This report includes:
(A) Africa Hunger Alert campaign
(B) Consolidated Appeals Launch
(C) Asia Region: (1) DPR of Korea
(D) Eastern and Central Africa Region: (1) Ethiopia, (2) Burundi, (3) Republic of Congo
(E) Southern Africa Region: (1) Regional overview, (2) Lesotho, (3) Malawi,
(4) Mozambique, (5) Zambia, (6) Zimbabwe
(F) West Africa Region: (1) Côte d'Ivoire (2) Sierra Leone (3) Liberia
(G) Mediterranean Region: (1) Palestinian Territories
(H) West and Central Asia Region: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan
(I) Latin America and Caribbean Region: (1) Colombia, (2) Ecuador, (3) El Salvador, (4) Nicaragua
From Francesco Strippoli, Director of the Office of Humanitarian Affairs; available on the Internet on the WFP Home Page (www.wfp.org), or by e-mail from Zlatan.Milisic@wfp.org.
For information on resources, donors are requested to contact Valerie.Sequeira@wfp.org at WFP Rome, telephone 39 06 6513 2009. Media queries should be directed to Trevor.Rowe@wfp.org, telephone 39 06 6513 2602. The address of WFP is Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici, 00148 Rome, Italy.
A) Africa Hunger Alert campaign
(a) In response to mounting concern about the vast hunger crisis gripping the African continent, WFP announced on 21 November the creation of a global campaign to assist more than 38 million food insecure people. The "Africa Hunger Alert" campaign is in reaction to spontaneous initiatives originating among students in the United States and Canada and that now stretch from Europe to Hong Kong. These students and community groups have committed themselves to help generate an international response to the catastrophic conditions in Africa caused primarily by shifting weather patterns, as well as by the HIV/AIDS epidemic and, in some countries, political instability and failed economic policies.
(b) By announcing the 'Africa Hunger Alert' campaign, WFP is signalling its commitment to link up with ordinary citizens to alert the international community to the enormity of the crisis faced by millions of food insecure people. WFP appeal to governments, private charities, NGOs, citizens' groups and everyone who cares about fundamental human decency to join this campaign. The scope and depth of this crisis is unprecedented and it will require an unprecedented and urgent response.
(c) The hunger crisis in Africa has grown particularly acute in the wake of two major emergencies this year - in the Southern Africa region and in the Horn of Africa. In the six countries of Southern Africa - Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique - almost 15 million people are threatened by starvation. In Ethiopia and Eritrea an additional 11-15 million are at risk - and the number could go higher. Without a massive response, the humanitarian community will not be able to counter these looming disasters.
(d) WFP is appealing to donor countries to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe, but additional resources are scarce. Government aid budgets have been stretched to the limit while at the same time, drought in some grain producing countries has caused sharp price increases, which means that today's aid dollar buys even fewer emergency food supplies.
(e) WFP is just one participant in this global campaign, to be launched on 16 December and to run for at least three months. Open to everyone, WFP will provide support, including a special page www.wfp.org/AfricaHungerAlert on its website. Information on the crisis and the initiative will be available to lobby governments. Participating organisations will be able to promote their activities and ideas on a special "Africa Hunger Alert" bulletin board on the web page. They are also encouraged to set up web sites of their own and to join in a coalition effort to generate urgent resources. The web page will also give updates on how much money has been raised from governments and individuals and how it is being used.
(f) WFP Executive Director, James T. Morris said the international community had a special obligation to respond in the wake of the agreement by governments to implement the United Nations Millennium Goals during the special UN summit held in New York City in 2000. Among other pledges, world leaders committed themselves and their governments to halving the number of hungry people in the world to 400 million by 2015.
B) Consolidated Appeals Launch
(a) On November 19 and 20 the United Nations launched the 2003 Consolidated Appeals (CAP), calling on the international community to provide over three billion dollars to help fifty million people in thirty countries and regions of the world. The humanitarian crises included in this year's appeals are Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, Chechnya and Neighbouring Republics (Russian Federation), Cote d'Ivoire (and West Africa sub-region), Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Great Lakes Region, Guinea, Indonesia, Liberia, occupied Palestinian territory, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Southern Africa Region, Sudan, Tajikistan, and Uganda.
(b) The Consolidated Appeals were launched in eight cities around the world. The Executive Director of the World Food Programme and Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa, Mr. James Morris, led the launch activities in Tokyo and focused on the humanitarian crisis in southern Africa.
(c) The theme of the 2003 Consolidated Appeals, Hope for the Future, emphasizes the importance of providing hope to communities ravaged by conflict and other crises. Yet it also addresses the need to support countries emerging from crisis or conflict, such as Afghanistan and Sierra Leone, which require humanitarian aid during the critical transition period leading to durable peace and sustainable development.
(d) In developing Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeals, the international humanitarian community seeks to support governments in affected states in fulfilling their responsibility to assist and protect people in need. To this end, United Nations Agencies, NGOs and governments work in partnership to ensure common analysis and strategy development to promote efficiency, accountability, and a good use of resources. These appeals are dynamic; they are reviewed and updated throughout the year, and new appeals are added as new challenges emerge.
C) Asia Region: (1) DPR of Korea
1) DPR of Korea
(a) The DPRK CAP launch took place in New York on 19 November. A total of USD 225 million was appealed, of which USD 195 million was for WFP's emergency operation for 2003. The 2003 EMOP provides for distribution of 512,000 tons of food aid to the most vulnerable groups - children up to the age of 10, pregnant and nursing women, the elderly, care-givers in child institutions and paediatric wards and hospitals, and with a focus on the urban populations in the food deficit North and North East provinces of the country.
(b) As of November, nearly 3 million nursery, kindergarten, primary and secondary school children, as well as pregnant and nursing women, all on the west coast, do not receive WFP food assistance to supplement their meager government allocations and provide much-needed micro-nutrients. From early in the coming year, many more, this time including those living on the east coast, will also face ration cuts unless additional food is pledged and shipped immediately. This will come in the midst of the harsh winter and at a time when economic reforms in the country have made life more uncertain for vulnerable groups, such as urban workers and their families, and especially those in the food deficit east and northeast provinces of the country.
(c) WFP urgently requires 26,000 tons of cereals to cover the needs of vulnerable people on the west coast up to the end of this year. In addition, immediate pledges of 100,000 tons, including cereals and other commodities such as Corn Soya Blend (CSB), Dried Skimmed Milk and sugar, are required to meet distribution targets during the first quarter of 2003. WFP received a confirmed cash contribution of USD 266,000, which will be used together with other cash contributions to purchase maize in the region to supply Local Food Production factories for the production of CSB.
D) Eastern and Central Africa Region: (1) Ethiopia, (2) Burundi, (3) Republic of Congo
1) Ethiopia
(a) The Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission has announced that its 2003 appeal, which will be prepared jointly with the United Nations, will be released in early December. This appeal will be based on findings of the needs assessment teams currently in the field, covering most of the affected areas, including pastoral areas in Afar Region and northern Somali Region. A final version of the Appeal in January will include details for remaining pastoral areas, which will only be assessed in December.
(b) Reports from the assessment teams indicate that numbers in need in the worst affected parts of the country are tending towards the worst case scenario. In other drought-affected areas, where some harvests have been possible, the mid-case scenario applies. Contingency planning had put the overall number in need for 2003 at 10 million to 14 million, for mid-case to worst case scenarios.
(c) Further food aid pledges have been received from several donors, reflecting widening concern and support for the critically needed drought relief operations. Some of these will be used towards needs in early 2003, when at least 100,000 tons a month will be required during the first quarter.
(d) In addition to major donor pledges recently announced for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in various parts of the country, these and other NGOs are providing food resources from independent funding channels and are preparing appeals for 2003. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has already issued an appeal for funds, for which response has been forthcoming. There has also been an encouraging response from the public who are giving donations for the Ethiopian drought both inside Ethiopia and abroad through various channels, including the WFP Web site.
2) Burundi
(a) A Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for USD 69.7 million for Burundi was released this week. The CAP indicated that WFP has urgently called for 40,000 tons of food estimated at USD 19 million to cover all its programmes between November 2002 and April 2003.
(b) Last week, the security situation was relatively calm in the east and the centre after almost two months of consecutive attacks and looting. However, confrontations continued in Bujumbura Rural and armed banditry was reported to increase in the capital.
(c) WFP continues to closely monitor, together with UNHCR, the movements of refugees from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo who recently fled to the western provinces (Bujumbura Rural and Cibitoke) of Burundi. Some of these refugees have agreed to be transferred to the northern refugee site of Kinama, Gasorwe commune in Muyinga province, while some remained in Gatumba and Rugombo sites or returned temporarily to DRC to assess the security situation. UNHCR indicated that over 16,700 refugees were hosted at Gatumba and Rugombo sites respectively in Bujumbura Rural and Cibitoke provinces. However, this figure is subject to changes due to the prevailing security situation in DRC. WFP will continue to monitor the situation.
(d) Last week, targeted and emergency distributions continued to be affected by food shortages and insecurity. Two distributions planned for 18,050 persons in Isale commune Bujumbura Rural province were cancelled due to lack of food in Bujumbura warehouse and priority was put on the emergency distribution to assist people displaced in Kabezi commune. WFP was only able to supply emergency assistance to half of the targeted 36,300 beneficiaries in Kabezi commune due to insecurity. The distribution was postponed to this week security permitting.
(e) In addition, WFP continued to assist Congolese refugees hosted at Kinama site, Gasorwe commune in Muyinga province as well as Burundians repatriating from Tanzania under the facilitated repatriation programmes coordinated by UNHCR. Finally, WFP authorised dispatch of 234 tons of food to feed 27,200 malnourished persons in supplementary and therapeutic feeding centres through the country for the month of November.
3) Republic of Congo
(a) A significant number of people have left their homes in Mbandza Ndunga, Linzolo, Voka (Pool region), following armed groups' threats and arrived in Brazzaville around 21 October. Five IDP sites have been officially opened by Government and a total of 5,000 families have been registered so far. The humanitarian community has started providing assistance to the displaced population. WFP has expressed concern about the risk of food shortage, if people continue to arrive and made several appeals to its traditional donors to contribute to the PRRO 6265.
(b) Since the first food distribution in September to 23,000 displaced persons from Mfilou, in south Brazzaville, a second and last food distribution has taken place during October. Over 100 tons of food has been distributed to 9,850 households.
(c) During the month of October, WFP distributed 660 tons of food to 33,700 vulnerable people in Brazzaville, Pool, Bouenza, Lekoumou and Plateaux regions through its PRRO 6265 and EMOP 6287. In Brazzaville, food assistance was expanded due to the displacement of people from the Pool region. In Bouenza and Lekoumou regions, food distributions were not carried out due to the lack of adequate trucks for the transport of the food from the WFP warehouse to the distribution sites.
E) Southern Africa Region: (1) Regional overview, (2) Lesotho, (3) Malawi, (4) Mozambique, (5) Zambia, (6) Zimbabwe
1) Regional overview
(a) In each of the six countries covered by the EMOP, teams are being briefed for the November/December round of SADC Vulnerability Assessment Committee rolling assessments. Teams will be in the field starting 24 November. WFP is providing significant technical support and personnel to each country assessment team.
(b) A WFP consultant is in the region meeting with UN Country Teams, NGOs and national authorities to plan the next stage of implementation of the sentinel site system. Sentinel sites will be established throughout the region to monitor the effectiveness of humanitarian aid in assisting the target population and to bolster understanding of how food insecurity relates to HIV/AIDS, nutrition, school drop-out rates, changing demographics, and similar social and economic variables.
(c) As of 18 November, the WFP EMOP 10200.0 was 56 percent funded. There remains a shortfall of USD 223 million.
2) Lesotho
(a) Field reports suggest that the agricultural situation in many districts is of concern. The area that has been planted is less than previous years. Seeds and agricultural inputs have been in short supply. Some crops, planted early in September, have been damaged by November frosts. During the week, WFP distributed 1,150 tons to 88, 550 beneficiaries.
3) Malawi
(a) Four locomotives arrived in the port of Nacala, Mozambique, as part of the Special Operation to upgrade the Nacala rail corridor into Malawi. Farmers in the southern region are expressing concerns that seasonal rains are overdue. Food distributions were launched in four districts under the "Support to HIV/AIDS Affected and Infected People" programme. Some 324 tons of commodities were distributed under the programme to over 6,100 households.
4) Mozambique
(a) Heavy rains in Chinde District caused temporary suspensions of food distributions and temporarily blocked access to the WFP warehouse. With the arrival of rains, farmers have begun planting crops in Sofala and Maputo provinces. A dedicated fleet of 130 trucks is operating between the port of Beira and Malawi and Zambia. As a result, off-take capacity in Beira is expected to increase substantially in the coming weeks.
5) Zambia
(a) In some regions, due to the growing numbers of hungry people, Implementing Partners are under local pressure to distribute already stretched resources to more beneficiaries than planned. In response, food monitors have initiated discussions with community-based satellite committees to refine targeting and registration modalities in order to reach the most vulnerable people.
(b) WFP field monitors report an increased number of people eating boiled mangos and wild fruits in less accessible areas.
6) Zimbabwe
(a) There are limited supplies of CSB, pulses, and oil. WFP is therefore carefully prioritizing distributions to the most vulnerable districts. Food distributions began for the first time in Nkayi, Matabeleland North, where food monitors report a deteriorating food security situation and quickly depleting commercial and government cereals stocks.
(b) In some districts, dispatches and distributions are being interrupted by inconsistent access to fuel. In most districts, field monitors have reported increasing prices of staple commodities. In Masvingo, field monitors have reported that some rural families have started migrating to the city in search of food and employment.
7) Angola
(a) From 13 to 20 November, WFP dispatched approximately 4,500 tons of food to various provinces to cover the needs of the vulnerable populations until early January 2003.
(b) Many people in the Family reception Areas (FRAs) seem reluctant to move currently, due to the difficulty of building houses at this time of year and the risk of missing the planting season by the time they would reach their village of origin. It also seems that a significant number do not want to return to their provinces of origin, and are waiting to see what alternative will be offered to them. Despite this there has been a fair amount of spontaneous returnees and the Government has begun to transport people out of some FRAs to their areas of origin.
(c) Mine incidents in Huambo and Mavinga have reportedly caused the deaths of seven people and wounded 14, while attacks on vehicles in Malange and Lunda Norte have resulted in over 17 fatalities. These reports have raised security concerns and will hamper humanitarian operations in some of those areas.
(d) Provincial vulnerability analysis assessments have been completed for all provinces and recommendations are being finalized. A public presentation of the national VA report is scheduled for 11 December.
F) West Africa Region: (1) Côte d'Ivoire (2) Sierra Leone (3) Liberia
1) Côte d'Ivoire
(a) On 21 November, UN agencies launched an emergency flash appeal for USD 15.9 million to help some 3.9 million people in Côte d'Ivoire and neighbouring countries. The appeal covers the period November 2002 to January 2003.
(b) From 14 to 21 November, WFP, in collaboration with ICRC and CNI started food distributions for approximately 97,500 vulnerable people in Bouake area. WFP, CARE and Action Contre la Faim are jointly undertaking a registration exercise in Bouake to target approximately 160,000 people. A WFP mission is currently underway in the northern region including Bouake, Korhogo, Odienné and Man, with the aim of assessing food security, prices and urgent needs for food aid. In addition, the mission is looking into possibilities for establishing additional sub-offices.
(c) In addition, implementing partners are continuing to assist IDPs in the western part of the country. Arrangements have been made to assist 340 newly displaced persons for a period of one week. In Abidjan, WFP continues to support 1,040 refugees registered in the UNHCR camp.
(d) WFP's Logistics Unit is fully functional in Yamoussoukro with a warehouse of a capacity of 2,000 tons. A WFP light aircraft based in Conakry is flying twice a week between Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire, transporting humanitarian personnel and non-food items (NFI).
2) Sierra Leone
(a) No major influxes of refugees were reported in Kailahun from 4 to 17 November. However a, small number of refugees and returnees reportedly made their way from Guinea into the two chiefdoms of Dembelia - Sinkunia and Neya in the Koinadugu District. WFP continued to provide food aid for new arrivals and for its current caseload of 13,200 refugees in the Jembe and Gerihun camps. Repatriation convoys from Guinea have been suspended by UNHCR due to lack of funds and shortage of NFI for the returnee package.
(b) Countrywide, WFP supported almost 128,650 beneficiaries with 933 tons of food aid from 4 to 17 November, through vulnerable group feeding programmes (refugees, resettlement, returnees and institutional feeding), emergency school feeding, therapeutic feeding, supplementary feeding, mother and child health, food-for-training and safety net programmes.
(c) Following the closure of WFP's helicopter Operations in October 2002, the helipad and assets were formerly handed over to the Government of Sierra Leone on 15 November. This operation was initiated in 1999 and has benefited to the all humanitarian community.
(d) WFP's pipeline continues to be well resourced, with the exception of CSB, for which a break is expected in December.
(e) The general security situation in the country was calm but the situation along the border area remained tense as a result of fighting in the Northern Lofa County of Liberia. UNAMSIL and the Sierra Leone Army continued to undertake regular patrols along the Sierra Leone/Liberia border, which helped to provide a visible presence and deter incursions. Minor disturbances were also reported in Port Loko, which were viewed to be a result of the forthcoming chieftaincy elections.
3) Liberia
(a) WFP does not expect major changes in the number of beneficiaries targeted in November and December under its PRRO and the caseload should remain at approximately 223,000 persons. Although, a 5 percent increase of the IDP caseload was projected in December, the planned verification in November may result in a reduced caseload, thus prompting adjustment in the projections.
(b) WFP is expecting to face breaks in its pipeline for various commodities: the current stock of pulses can only last for three months and a rupture is likely to occur beyond January 2003. In addition, the current stock of vegetable oil can only last for one month and will be insufficient to carry out distributions in December. 9,800 tons of cereals are due to arrive within the next four months. Part of this shipment is scheduled to arrive by the end of November and the balance in February. A delay in the shipments would lead to pipeline breaks. In addition, similar breaks are anticipated for salt and CSB.
G) Mediterranean Region: (1) Palestinian Territories
1) Palestinian Territories
(a) Following recently confirmed contributions, EMOP 10190.0 faces a shortfall of 26 percent. However, further contributions are under negotiation. Current in-country food stocks in Ashdod, Jerusalem and Gaza amount to 13,400 tons. A monthly food allocation plan has been made taking into account in-country stock and confirmed shipments, up to March. However, WFP expects to face pipeline gaps for all almost all commodities.
(b) During the first half of November, WFP, in collaboration with PARC, Catholic Relief Services, the Ministry of Social Affairs (MSA) and CHF, assisted 178,400 vulnerable people in Gaza and West Bank areas. 2,460 tons of food were provided under various programmes, including general distributions for the most destitute households, FFW, FFT commodities.
(c) After a brief lifting of the constant curfew imposed on the inhabitants of Nablus city, the Israeli Defense Forces re-entered the city for the fifth time during the past 8 months. In response, WFP has started an emergency distribution in the city, covering 10,000 families for two months in collaboration with MSA. Up to date, the MSA has distributed bi-monthly rations of WFP commodities to 3,000 beneficiary families.
(d) In retaliation to a Palestinian attack on Israeli Defense Forces and settlers on 15 November in the city of Hebron, the IDF imposed a strict curfew regime on the city. Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, confirmed that the curfew is expected to continue for a few weeks. In addition to regular incursions and air strikes against Gaza City, the Israeli Defense Forces continued to destroy agricultural land, including citrus fruit and olive trees as well as vegetable crops in the Gaza area.
(e) The olive harvest season in the West Bank is about to finish. As a result of strict closures, Palestinian farmers are facing difficulties in marketing the olive oil and the price of olive oil has subsequently dropped. In Jenin city, the humanitarian situation remains critical. Strict curfews were imposed on the city for more than two weeks, throughout which a shortage in most of the basic food commodities was reported. The IDF's partial withdrawal from the city, where the curfew is only lifted during the day, is however combined with a strict closure around the city, preventing the movement of civilians and commodities. In Qalqilieh, semi-constant curfews imposed for the past month has prevented the distribution of WFP commodities from PARC's warehouse.
(f) WFP was able to monitor distributions in the North, Middle and South areas of the Gaza Strip during the first half of November. However, WFP's monitoring activities in the town of Rafah were halted due to nearby incursion by the IDF and staff were obliged to return to Gaza City. Access was also restricted to UN personnel in the southern town of Khan Younis mid-November due to insecurity. WFP staff cancelled planned monitoring activities during this period.
H) West and Central Asia Region: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan
1) Afghanistan
(a) From 13 to 19 November, WFP assisted 500,000 vulnerable people, providing them with over 4,500 tons of food through various programmes. This caseload includes 98,350 vulnerable people who were assisted under general food distributions and a further 23,350 through Food For Work and Food For Asset Creation projects. In addition 165,900 school children received food assistance through the Food For Education programme and 66,000 IDPs and returnees received food assistance. Bakery projects assisted over 147,000 beneficiaries with fresh bread and the supplementary feeding programmes covered over 5,500 malnourished persons.
(b) For those living in areas potentially inaccessible over winter WFP has delivered some 40,000 tons of food or 90 percent of winter period food requirements. In Kabul, WFP has completed winter pre-positioning for the highlands, with a total of 20,300 tons of food in place to assist around 15,800 beneficiaries.
(c) The security situation is stable. However, clashes between demonstrating students and government troops were reported in Kabul as well as some fighting between factions in the Helmand province (Southern area). UN missions are restricted to daylight hours and must be concluded by 17h30.
(d) Due to a number of new contributions, the resourcing situation of EMOP 10155.0 has greatly improved during the last month. Cereal and non-cereal requirements for the last quarter of 2002 are now fully resourced. Following the results of the WFP VAM assessment, the requirements for the last quarter of 2002 and first quarter of 2003 have been adjusted and amount to some 273 000 tons of cereals, against which 237 000 tons are expected to be available. Provided all expected consignments arrive as planned, WFP will have sufficient cereals to cover its requirements through February 2003. No cereals will be available as of March 2003.
(e) The Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) that will succeed the EMOP in April 2003 is being finalized and will be submitted to the WFP Executive Board in February 2003. To ensure a smooth transition between the two operations and prevent a break in the pipeline to occur during the pre-harvest period when food needs are highest, donors may consider contributing an additional 48,000 tons of cereals and 4,800 tons of pulses. These contributions could still be made under the unresourced balance of the ongoing EMOP.
2) Pakistan
(a) WFP plans to extend its emergency operation for Afghan refugees (EMOP 10043.1) until December 2002 in order to provide continuous assistance to 235,000 beneficiaries. A new emergency operation (EMOP 10228) for Afghan Refugees has recently been approved by the WFP Executive Director and FAO Director General. Under this new EMOP, expected to commence in January 2003, WFP will continue to provide food aid to 288,000 Afghan refugees at the new camps in the North West Frontier Province and Balochistan Province in Pakistan. A Letter of Understanding, to be signed between WFP and the Ministry of States and Frontier Region, is under preparation.
(b) After various delays, including the recent elections, the first distribution of WFP food to 15, 300 drought affected persons under EMOP 10171.0 was made on 9 November in Pishin District of Balochistan. This distribution was done in collaboration with the UNDP- sponsored Area Development Programme which has helped to organize the communities to identify the most affected persons and take responsibility for the distribution of food commodities. Preparations are underway to start distributions in three other districts of Balochistan and Sindh through the elected representatives of the newly established District Government system under the devolution plan of the Government of Pakistan.
(c) Upon the request of the Government of Pakistan, a joint WFP/FAO Food and Crop assessment mission has been fielded to assess the impact of drought in 2002, which has persisted for past four years. The mission will present its findings to donors and the government at the end of this month. A joint UNICEF /WHO mission is also looking at the non-food items requirements in the drought affected areas.
I) Latin America and Caribbean Region: (1) Colombia, (2) Ecuador, (3) El Salvador, (4) Nicaragua
1) Colombia
(a) WFP, UNDP, UNHCR and ICRC in coordination with human rights organizations and local and national authorities recently met to agree on an assistance plan for more than 2,000 IDPs who found refuge at the University of Antioquia, Medellin. The majority are coming from La Honda province where WFP is providing food support to over 1,000 children under its PRRO 6139.0.
(b) Heavy rains caused floods in the municipality of Tierra Alta, in the province of Cordoba where WFP has complementary feeding projects, affecting 1,025 persons of which 85 were displaced. Although no loss of life was reported, these families have lost their crops and belongings.
(c) WFP food deliveries continue to be affected by armed groups' activities. In the western Antioquia, the provinces of San Luis, Cocorna and Granada are isolated preventing IDPs from receiving food assistance. In the Santa Ana province, beneficiaries of WFP FFW projects could only receive part of the rations due to threats from armed groups.
(d) On the way to the Choco province, a WFP truck supplier was shot at by an armed group. The driver and the load were unharmed. However the incident caused delays in deliveries and fear among the transport company. WFP held a meeting with national authorities to discuss security measures.
(e) Last week, WFP delivered 125 tons of food to 35 projects in 24 municipalities. This week, WFP was planning to deliver 140 tons to 189 projects in 10 Colombian provinces.
2) Ecuador
(a) Last week, the activity of the El Reventador Volcano has been characterized by columns of ash and vapour that, in some cases, have
reached 5 kilometres of altitude. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested aid from the international community on 14 November. This assistance would be aimed at short and medium term projects.
(b) WFP monitored food distributions in the affected communities and submitted an IRA request for the families experiencing food insecurity caused by the volcano's eruption. WFP and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock performed an assessment of the damages caused in the livestock and agriculture sectors in the affected provinces.
3) El Salvador
(a) WFP is carrying out its second food distribution to children suffering from severe and moderate malnutrition residing in areas affected by the prolonged coffee crisis. Mothers are being trained in the preparation of CSB, a major component of the ration, by WFP and the Ministry of Health staff. In addition, WFP will be distributing one-month family rations to 1,400 families in the municipalities of Ahauchapan and Sonsonate.
(b) WFP's response in the northeast of the country under its PRRO 6089.0 continues to reach families without significant delays or problems.
4) Nicaragua
(a) WFP completed the delivery of 90 tons of food to 8,000 expectant and nursing mothers and 7,160 children in the province of Matagalpa. A food distribution was carried out on 15 November, assisting 364 heads of households whose livelihoods were affected by the May 2002 floods in Managua.
Note: All tonnage figures in this report refer to metric tons.
(End WFP Emergency Report No 47).