WFP REPORTS THAT DARFUR CONVOYS ARE MOVING

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000789 DEPT FOR AF/SPG, A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU SUBJECT: WFP REPORTS THAT DARFUR CONVOYS ARE MOVING ¶1. (SBU) WFP food convoys to Darfur are now moving in greater numbers thanks to a new contract signed with the trucking companies, WFP Representative Kenro Oshidari told polchief May 21. The contract increases substantially the rate provided to the companies, and imposes a penalty for non-delivery regardless of theft due to banditry along the routes. Oshidari said that WFP is putting the onus on the companies themselves, who are very well connected with the Sudanese regime, to perform and to coordinate security with the GOS. Oshidari implied that the trucking companies may also make "arrangements" for a safe journey with parties along the way, but said officially WFP does not acknowledge this practice. ¶2. (SBU) The three primary trucking companies (one of which is the Nifeidi Group, which sold the US Embassy the land for the NEC) met with the Chief of Police in Khartoum may 20 to coordinate security for the convoys. (Note: Oshidari stated that security coordination is conducted directly between the trucking companies and the police, and does not involve WFP at the operational level. End note.) Although there have been only two or three escorts provided each week over the last few weeks (three per week is almost once every 48 hours),the Police Chief reportedly promised the companies that security escorts would be provided once every 48 hours starting Sunday May 25, and might even be increased to once every 24 hours. The two routes that the police promised to provide escorts for are the Nyala-El Fasher route and the Obeid-El Fasher route. Oshidari noted that sometimes convoys are attacked by bandits even when there is a security escort, due to the length of the convoys. Oshidari said the trucking companies believe that the GOS is making a "good faith effort" to improve security along the main routes, but that there is a lack of capacity on the part of the GOS to provide enough security forces to secure the routes while also providing escorts. Therefore WFP feels strongly that convoys should not be prevented from traveling if there is not an escort available. He said between 75 and 100 trucks had successfully traveled the route between Nyala and El Fasher several days in a row and that WFP can meet its current delivery targets with this rate of delivery. ¶3. (SBU) UNAMID has also offered to provide some security along the routes, according to Oshidari, but UNAMID acknowledged that it has a limited capacity to do so. Oshidari said UNAMID had even asked WFP for help and advice on its own convoys, given than UNAMID now has over 1000 containers waiting in Obeid (Kordofan) for transportation to Nyala and is logistically challenged to undertake this task. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: It appears that the GNU is attempting to meet its pledge made to SE Williamson to provide greater security to WFP food convoys, as demonstrated by the meeting between the trucking companies and the chief of police. Oshidari pointed out that the GOS also has an interest in securing the convoys, as it does not want "food riots" in IDP camps in Darfur. Oshidari asked that Special Envoy Williamson follow up on the GNU pledge for security escorts, but ensure also that convoys would not be impeded from departing for lack of an escort. Oshidari stressed, however, that it appears the GOS is making an honest effort to increase the number of escorts. He promised to provide an update on the number of security escorts provided over the week just prior to SE Williamson's visit. FERNANDEZ