This report includes: A) Burundi
B) Sudan C) Somalia D) Sierra Leone E) Angola F)
Zambia - food airlift to Angolan refugees.
From Jean-Jacques Graisse, Assistant
Executive Director. Available on the Internet on the WFP Home Page at http://www.wfp.org/
or by electronic mail from Deborah.Hicks@wfp.org or Natasha.Nadazdin@wfp.org
(fax 39 06 6513 2854). For information on resources, donors are
requested to contact Aleesa.Blum@wfp.org or Marius.deGaayFortman@wfp.org
at WFP Rome, telephone 39 06 6513 2004 or 06 6513 2250. The address of
WFP is Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici, 00148 Rome, Italy.
This issue of the Emergency Report was prepared by Natasha Nadazdin.
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS
(Details below in Part II)
A. BURUNDI
1. Update - information as of 20 January
a) On 20 January, Government of Burundi announces progressive dismantling of regroupment camps; some 330,000 people forcibly moved by military into 59 sites since last September; issue discussed at UN Security Council's session on 19 January.
b) NGO nutritional survey in nine regroupment sites in December shows global malnutrition rate high due to difficult access to food, water, sanitation and healthcare and in spite of efforts by humanitarian agencies.
c) During UN suspension of activities, WFP delivered food to NGO partners. As of mid-November WFP resumed normal activities; 40 camps received food aid.
B. SUDAN
1. Update - information as of 20 January
a) Unity State: Based on findings of WFP/CARE/UNICEF nutrition survey in Bentiu during December, full ration and supplementary feeding recommended for six months; WFP distribution in Rubkona on 20 January; distribution in Bentiu to take place on 23 January.
b) Rapid WFP distributions in Kapoeta and Torit counties to drought-affected persons reach some 45,000 IDPs.
c) FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission in October and November visited 24 out of 26 States; emergency food aid needs of war-affected and food-deficit regions during year 2000 estimated at 103,000 tons for monthly caseload of 1.7 million; full report available at the FAO home page http://www.fao.org go to Economics, then select Special Reports and alerts, or at http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/faoinfo/economic/giews/english/alertes/2000/SRSUD01.htm
C. SOMALIA
1. Update - information as of 19 January
a) Due to poor road conditions only 148 tons of WFP aid distributed to southern Somalia in December and 80 tons to north-west; some 1,300 tons of food aid currently en route to Bay region.
b) Rainfed Deyr establishment of sorghum satisfactory in Lower and Middle Shabelle regions, Baidoa and Qansandheere districts of Bay region, less so in Hiraan and Gedo regions, Burhakaba and Dinsor districts of Bay region; Bakool facing crop failure.
c) Galgaduud not included, FSAU and FEWS estimate country's food aid needs from January - April 2000 at some 12,600 tons; Bakool region most vulnerable, followed by Bay and Gedo.
D. SIERRA LEONE
1. Update - information as of 19 January
a) Inter-agency mission visits Makeni, Magburaka, Matatoka, Makali and Masingbi; participants, OCHA, UN Security, CARE, Concern World Wide, UNAMSIL and WFP assess security issues; mission recommends OSM (aid body of RUF Party) be sensitized to basic principles of humanitarian assistance.
b) Construction of two helipads and runway for WFP helicopter operations on Lumely beach in Freetown started.
c) Inter-agency verification exercise in Konta town which has not been receiving any assistance since April 1999.
D. ANGOLA
1. Update - information as of 19 January
a) Benguela: On 13 and 17 - 18 January, a joint WFP/MINARS/UCAH/UNICEF mission visited Dombe Grande to assess needs of population affected by floods; initial Government figures indicate 19,000 drought-affected persons and 20,000 tons of agricultural production lost.
b) Malange: security assessment by UCAH, UNDP and WFP on 12-14 January confirms reports of some 10,200 IDPs from Bembo, Luquembo, Cola-Magia and Kambundi-Katembo; a further aid needs assessment planned.
c) Current WFP protracted relief and recovery operation for war-affected receives further donation of 1,530 tons of pulses, at value of USD 1.4 million.
d) Road convoys ex-Lobito to Lubango resume; road convoys ex-Lobito for Huambo still on hold; security problems hamper access to many areas.
e) Humanitarian situation in Angola discussed at UN Security Council's meeting on 17 January.
E. ZAMBIA
1. Food aid airlift to Angolan refugees
a) WFP appeals to donors for USD 150,000 to charter aircraft to airlift 300 tons of emergency food aid for seven - eight thousand Angolan refugees in Kalabo as roads flooded by rain and access to refugees difficult; initial air operation to last 10-14 days.
b) An estimated 21,000 Angolans have fled to Zambia since October due to fighting in Angola.
PART II - DETAILS
A. BURUNDI
1. UPDATE - information as of 20 January
1.1 The Government of Burundi announced on 20 January that it will start progressive dismantling of regroupment camps. Following the rise in attacks on Bujumbura and its outlying suburbs in September 1999, the Burundian military displaced hundreds of thousands of villagers in Bujumbura Rural in order to enable troops to operate unhindered against rebels around the capital. Approximately 330,000 people have been forcibly moved into 59 sites.
The UN Security Council on 19 January endorsed the criticism by the international mediator for Burundi Nelson Mandela of Burundi's policy of forcing rural civilians into government encampments.
1.2 WFP's NGO partners carried out a nutritional survey in nine regroupment sites in December 1999. The results, issued on 18 January, show global malnutrition rate of about 18 percent and severe malnutrition rates between 2.7 percent and 4.5 percent in three sites, due to difficulties of access to food, water, sanitation and healthcare and in spite of immense efforts on the part of the humanitarian community.
1.3 Despite the suspension of UN operations on 12 October, WFP continued distributing food through its partners (CARE, CRS, CONCERN, CARITAS, Burundian Red Cross and JRS), resuming its normal activities in mid-November. A total of 40 out of 59 sites have received food aid. In order to insure that food aid is reaching the neediest, WFP conducted a training in rapid assessment in late December for several partners and helped analyse assessment findings.
B. SUDAN
1. UPDATE - information as of 20 January
1.1 Unity State: WFP jointly with CARE and UNICEF undertook a nutrition survey in Bentiu during December 1999. The survey found a high rate of malnutrition amongst children in Bentiu (26.3 percent), the major cause of which was inadequate dietary intake. Food distribution has been erratic over the past five months due to insecurity. The rate of malnutrition was found to be higher amongst IDPs (51 percent) than residents (12 percent) and one in every two IDP children was malnourished. Relief food was found to constitute 76 percent of IDP intake. The review recommended that full ration as well as supplementary feeding be provided for six months to prevent further deterioration of nutritional status. Subsequently, WFP team has registered the current caseload (estimated to 7,000 in Bentiu and 3,000 in Rubkona) for immediate food distribution. In addition, food is delivered by road from the WFP hub of Elobeid, avoiding the high cost of airlift. Food distribution was completed in Rubkona on 20 January and will be in Bentiu on 23 January.
1.2 WFP carried out a number of rapid food distributions in various food insecure locations in Kapoeta County affected by drought and precarious security. These locations had remained inaccessible to WFP for several weeks due to insecurity. WFP delivered a total of 125 tons of food to Kiklai, New Cush and Latukei in Kapoeta County as well as Lorema in Torit County in the same region. This rapid intervention was carried out after WFP and CRS had received reports of a worsening food security situation in the area following drought and continued insecurity preventing cultivation and access by aid agencies. Through these distributions, over 45,000 food insecure Didinga internally displaced persons (IDPs) and local Dinka inhabitants were reached.
1.3 FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission Report:
a) An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply
Assessment Mission visited southern Sudan from 10 October to 3 November
1999 and northern Sudan from 24 November to 13 December to estimate the
1999 cereal production and to make an early forecast of wheat production
from areas now being planted. The Mission visited 24 out of the 26 States.
With the estimated cereal production of 3.9 million metric tons and wheat
and rice imports forecast at 680,000 metric tons and 38,000
metric tons respectively, the country's cereal requirement of about 5.2
million metric tons in 1999/2000 is expected to be met by a draw-down of
stocks of nearly 240,000 metric tons.
b) Despite generally favourable weather, the 1999 sorghum production has fallen sharply compared to last year's record crop due mainly to farmers shifting to more lucrative cash crops. The total 1999/2000 cereal production, estimated at about 3.9 million metric tons, is nearly a third below last year's production. In most southern states, however, cereal production has increased by some 12 percent due to improved security, except for Bahr el-Ghazal and Unity states where there are serious food deficits. c) Total emergency food aid needs of the war-affected and food-deficit regions during the year 2000 are estimated at about 103,000 metric tons for average monthly case load of 1.7 million.
d) In view of the surplus cereal production in some southern states, particularly in Western Equatoria, as well as carry-over stock balance from previous year(s), local purchase for food aid programmes is highly recommended in order to support markets and encourage production.
e) The Report is now available at the FAO home page http://www.fao.org go to Economics, then select Special Reports and alerts, or at http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/faoinfo/economic/giews/english/alertes/2000/SRSUD01.htm. It is also accessible through http://www.reliefweb.int under Complex Emergencies, Sudan.
C. SOMALIA
1. UPDATE - information as of 19 January
1.1 Due to poor road conditions caused by bad weather, distribution to southern Somalia for the month of December has been delayed and only 148 tons have been distributed to Benadir district in Mogadishu and a further 81 tons to the north-west. A convoy scheduled to carry a total of approximately 1,300 tons of food aid to southern Somalia in early December is currently en route to the Bay region.
1.2 The WFP's Food Security Assessment Unit (FSAU) conducted a field assessment from 25 November - 5 December, followed by an aerial survey over main agricultural areas in southern Somalia in order to determine the extent of the 1999 Deyr crop. The Deyr, which is the minor agricultural season, normally accounts for a quarter of Somalia's agricultural production. The unusually late rains have rendered a full assessment difficult.
1.3 Rainfed Deyr establishment of sorghum has been most successful in Lower and Middle Shabelle regions as well as Baidoa and Qansandheere districts of Bay region, where a normal to above normal harvest can be expected. Crop situation is less favourable in Hiraan and Gedo regions as well as Burhakaba and Dinsor districts of Bay region, while Bakool is facing possibly a total crop failure.
1.4 Considering the rainfall over the last 20 days, the total expected production is projected at 50,000 tons (compared to approximately 30,000 tons produced in the same period in 1998). The majority of sorghum production will come from the Bay and Lower Shabelle regions.
1.5 Irrigated Deyr establishment of maize has been successful in all areas and total expected production is estimated at 80,000 tons (compared to 50,000 tons last year). The majority of maize production will come from the Lower Shabelle region.
1.6 Agro-pastoralists of Bakool, Gedo, Bay and Hiraan in southern Somalia remain vulnerable, in contrast with the pastoral and riverine groups in those regions. With relatively low baseline livestock numbers and small, marginally productive rainfed plots, their asset base is easily reduced after successive poor seasons and sustained conflict.
1.7 Excluding the region of Galgaduud, FSAU together with the Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) of USAID estimates the food aid needs from January - April 2000 to be some 12,600 tons. The most vulnerable region is the Bakool region which has the highest proportion of its population food insecure (50 percent) followed by Bay (32 percent) and then Gedo (28 percent).
D. SIERRA LEONE
1. UPDATE - information as of 19 January
1.1 On 11-12 January WFP participated in an inter-agency mission to Makeni, Magburaka, Matatoka, Makali and Masingbi together with OCHA, UN Security, CARE, Concern World Wide and UNAMSIL. The purpose of the mission was to assess the security of roads and towns for humanitarian operations, humanitarian staff and beneficiaries. The Organization for the Survival of Mankind (OSM) of the Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP) insists that it should programme and co-ordinate all humanitarian assistance. The mission recommends that OSM/RUFP be sensitizied to the basic principles guiding humanitarian assistance. It was agreed that no assistance be delivered unless the OSM conditions are lifted, and before needs assessment missions and food aid and humanitarian operations are resumed in these areas.
1.2 The construction of two helipads
and a runway for WFP helicopter operations on Lumely beach, Freetown, officially
started on 14 of January. The Swedish Government is funding the construction
that will be implemented
by Sierra Construction Ltd.
1.3 An inter-agency verification team comprising of WFP, CRS, MCSL, APEGS, ACF and CCSL carried out a re-registration exercise in the town of Konta, an area extremely difficult to access by road and which has not been receiving any assistance since April 1999. The team verified a total caseload of some 6,700 IDPs in and around Konta camp on 14 -15 January. A total of 90 tons of food aid commodities have been transported from Kenema and the distribution is planned to take place on 19 of January.
1.4 WFP in collaboration with the
Arch Diocesan Development Office (ADDO) distributed 28 tons of assorted
food aid commodities to some 4,100 IDPs in Bo town on 13 and 14 January.
The IDP caseload will be screened and the most
vulnerable will qualify for assistance at Kendeyella IDP camp.
E. ANGOLA
1. UPDATE - information as of 19 January
1.1 Benguela: On 13 and 17 - 18 January, a joint WFP/MINARS/UCAH/UNICEF mission team visited Dombe Grande to assess the needs of population affected by floods. As the loss of crop and farmland could not be assessed because of the high water level, a second mission is planned for 20 - 21 January. WFP has increased the capacity of the community kitchens in the most affected areas of Dombe Grande and, through its stocks in Lobito, can respond quickly if the need for food aid grows. WFP is also considering provision of food assistance to the affected farmers until the next harvest in August. According to not yet confirmed Government figures, some 19,000 people have been affected and 20,000 tons of agricultural production have been destroyed.
1.2 Bie:
a) Nutritionists from WFP, UNICEF, MSF-B and ICRC met on 13 December to discuss the outcome of the nutritional surveys carried out by MSF-B, ICRC and MINSA in Kuito. They agreed that the niacin deficiency in the food basket, associated with the prolonged consumption of a diet rich in maize in besieged cities like Kuito, where people entirely depend on the WFP ration, needs to be corrected. An addition of 100 g of corn-soya blend (CSB) to the ration was proposed on the basis of availability of the commodity, its nutriment content, cost and handling. The nutritionists further recommended that IDP population should receive rations richer in energy, protein and niacin as soon as possible. Vulnerable residents may also be included in the distribution of supplemented rations. Furthermore, it is suggested that an active screening be put in place for pellagra.
b) In the IDP camp of Catala, a new feeding centre for children, run by Africare with WFP commodities, started functioning this week. Some 600 children were assisted. The decision to open the centre was taken as a result of recent reports from MSF indicating the deterioration of the health condition of the camp population.
1.3 Huila: Following daily reports from the local Government of Caconda of high rates of mortality in the municipality of Caconda, WFP and CARITAS organized a joint mission on 13 January to assess the food needs and will set up five community kitchens during 15 days until a registration of IDPs is made.
1.4 Malange:
a) A security assessment mission composed of UCAH, UNDP and WFP was organized on 12-14 January to confirm reports by the local authorities in Malange of a large concentration of IDPs at Cangandala, south of Malange, and assess accessibility to the area. The members of the mission team ascertained the presence, in the Municipality of Cangandala, of 10,200 IDPs coming from Bembo, Luquembo, Cola-Magia and Kambundi-Katembo. A further joint UN/non governmental organizations (NGO) mission is planned for 22 January to assess their needs.
b) In Malange town, WFP staff monitoring kitchens and Community Infant Programme Centres (PICs) report decreased attendance as a result of the agricultural activities during the planting season, which now enable families to eat some products from the fields.
1.5 On 14 January, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has confirmed an in-kind contribution of 1,530 tons of pulses-lentils towards the current WFP protracted relief and recovery operation (PRRO 6159) for war-affected populations for a total value of USD 1.4 million.
1.6 Road convoys ex-Lobito to Lubango have resumed along the coastal road via Lucira. For security reasons, road convoys ex-Lobito for Huambo, which were planned to resume in January, are on hold. Security problems continue to affect access to Andulo, province of Bie, Kuando Kubango, on the road Menongue-Longa, which serves the Municipality of Kuito Kuanavale, Moxico and Zaire.
1.7 The UN Secretary General warned at the Security Council's meeting on 17 January that the humanitarian crisis in Angola remains alarming and urged donors to respond to the UN agencies consolidated appeal for 2000 to provide 258 million dollars aid to Angola.
F. ZAMBIA
1. FOOD AID AIRLIFT TO ANGOLAN REFUGEES
1.1 WFP has appealed to donors for USD 150,000 to charter aircraft to carry vital supplies to thousands of Angolan refugees who fled in recent weeks to the western banks of the Zambezi River valley.
1.2 WFP's preparations to send an aircraft to airlift some 300 tons of emergency food for seven - eight thousand Angolan refugees in Kalabo, Zambia, are at an advanced stage. The food is to be airlifted from nearby Mongu because, with the rainy season now under way, many roads are flooded and access to refugees by road is difficult. The planned initial air operation is expected to last 10-14 days.
1.3 According to UNHCR, an estimated 21,000 Angolans have fled to Zambia since last October when fighting intensified in Angola.
Note: all tonnage figures in report above refer to metric tons
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 03 of 2000 - January 20, 2000)