Logistics operation in jeopardy, WFP

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that its transportation programmes are critically underfunded at a key time in Angola's post-war recovery process. "WFP's transportation of seeds, tools and materials to support the repatriation of Angolan refugees is crucial at this time," the agency warned in its latest situation report. Donations were urgently required for the transportation component of WFP's Special Operation, which supplies logistic services to the humanitarian community working in Angola. "The operation is currently critically underfunded, with US $2.4 million still required against a total cost of US $6.8 million," the report added. WFP spokesman in Luanda, Marcelo Spina-Hering, told IRIN on Tuesday that the agency's logistics operation had been "providing transportation not only of passengers and food, but also of non-food items for the whole humanitarian community in Angola", including UN agencies and independent NGOs. "More than 200 organisations depend on WFP for transportation of these non-food items, which are more vital now than ever for the construction of schools, hospitals and the provision of seeds and tools [to develop agriculture]," he said. Spina-Hering noted that official repatriation of Angolan refugees living in neighbouring countries was to begin on Thursday. "We have been transporting a lot of materials to the transit centres and areas where refugees are going to be settled. It is very important for the refugees, IDPs [internally displaced persons] and demobilised soldiers that the food [aid] reaches them - but also that non-food items reach them, so people can live and regain self-sufficiency," he added. "WFP is the only organisation in Angola which has access to most of the country by both air and road ... we cannot let them [beneficiaries] down at this point - it's very urgent that we get funds to keep this operation running," Spina-Hering explained. Angola's transport infrastructure was devastated by decades of war and landmines remain a problem, restricting access to populations in need. WFP cross-border operations to bring food from Zambia for distribution to refugee returnees in Cazombo were suspended last week when an antitank landmine was discovered on the road between Cazombo and the Zambian border, the situation report noted. The road, which had been heavily travelled by WFP staff in recent weeks in preparation for the repatriation exercise, was subsequently closed to UN personnel and returning refugees. As a result, WFP began final food pre-positioning for the repatriation operation using cargo flights from Luanda, the report added. Spina-Hering said road had now been reopened following an assessment by a demining NGO. Meanwhile, WFP continues to shift its focus from emergency operations to recovery-oriented activities. "During June 2003, 1.4 million people are expected to receive WFP rations, compared to 1.5 million in May," the agency said. Of these, 24 percent would receive food rations under WFP emergency programmes, including nutritional support for malnourished children and emergency rations for displaced individuals. The other 76 percent would receive food through recovery-oriented activities, like food-for-work programmes focussed on the reconstruction of community infrastructure such as schools and clinics. The figures represented a "dramatic shift" in the percentage of beneficiaries receiving support through recovery-oriented activities, up from 38 percent in January.