recruiting local monitoring staff. WFP has also recently hired three local logistical coordinators and opened a joint WFP/DPPA office in Dire Dawa to enhance logistical capacity, transparency and efficiency. The purpose of the center is to upgrade current DPPA systems, including a new logistics database encompassing route optimization, truck contracts, convoy tracking, and food dispatches and deliveries, as well as information sharing to increase transparency and ENDF confidence in DPPA operations. (Note: USG HAT and USAID/Ethiopia staff are scheduled to visit the Dire Dawa logistics center the week of January 20. End note.) -------------- Conclusion -------------- ¶10. USG HAT staff emphasize the need to address current delays in the delivery of emergency food assistance to vulnerable population in Somali Region to mitigate a humanitarian crisis in the coming months. In the context of the poor performance of the 2007 gu and deyr rains, restrictions on population and commercial movements, and ongoing civil insecurity, the improved delivery of food assistance is critical to prevent excess malnutrition and the erosion of coping mechanisms. USG HAT staff acknowledge WFP efforts to address current constraints and recommend continued USG financial and political support to further assist beneficiary populations, strengthen DPPA capacity, and improve access. YAMAMOTO