UN World Food Programme

1. UN World Food Programme For EWCII Bonn, 16-18 October 2003 • The World Food Programme (WFP) is the frontline agency within the United Nations in the fight against global hunger. • It operates at the request of National Governments and the UN SG • In 2002, WFP assisted 72 million people in 82 countries suffering from hunger because of interrelated crises: natural disasters, conflict, extreme poverty and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. • Last year, WFP’s largest challenge was to respond rapidly to an unprecedented number of weather-related disasters that caused large-scale food insecurity throughout Africa (Southern Africa, Ethiopia, Eritrea) while meeting the needs of ongoing humanitarian operations worldwide.

2. Today's Early Warning Developments On Emerging Humanitarian Crises 06 October 2003 OPT / Israel / Syria EW Development: Israeli Attack on Syria Risks Instabiliity in Middle East Crisis Implications: A major escalation has taken plac e in the Middle East. Yesterday, Israel launched its most significant raid into Syria in 30 years to bomb an apparently abandoned Palestinian "terrorist training base" north of Damascus following the suicide bombing of a Haifa restaurant that killed 19 peo ple on Saturday. The Israeli government said the attack was a warning that "terrorists" could not hide in neighbouring countries, prompting concern abroad of a widening of the Israeli - Palestinian conflict . At an emergency UN Security Council meeting last n ight, Syria threatened to establish "a resisting and deterring balance that forces Israel to review its calculations" and accused Mr Sharon of exporting the conflict with the Palestinians. Syria also said the attack threatened "security and peace in the re gion and internationally." Israel claimed that the strike was carried out in self - defense. According to analysts from Stratfor, the decision to hit a training camp in Syria was a deliberate attempt to put Syrian leaders on notice that Israel is prepared to engage them if they continue to support Palestinian guerrilla forces. See: The Guardian , Stratfor , Reuters , Albawaba , Reuters Alert Net Link to Past EW Trends Eritrea / Ethiopia EW Development: Action from the International Community Requested by Eritrea Crisis Implications: The tension between Eritrea and Ethiopia over the implementation of the border ruling continues to escalate. Eritrea has now warned of an "expl osive" situation in the peace process with Ethiopia and called for action from the international community . In his address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Eritrean Foreign Minister Ali Sayyid Abdallah accused Ethiopia of a "wholesale assault on the fundamental principles of international law". "The [peace] process can now be considered explosive, paving the way, as Ethiopian leaders seem to wish, to renewed conflict, with its attendant horrific consequences, unless the international community acts p romptly and decisively,". See: IRIN , IRIN , BBC TROPICAL STORM SEASONALITY WFP EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE UNIT (OEP) Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Latin America & Caribbean Hurricane North Atlantic & Northeast Pacific Hurricane Season: Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico Hurricanes South Asia Storm Season in North Eastern Indian Ocean: India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan Cyclones Southeast Asia Northwest Pacific Storm Season: Thailand, Vietnam Typhoons Africa Storm Season in Southwest Indian Ocean: Madagascar, Mozambique Cyclones UN World Food Programme For EWCII Bonn, 16-18 October 2003 Sample of Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Preparedness Process at WFP Information preparedness tools • MGMT EPR Outputs • Global forecasting • Global mgmt plan • Global resource positioning • Contingency Planning (including inter-agency) • Upfront EPR funding • Policies and knowledge base (risk mgmt, mitigation, EPR) • Security and staff safety • Enhanced info-sharing with Gos, other UN agencies/partners, and donors MONITORING SYSTEM Daily EWDs EXECUTIVE BRIEF: Monitoring system based on COUNTRIES OF CONCERN external sources of special- ised early warning informa- tion and on internal WFP field reports. Monitoring covers drought, floods, tropical storms, socio - political trends, vol- canic and seismic activity. Analysis and communication IM Platform DATABASE DEVELOPMENT Hazard calendars Building an internal data- base that makes use of the wealth of information, historical data, and trends available globally. Includes data on natural Field level info exchange hazards, refugees and IDPs, as well as internal WFP operational statistics. Other United Nations Agencies, NGOs, etc.

3. UN World Food Programme For EWCII Bonn, 16-18 October 2003

4. UN World Food Programme For EWCII Bonn, 16-18 October 2003 • Some lessons… • Information mgmt is a complex process but the output message must be simple and accessible, tailored to mgmt decision making • “Messages” must be accurate, comparable, consistent: standards are necessary to enhance global oversight, prioritisation and consolidation • The EW function must be integrated into EPR frameworks and practice. EW standing alone is just information. • Humanitarian organizations must invest on strengthening EW and EPR: an informed manager is a good manager. • Good EW and EPR make all of us more accountable • AND • Donors must share responsibilities. The principle of accountability “early warning – early action” must extend to the whole international community.