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. -------------- FOOD SECURITY WORSENS IN DJIBOUTI -------------- ¶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