Cablegate: Joint Wfp/Unhcr Food Appeal for Osire Refugess

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P 250939Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0782
INFO USMISSION GENEVA
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

UNCLAS WINDHOEK 000350

DEPT FOR PRM, AF/S
AF/S PLEASE PASS TO USAID/AFR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PREL WA
SUBJECT: JOINT WFP/UNHCR FOOD APPEAL FOR OSIRE REFUGESS

REF: WINDHOEK 326

1. (U) Post has received a joint letter from WFP and UNHCR, dated
September 23, 2009, making a formal appeal for food assistance for
refugees in the Osire settlement. Please see action request in
paragraph 4.

2. (U) Begin text of letter:

23 September 2009

H.E. Ms. G.D.T. Mathieu
Ambassador
Embassy of the United States of America
14 Lossen Street
Windhoek

Your Excellency,

RE: Request for financial support for the Osire refugee food
assistance programme

The offices of the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations
High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Namibia present their
compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and have
the honour to inform you that the WFP refugee food support operation
PRRO10543.0 is facing a shortfall of US$120,000, which is required
to procure and distribute 110 mt Cereals, 10 mt Pulses, 14 mt Oil, 2
mt Salt, 14 mt CSB, and 15 mt Sugar for some 6500 refugees in Osire
settlement in order to meet their basic food needs through to the
end of 2009.

Kindly note that, unless new contributions are confirmed very soon,
WFP and UNHCR will have no option but to reduce the rations by 50%
or more in October and November, and that the food distributions
will come to a complete stop by December. In view of the dire
consequences this may have for the health and nutritional status of
these refugees, any financial support you may give to WFP for this
operation would be most highly appreciated.

Attached, for you information, is a more detailed brief of the WFP
refugee food support operation. Also, kindly note that our offices
remain at your disposal should you require any additional
information.

The World Food Programme and the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees avail themselves of this opportunity to renew to the
Embassy of the United States of America the assurances of their
highest consideration.

Yours Sincerely,
Baton Osmani Joyce Mends-Cole
WFP Officer in Charge UNHCR Representative

End text of letter.

3. (U) According to UNHCR representative Joyce Mends-Cole, the
Government of Namibia has not responded to date to this appeal for
additional food assistance.

4. (U) Action requested: Post would appreciate Department's
guidance on how we should respond to the WFP/UNHCR letter.

MATHIEU

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