WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: SOMALIA OPERATIONS SITUATION UPDATE AS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 UN ROME 000026 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NAIROBI FOR GEORGIANNA PLATT, SUREKA KHANDAGLE, NICK COX AND PETE MOHAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: WFP AORC EAID PREF SUBJECT: WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: SOMALIA OPERATIONS SITUATION UPDATE AS OF FEBRUARY 22, 2010 REF: A) 09 STATE 132604; B) UN ROME 01; C) UN ROME 03; D) UN ROME 08; E) UN ROME 10; F) UN ROME 12; G) UN ROME 18 ¶1. (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified. Please handle accordingly. ¶2. (SBU) On February 23, WFP disseminated its latest situation report. The text is pasted in its entirety below: BEGIN REPORT "WFP Somalia Operations Situation As of February 22, 2010 Summary Update -- WFP adjusted its food allocation from 30,000 mt/month to 29,000 mt/month for next six months with the beneficiary number being reduced from 2.8 to 2.5 million. Findings from the recently completed interagency assessment indicated improvement in overall food security situation in Somalia. As a result, the number of people in humanitarian emergency (HE) and acute food and livelihood crisis (AFLC) has reduced from 2.1 million to 1.8 million since the previous assessment in July/August 2009. The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) remains 1.39 million. Based on the above, WFP refined its targeting modalities and revised the allocation plan. For the next six months, WFP will assist 2.5 million beneficiaries (including suspended areas) with 29,000 mt of food per month. -- The Government of Puntland, a self declared independent state in north-east Somalia has issued clearance for WFP's food delivery from Berbera port to Galkayo. This agreement was reached at a meeting between WFP Head of Sub Office, the Acting President of Puntland and line ministers. The Government reiterated the need of prior notice on WFP's plan for transporting food aid via corridors between Somaliland and Puntland for safety and security reasons. An 82 truck convoy, which had previously been prevented at Las Anod from moving by the government has been given the green light to proceed and reached Galkayo this past weekend. -- During the reporting period, a total of 3,550 mt of assorted food was discharged at Bossasso port. A total of 1,876 mt of food was distributed to 161,820 beneficiaries in Benadir and Mudug through wet feeding, supplementary feeding and general food distribution programmes. -- Food delivery to Afgoye remains challenging. Other than the first test deliveries in January 2010, no further deliveries have reached final distribution points in Afgoye due to threats from Al Shabaab to WFP contracted transporters. -- WFP received an assurance letter from the district commissioner of Doolow District, Gedo Region in South Somalia requesting WFP and all the humanitarian agencies to resume activities in the district, guaranteeing the safety and security of the aid agencies. According to the letter, this is the third request calling humanitarian agencies to return. -- According to Xinhua News Agency, Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed called for more support from the international community to Somalia's transitional government in order to solve the country's prolonged and complicated crisis. Islamist insurgent groups, which now control most parts of south and limited areas of central Somalia have been mounting deadly attacks against forces of the transitional government and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM),causing heavy casualty in troops and civilians. Piracy is a continued problem for the government. A strong government could not be established without strong and effective support from the international community, the president said. WFP Security Update -- According to the information UN received as of early February 2010, Al Shabaab Al-Islamiya leaders planned to implement a new strategy towards Kenya in the coming weeks. The strategy included unknown plans to assassinate diplomats and UN staff. No UN ROME 00000026 002 OF 002 further information was provided. -- According to Sh. M. Network, Al Shabaab officials said that WFP will not operate in the areas under the control of their administration in Somalia until it takes commandments ordered earlier. Sheik Moktar Robow Ali better known as (Abu Mansour), high profile of Harakat Al-shabaab Mujahideen told reporters at Baidoa town that WFP will never operate in southern Somalia and also in any places that are under the control of Al-shabaab unless it abides by the conditions displayed earlier. Abu Mansour said that among the conditions, it suggested WFP to buy the food from the Somali farmers and they will not accept from the agency to provide food from USA. -- In Mogadishu, day missions for international staff members are possible but subject to New York Security Clearance. National staff members continue to operate from the seaport. Most parts of Somaliland have remained accessible for humanitarian operations. Due to the prevailing security situation, areas such as Las Anod, Buuhoold, Xudun and Taleh that are located in the Sool region have remained closed." END REPORT ¶3. (SBU) Because WFP remains restricted from operating in South and some areas of Central Somalia, USUN Rome has requested that WFP include in its next situation report a breakdown between actual food allocations for beneficiaries being served and total population in need. COUSIN