USAID AND FEWSNET DISCUSS DJIBOUTI'S FOOD INSECURITY WITH

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000782

USAID/DCHA/AA FOR MICHAEL HESS, AMBER BROOKS
USAID/AFR/AA FOR KATE ALMQUIST, EARL GAST
USAID/DCHA/FFP FOR JEFF BORNS AND PETER MOHAN
USAID/DCHA/OFDA FOR CAROLINE ABLA
USAID/AFR/EA FOR CARRIE THOMPSON, TONYA DALTON
USAID/EAST AFRICA FOR CHERYL ANDERSON, ANDY KARAS, GEORGIANNA PLATT,
MICHELE LINDER, ROBERT DRAPCHO, DAVID RINCK, DAVID HAY-SMITH,
SHIRLEY ERVES
USAID/UGANDA FOR DAN SUTHER

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID PREL DJ
SUBJECT: USAID AND FEWSNET DISCUSS DJIBOUTI'S FOOD INSECURITY WITH
FOREIGN MINISTER

REF: DJIBOUTI 473


1. SUMMARY. During a September 12-14 visit to Djibouti by Assistant
Administrator Hess, Djibouti's foreign minister requested more
information on how FEWSNET collected its data. USAID/Djibouti
followed up with a meeting held on September 21, between Minister of
Foreign Affairs Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, his technical advisor, the
USAID representative, the USAID program specialist, and the FEWSNET
country representative. The purpose of this meeting was to clarify
FEWSNET's mandate, the data used to monitor the food security
situation in Djibouti, and the status of the current situation.
FEWSNET figures indicate that 60% of Djibouti's population require
emergency food assistance, and that global acute malnutrition rates
have reached as high as 34% in some areas. FEWSNET's main point of
contact in the Government of the Republic of Djibouti (GODJ) is the
Ministry of Interior, but given the increasing food crisis, the MFA
has heightened its interest in this area. END SUMMARY.

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FOOD SECURITY WORSENS IN DJIBOUTI
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2. FEWSNET country representative Rachid Ilmi Hersi
explained how the data was collected and the analysis that takes
place. Recommendations for more regular government/donor meetings
were discussed.


3. FEWSNET explained that while their September report indicated
that 341,000 people needed emergency assistance, this number had now
grown to 411,000, which represents 60% of the population. In
addition, global acute malnutrition (GAM) rates now ranged between
17% and 25% in urban centers, and between 25% to 34% in the
northwest. Due to the poor rainy seasons since 2005, 50-70% of
livestock have been lost, and the quality of water is sub-standard.
In addition, with 85% of the population living in urban areas, the
situation presents unique challenges.


4. The foreign minister thanked USAID and FEWSNET for the briefing
and praised the role played by FEWSNET in food security monitoring
in the country. He expressed great concern over the fact that
people were suffering from food shortages and, in the northwest of
the country, were on the verge of a famine. He pointed out that the
number of people needing food assistance was increasing, and urged
USAID to address the situation in both rural and urban areas. When
asked what the GODJ was doing to assist with this emergency, the
minister enumerated the following GODJ achievements in food
security:

-- Sorghum grown in a state-owned farm in Sudan is being distributed
throughout Djibouti.

-- The GODJ has acquired an additional 5,000 hectares of land in
Ethiopia to cultivate wheat.

-- The GODJ intends to launch greenhouse agriculture throughout the
country.


5. The minister agreed with the FEWSNET rep that improved GODJ-donor
coordination was needed. He stated that coordination should start
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that the main focal point
should be the Ministry of Interior. He suggested that monthly
coordination meetings be held at both the technical and political
levels. It was also agreed that the food security strategy could be
discussed at these meetings.


6. COMMENT. Assistant Administrator Hess's visit highlighted USG
actions to address the food security crisis in the Horn and laid the
groundwork for an in-depth briefing with the MFA on this situation.
Coordination of key food security actors in Djibouti has been a
long-standing challenge, but now that the offer by the MFA to
spearhead a coordination mechanism is on the table, USAID and
FEWSNET will follow up immediately to assist in its establishment.
END COMMENT.


7. A/A Hess did not have the opportunity to clear this cable.

WONG