Sudan: WFP Weekly Situation Report on Darfur 25 - 31 May 2005

Highlights

UN Secretary-General visits Kalma Camp in South Darfur during his 3-day visit to Sudan

One in every four child in Godsiga and Masitula in West Darfur is at risk of mortality from malnutrition

UNDSS closes Zam Zam camp to UN movement following clashes between IDPs and the police

WFP-HAS warns of imminent reduction in flight services as the operation continues to face severe funding shortfalls

HUMANITARIAN AND SECURITY ISSUES

UN Secretary-General (UN SG), Kofi Annan, arrived in Khartoum on 27 May on a 3-day official visit to Darfur and South Sudan. UN SG flew to Nyala in South Darfur on the second day of his visit to Sudan and visited the camps in Kalma and Labado.

United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) closed the Tawila/Kebkabiyah road to UN movement on 26 May after a convoy of 15 WFP contracted trucks, en route from El Fasher to Kebkabiyah, reported heavy fighting near Omm Military camp approximately 20 km west of Tawila. The African Union (AU) later confirmed that the SLA had attacked a Government of Sudan (GoS) military convoy, killing one policeman and wounding eight others. On 28 May, UNDSS assessed and reopened the Tawila/Kebkabiyah road.

On 26 May, WFP received reports of increased tension in Zam Zam, North Darfur, following a shooting incident involving the Government of Sudan (GoS). The incident was triggered by a GoS attempt to make a number of arrests for theft in the camp. One person was killed and five wounded as a result of the shooting. International organizations were evacuated as UNDSS declared Zam Zam NO GO. On 28 May, the camp was reopened for UN activities.

One light vehicle belonging to an NGO was stopped by the Janjaweed and the occupants were robbed of personal belongings while traveling along the Geneina/Habila road. UNDSS has declared the road NO GO until further notice.

Continued tension was reported in Kalma camp following last week's clash between the IDPs and the police when 3 people were killed and some 13 wounded.

ACCESS AND FOOD DELIVERY

Roads in South Darfur, particularly the Nyala/Mukjar road, have become difficult to access as a result of the rainfalls in Nyala and other locations in the state. WFP has pre-positioned sufficient food stock in El Geneina to serve locations like Um Dukhan, Mukjar, Garsila, Deleij and Um Kher that are inaccessible during the rainy season. WFP will also assess the need and possibilities of airdropping food to inaccessible locations in Jebel Marra if and when required.

WFP has temporarily ceased direct deliveries from El Obeid and Kosti to Kutum, Kebkabiyah, Zalingie, Kass and Morni as WFP-contracted transporters have become increasingly reluctant to transport food along these routes. This follows the abduction on 15 May of 3 trucks delivering to Kutum in North Darfur. WFP anticipates that direct deliveries to these areas will resume in June with the arrival of additional trucks.

Transporters continue to report insufficient diesel supply, particularly in El Obeid and Khartoum where preparation for annual closure of refineries for maintenance in July has begun. Transporters have begun to take contingency measures by installing their own diesel tanks and purchasing fuel from Port Sudan to pre-position stocks in Khartoum and El Obeid.

Negative impact of jet fuel deliveries in El Obeid has also been reported, as WFP-contracted suppliers are required to move the fuel from Port Sudan to El Obeid instead of Khartoum. WFP plans to temporarily deploy at least one IL76 from El Obeid to Port Sudan to help alleviate pressures of the jet fuel demand. However, it should be noted that this is likely to have a negative impact on WFP's operational costs and output.

Dispatches from the three Darfur state capitals to Cooperating Partners (CPs) between 1 and 29 May total 35,180 MT to some 1.85 million beneficiaries (estimate is based on dispatch report).

Between 1 and 29 May, WFP has dispatched a total of 40,260 MT by road and air to Darfur, representing some 81 percent of the total logistics target of 49,624 MT for the month of May.

SURFACE TRANSPORT

Primary Transport:

WFP's leased fleet for primary transport has 105 trucks that are operational, with an additional 45 new trucks expected in June. It should be noted that WFP's total dedicated fleet for primary transport is 150 trucks, not 250 trucks as reported last week.

Secondary Transport:

In May, WFP was unable to reach the monthly target for road deliveries into Darfur primarily due to delays in expected arrivals and custom clearance of new trucks in Port Sudan. The operation was also affected by delays in transit between El Obeid to Nyala and El Fasher as a result of insecurity and attacks on trucks along the main access routes into Darfur. WFP-contracted trucks were not permitted to travel at night and limited capacity of military escorts hampered the frequency of truck deliveries during the day.

Some 380 trucks are currently operational in WFP's leased fleet for secondary transport, with an additional 347 trucks expected in the month of June.

Between 1 and 29 May, WFP dispatched a total of 34,110 MT by road from logistical hubs in El Obeid, Khartoum and Kosti to the Darfur states, representing 83 percent of the monthly target for May.

Tertiary Transport:

During the reporting period, WFP's fleet of 120 6x6 trucks delivered 2,501 MT to various locations in the three Darfur states (1,214 MT in South Darfur, 389 MT in West Darfur and 898 MT in North Darfur).

AIR OPERATIONS

WFP-HAS continues to face severe funding shortfalls. Without immediate additional funding, WFP-HAS will be forced to reduce the number of flights for non-food item (NFI) deliveries, and possibly passenger services, starting from mid June.

WFP is in the process of securing a second IL 76 to augment air deliveries from Al Khufra in Libya to the Darfurs. As of 30 May, a total of 1,747 MT has been airlifted from Libya to Nyala and El Fasher.

Between 1 and 29 May, WFP has airlifted and airdropped a total of 6,150 MT of food into Darfur, including food being airlifted in from Al Khufra, representing 72 percent of the monthly target for May.

KEY ACTIVITIES

Assessment of new locations in Darfur:

WFP Security and Food Needs Assessments team was deployed to South Darfur on 21 May to assess and prioritize food security in more than 200 locations. It is anticipated that the mission, consisting of 3 Security Officers and 3 VAM Officers, will be in the region until the end of June to develop standardized assessment and targeting methodologies as well as develop appropriate distribution modalities for different locations. During the reporting week, WFP and HAC jointly identified West Balbul, mainly a non-IDP area, as the first priority area for assessing food needs. The team will also conduct security assessments in areas surrounding Kass, including SLA controlled areas, and East Jebel Mara in early June.

Nutrition:

Increasing Admission to Therapeutic Feeding Centers in Abu Shouk: CP ACF reported increasing admissions in therapeutic feeding centers in Abu Shouk. A combination of diseases, particularly diarrhea, inadequate food and poor care were noted to be the primary factors for the increase. ACF plans to conduct a nutrition survey next week to substantiate the causes for the increasing admission rates.

GAM Rate of 16.3 in Kebkabiyah: Preliminary results of ACF's nutrition survey in Kebkabiyah show a Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate of 16.3 and a Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) rate of 0.7. The full report will become available in the coming weeks. ACF also plans to conduct similar surveys in Abu Shouk (June), Gereiga (July), Kalma and Nyala (August).

One in four child at risk of mortality in Gosdiga and Masitula: The final results of the rapid nutrition assessment conducted for Gosdiga and Masitula returnees in West Darfur, as reported in last week's situation report, confirm that one in every four children is at risk of mortality from malnutrition. Furthermore, the population currently has no access to health services and safe water that further compromises the health and nutrition status. In terms of food security, all households were noted as lacking farming tools, seeds and consumable livestock. Cooperating Partners CONCERN and COSV (Comitato di Coordinamento delle Organizzazioni per Il Servizio Volontario) have begun exploring possible primary health care and nutrition interventions to support these areas.

Nutrition Assessment Team deployed to Darfur: WFP has deployed a Nutrition mission to South Darfur to undertake a thorough analysis of the overall declining nutritional status of IDP populations reported in Darfur. The team will proceed to North and West Darfur once assessments in South Darfur are complete.

Registration:

As of 28 May, headcounts have been completed in 82% of the total camps/locations, representing 62% of the total previously registered beneficiaries.

WEST DARFUR

Monitoring/Assessment: WFP conducted a food security assessment of Un Jukuti in the Garsela locality of West Darfur where a cluster of 26 villages is located within a 16 km radius (approximately 7 km from Foroburanga). Preliminary results indicate that the area has suffered minimal harvest outputs for the last 2 years. With the arrival of the critical hunger period (May to September) as well as the expected inaccessibility of the area during the rainy season, WFP is discussing the possibility of immediate registration and food dispatches.

NORTH DARFUR

Relocation of Abu Shouk residents: Preparations to move approximately 23,000 residents of Abu Shouk to a new site in El Fasher (El Salaam) are ongoing. WFP has been involved in preparatory discussions regarding registration for food provision at the new site.

Simultaneous Food and Seed Distribution: FAO is looking to distribute seeds simultaneously with WFP's food in order to reduce the risk of beneficiaries consuming the seeds as food. FAO has requested WFP's assistance including logistics support for a simultaneous food and seed distribution in the Korma area in June.

SOUTH DARFUR

Food Distribution in Yassin and Khor Abeche: WFP distributed food to beneficiaries in Yassin for the first time during the reporting week. CP World Vision also reported that they distributed approximately 119 MT of food for some 6,280 beneficiaries in Khor Abeche.

RESOURCING AND PIPELINE

WFP-HAS, which provides services to the entire humanitarian community in Sudan, is facing severe funding shortfall. The operation has received only US$9 million of almost US$24 million required for 2005. WFP-HAS urgently needs an additional US$5 million to ensure continued air services, particularly in view of the approaching rainy season. Without immediate donor support, WFP-HAS will be forced to reduce the number of destinations and/or limit passenger flights and discontinue any Non-Food Item deliveries.

As of 26 May, Darfur EMOP 10339.1 faces a shortfall of US$176 million, representing 38% of total requirements (US$467.1 million).

Despite the significantly improved pipeline for Darfur following an internal transfer of US$28 million, donor support is critical to allow Darfur EMOP to repay 31,000MT received from other Sudan operations and outstanding IRA loans of US$20.5 million. In addition, WFP needs to reimburse the US$28 million transferred from various budget lines of the emergency operation to ensure continued recruitment of staff and payments to transporters.

The Special Operation for logistics support in Darfur faces a shortfall of US$21 million. The procurement of 50 long-haul trucks is on hold until funds are made available.