EMOP 6136.00 - Food assistance to refugees, IDPs and social cases in the Balkan region
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SUMMARY TABLES
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Beneficiaries: 1
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1,755,000 (July-August)
1,455,000 (September-December) |
Per
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Wheat Flour
Rice |
350 g
100 g |
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Duration:
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6 Months
1 July to 31 Dec. 99 |
Capita
Daily |
Vegetable Oil
Canned Meat/Fish |
35 g
30 g |
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Total Cost to WFP:
Food Commitment: |
US$ 105,135,815
158,993 metric tonnes |
Food Basket:
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Beans
Sugar Salt |
30 g
10 g 5 g |
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All figures are averages
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Post-Dayton
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Kosovo Crisis
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Total
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WFP Beneficiaries1
(planning figures) Location |
Refugees
from |
Social Cases
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Refugees and
Refugees and IDPs outside Kosovo |
Returnees
Returnees & Social Cases in Kosovo |
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F.R.Y. - Kosovo
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|||||
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F.R.Y - Kosovo July-August
September-December |
900 000
600 000 |
900 000
600 000 |
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F.R.Y. - Serbia (excl. Kosovo)
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350 000
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300 000
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120 000
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770 000
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F.R.Y. - Montenegro
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15 000
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20 000
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20 000
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55 000
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Albania
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30 000
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30 000
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Total
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|||||
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July-August
September-December |
365 000
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350 000
|
140 000
|
900 000
600 000 |
1 755 000
1 455 000 |
UPDATES FROM THE FIELD OFFICES
Kosovo
In October, WFP food aid was distributed to a total of 561,087 persons (in addition to 488,447 who received food directly from other donors). A media campaign has been launched to reinforce the message to the general public that those who have means to provide for their own food should de-register from food aid beneficiary lists.
WFP is reassessing the number of beneficiaries in urban areas since there is a growing number of IDPs from rural areas living in cities. In parallel, WFP in co-operation with UNHCR is conducting an assessment of the situation of ethnic minorities, in order to precisely assess their food aid needs and identify crucial non-food needs which affect food security, such as access to markets and personal security.
WFP has finalised the distribution of winter food stocks to 129 villages considered as inaccessible during the winter. Rail transport is proving very effective to bring food into Kosovo and should remain functional throughout the winter; seven trains with wheat flour are reported to have arrived in the last week. A new WFP warehouse in Mitrovica is now operational, and another eight wickhalls are to be erected in Pristina before mid-December.
Serbia (excluding Kosovo)
Food distribution to 337,500 refugees from Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina and 312,500 social cases is on-going. Total beneficiaries of a full ration number 650,000. WFP will in addition provide canned fish to IDPs from Kosovo, in addition to their regular ration from ICRC.
The US Government is considering the provision of assistance to Serbia through WFP, to be targeted to up to 200,000 vulnerable persons (disabled individuals and post-Dayton refugees). This would significantly reduce the magnitude of expected food aid gaps in Serbia this winter.
Montenegro
The November food distribution to IDPs, refugees and social cases went as planned. No significant problems were reported during the distribution. UNHCR re-registration of refugees and IDPs was completed on 4 December. New registration cards were issued.
WFP is assessing the feasibility of providing support for road maintenance in Montenegro throughout the winter, in order to keep open a corridor between the port of Bar and Kosovo.
Albania
WFP is launching a number pilot activities in support of Albanian vulnerable groups, in cooperation with international NGOs (MCI, CARE, ADRA). Albania’s Emergency Management Group has identified road rehabilitation as a priority area, which might eventually be supported with food-for-work activities.
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYRoM)
WFP is covering the residual caseload of refugees in FYRoM. The transfer of refugees living in camps to host families and collective centres is almost completed. According to UNHCR statistics of 27 November there are 3,138 refugees living in camps and collective centres and 10,411 refugees living with host families.
WFP OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR 2000
On 14 November, the Executive Director of WFP, jointly with the Director General of FAO, approved Emergency Operation 6136.01, which covers WFP activities in the Balkan Region for the Year 2000. WFP has appealed, directly and through the Joint Consolidated Appeal for South-Eastern Europe, for a total of US$ 122 million in donor resources. This will provide for 190,000 MT of food aid in addition to carry-over stocks already in the region. WFP plans to reduce the number of food aid beneficiaries from about 1.6 million in January to just over 1 million by December 2000.
AIR SERVICE
Following the tragic crash of a WFP passenger plane on its approach to Pristina, KFOR, acting on the recommendation of the investigators, decided to close Pristina airport to all civilian flights. Investigations into the causes of the crash are still on-going. The WFP air bridge is suspended for the time being. Visitors to Pristina must travel by air to Skopje, from where overland transport is available.
RESOURCING UPDATE AND PIPELINE
Confirmed contributions to EMOP 6136.00 as of 6 December cover 78% of requirements in dollar value and 74% in terms of commodity tonnage. Pledges total 82 million dollars (117,000 MT of food commodities). The US is the largest single donor, with pledges amounting to 46 million dollars, followed by the EC with 11 million dollars. WFP is already accepting contributions for EMOP 6136.01.
Stocks available in the Balkan Region are sufficient to meet requirements well into the second quarter of the year 2000, except in Serbia, where gaps in the pipeline are expected during the first quarter of the new year. Donors are urged to confirm their commitments as soon as possible.