Emergency Report 2006-22 World Food Programme Emergency Report 2006 Issued Weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme Report No. 22 / 2006 - Date 02 June 2006 (A) Highlights (B) Middle East,Central Asia and Eastern Europe: (1) Afghanistan (2) Occupied Palestinian Territories (3) Russian Federation (Caucasus) (C) East & Central Africa: (1) Burundi (2) Congo (3) Congo, DR (4) Ethiopia (5) Rwanda (6) Somalia (7) Sudan (8) Tanzania (9) Uganda (D) West Africa: (1) Chad (2) Guinea (3) Liberia (4) Mauritania (E) Asia: (1) Indonesia (F) Latin America and Caribbean: (1) Colombia (2) Cuba (3) Ecuador (4) Guatemala (5) Nicaragua (A) Highlights (a) In Indonesia, WFP has reached at least 173,515 beneficiaries in Bantul and Klaten districts since its immediate response to the earthquake on 27 May. (b) Between 1 to 28 May, WFP dispatched a total amount of 40,167 tons of food from logistical hubs to the Darfur region in Sudan. (c) In Uganda, over 20,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) returning to their villages in Lira district received a 3-month resettlement ration. (d) In DR Congo, over 12,700 returnees from the Republic of Congo are expected to arrive in Mbandaka and surrounding areas by the end of December 2006. (e) During the heavy rains in May and April around 4,500 houses and nearly 1,400 hectares of various farm crops were destroyed in Burundi. (f) Food transportation to Somali region in Ethiopia is becoming increasingly difficult due to heightened insecurity, poor road infrastructure and low transportation capacity. (g) On 21 May 2006, close to 148,000 people in East and Central African countries joined hundreds of thousands of their fellow citizens around the globe to participate in Walk the World to call for the end of child hunger. Globally more than 760,000 people participated in 420 different locations, in 118 countries, spanning all 24 time zones. (h) The report from the Regional Bureau in Johannesburg will be received on a fortnightly basis from now on. Submissions for June will be made on the 9th and 23rd June. (B) Middle East,Central Asia and Eastern Europe: (1) Afghanistan (2) Occupied Palestinian Territories (3) Russian Federation (Caucasus) (1) Afghanistan (a) During the reporting period (25-31 May), the general security situation in Afghanistan remained volatile and continued to deteriorate, including the violent demonstrations in Kabul City on 29 May, the killing of four local workers of Action Aid, an International NGO, in the northern province of Jawzjan, and intensified anti government elements activities around the country. The Government has declared a night-curfew in Kabul City. Following the violent protests, United Nations restricted movements of its staff on 29 and 30 May. This as well as the cancelling of all UNHAS flights to Mazar airport in 1 Emergency Report 2006-22 the Northern region due to threats of rocket attack have hampered travels and monitoring missions. (b) This year’s overall harvest forecast was predicted to be good in the north, indication were that drought conditions may prevail in east, south and southwest. The Ministry of Agriculture recent most information suggest a substantially downwards harvest figures. The cereal deficit previously estimated at 500,000 tons is now preliminarily estimated at 900,000 tons. (c) WFP is facing a funding crisis and without additional donations, the agency will cut back its aid activities in the second half of 2006 – endangering the nutritional status and livelihoods of millions of Afghans as well as the country’s fragile recovery. Severe shortages of most commodities may happen from the beginning of August, including almost no wheat for the last 5 months of the year and no pulses and no salt from September-December. WFP needs approximately 50,000 tons for an approximate cost of 30 million dollars. (d) In Hirat province, upon completion of assessment of damage from last week floods in Ghor Province, WFP has agreed to assist 376 affected families with 22 tons of mixed food, as part of a coordinated response by Government and UN agencies. In the north-eastern provinces of Takhar and Badakshan, WFP are providing food to 122 families affected by the floods. (e) During the reporting period, WFP assisted 210,600 beneficiaries with 640 tons of food through School Feeding, Food-for-Work, assistance to TB patients and their families, reintegration of demobilized child soldiers, literacy and vocational training programmes. In addition, at least 66,250 school-aged children were dewormed in the urban areas of the Central Region. (2) Occupied Palestinian Territories (a) During the reporting period (1-31 May), the internal security situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip continued to deteriorate. This month saw the paramilitary forces of Hamas on the streets of Gaza clashing with Presidential security forces. WFP is concerned over being caught in cross-fire between rival factions. (b) Access to beneficiaries is becoming an increasing concern in light of the deteriorating security environment. WFP noted an improvement in access to Gaza with longer opening of Karni coupled with opening of complimentary crossing points. UN National Staff remain currently unable to cross through Erez crossing owing to security procedures still under discussion; UN national staff in the West Bank also faced increased access restrictions. There were 2 days this month where UN national staff from the West Bank were unable to get to work in Jerusalem owing to tight closures. (c) In response to the deteriorating food security situation WFP plans to implement the planned 25 percent caseload increase as of July 2006. A budget revision is being submitted accordingly. (d) There are increasing signs in the field that the situation is becoming critical; the pressure at the distribution points (West Bank and Gaza Strip) is increasing markedly, non beneficiaries are in some cases resorting to violent means as they are so desperate for food. (e) The PNA proposal to pay some salaries of lower paid employees has been met with violence on the streets of Gaza from security forces furious after months of non payment. The Temporary Intermediary Mechanism for PNA financial support is still being discussed and looks unlikely to be implemented until July at the earliest. (f) The fourth cycle of distributions started in all West bank governorates. Almost 6,000 registered Social Hardship Case (SHC) received a total of 1,000 tons of mixed WFP 2 Emergency Report 2006-22 food commodities. (g) Distributions are ongoing throughout the West Bank. Some 87,000 New Poor beneficiaries received 2,000 tons of food in May. (h) Under the Food-for-Work activities in Northern West Bank; 5,500m of Stone Walls were built, 650m of Retaining Walls were built, 3,500 sq/m of walls were painted, 2,400 trees were planted in public areas and schools, 950m of public roads were rehabilitated, 412 sq/m of walls were constructed in schools, 1,050m of Water tunnels were rehabilitated, a 80sq/m Computer Centre was constructed, a new public park was built, a Laboratory and Warehouse were built at a local elementary school. (i) In Southern West Bank, in Halhul village, north of the city of Hebron, Food-for-Work beneficiaries worked of widening a road that connects the town to the surrounding agricultural areas, building about 3400 square meters of retaining walls. While in Beit Awwa village, western side of the Hebron area, the beneficiaries constructed four classrooms at the local school, Meanwhile, the establishment of a garden for the children in Bei Ummar, northern Hebron governorate, was the main project implemented by the beneficiaries. The work at the garden included establishing retaining walls, planting trees and installing pinches. (j) In Gaza Strip, some 70,600 beneficiaries received 45,440 tons of food through the framework of Food-for-Work and Food-for-Training. The activities were; 2700 m of walls were built, 2km of curbstones were built, 5760 trees planted, 37Km of roads rehabilitated, 25,800 sq/m of walls were painted, 17 km of agricultural roads rehabilitated,5100 m of curbstones were painted, 3 public buildings were rehabilitated, 50 traffic signs were installed, 1km of fences were built around public gardens,101 donums of agricultural land were harvested, 1km of fencing was installed around agricultural roads, 300 donums of gardens were planted with vegetables and medical plants (herbs), Trainings on food processing, computers, first aid, sewing, public awareness regarding solid waste disposal working at a nursery, home gardens & environmental awareness, animal husbandry, social awareness & home gardening, literacy, social awareness, land rehabilitation and milk production. (k) In the West Bank, all institutions registered to the institutional feeding project received their rations for the months of March, April and May 2006. The Third distribution cycle for the Kindergarten registered with Near East Foundation (NEF) still going on during the reporting period. The total number of 2,047 benefited from the project attending 31 kindergartens. (l) An Emergency Food Security Needs review was conducted; document is still in draft form. Field data for the dietary diversity study is being collected in Gaza to help track the impact of the deteriorating situation on households’ food status. The data collection for the Dietary Diversity study is completed. (m) The pipeline break is in end July 2006. WFP received some $ 886,000 contribution, some $335,000 and $891,000 (in-kind: canned fish) were pledged. WFP has received the advance loan of $5million. WFP is working on finalising the $4.5 million loan to cover the Social Hardship Cases and Institutions over the pipeline break. (n) Meetings were also held with the Local Aid Coordination Secretariat (LACS) to brief the team on the deteriorating food situation and WFP programmes and with ICRC to share concerns over the deteriorating situation and contingency plans should the situation continue.