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WFP Bi-Weekly Report for the period 1-15 August 2001

Humanitarian Situation in northern Caucasus
On August 20, Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is going to start a survey of households living in Achkhoy-Martanovskiy and Sunzhenskiy Districts of Chechnya. The exercise, co-funded by WFP, UNHCR and DRC, will be used as a tool to identify the most needy households for WFP food distribution. The information gathered by a group of 50 DRC surveyors in Achkhoy-Martanovskiy and Sunzhenskiy Districts will be incorporated into a computerised database. A similar household survey was conducted by DRC in Grozny in May-June 2001.

According to the DRC-run database, a total of 145,299 Chechen IDPs have been registered in Ingushetia as of 15 August. The same source indicates that there are 133,425 IDPs and 112,460 vulnerable people inside the Republic of Chechnya.

Implementation of WFP Emergency Operation

Ingushetia

During this period, a total of about 965 MT of WFP’s basic food commodities were distributed to over 68,000 IDPs throughout Ingushetia. While DRC delivered a total of 815 MT of food to 57,541 beneficiaries, IR distributed 150 MT of food commoditiers to a total of 10,643 Chechnen IDPs.

Chechnya

During the fortnight, DRC distributed WFP food commodities in Staropromislovskiy district of Grozny. Over 7,600 beneficiaries were provided with a total of 108 MT of mixed food. PINF started the August distribution cycle by delivering a total of 444.36 MT of food to WFP beneficiaries in Zavodskoy, Leninskiy and Octyabrskiy districts of Grozny. By August 15, PINF has covered the food needs of approximately 28,000, out of the planned 46,513, beneficiaries in the above three administrative units of the Chechen capital.

As per WFP's request, CPCD suspended distribution of food to Achkhoy-Martanovskiy district of Chechnya for this month. The decision was made following the earlier information about unsolved dispute between CPCD field staff and heads of administrations of some of the district's urban areas over conditions and mode of the WFP food distribution.

Based on the agreement reached between Caritas Internationalis (Czech) and WFP, the first continues executing small-scale deliveries of WFP food to four Children Centres (CC) located in Grozny. The food items (what flour, sugar and oil) are being distributed on a monthly basis.

WFP and Islamic Relief are considering to enter into co-operation over implementation of a women Bakery Project in the city of Gudermes. The project envisages to distribute bread in alternate days to about 5,000 vulnerable people living in the city.

Aid Co-ordination
On August 15, a meeting was held between the UN humanitarian agencies, members of donor community, NGOs and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Chechen Government, Mr. Yuri Em and other officials of the Chechen Administration in the town of Mozdok, Republic of North Ossetia. During the meeting both sides discussed the existing situation with regard to solution of the Chechnya IDP problems, emphasised the importance of continues support by the Chechen Government of the international relief agencies' efforts aimed at relieving the fate of the needy people of Chechnya. A special attention was given to a creation of better conditions for international NGOs operating in the territory of the war-torn republic. Both parties agreed that closer contact is essential to facilitate the provision of more humanitarian aid to vulnerable civilians in Chechnya. It was stressed that the new measures for NGOs in Chechnya were not going to help the efficiency of operations. A representative of the Chechen Department of Justice stated that one-month access permits would be made available to NGOs and warned the relief agencies to be careful when hiring new staff.

Resource Mobilisation
The US Government confirmed its contribution of US$ 14.6 million for the supply of 25,800 tons of wheat flour and 1,800 tons of edible oil. However, WFP foresees a pipeline gap in October. Urgent cash contributions are required for local purchase of food which will cover beneficiaries' needs until November, when commodities will become available for distribution.

Monitoring

Ingushetia

During the two weeks of August WFP Food Monitors continued random checking at some of WFP implementing partners' final distribution points (FDP) in Ingushetia. The monitoring results, collected at the FDPs in Malgobek, Muzhichi, Surkhakhi, Nesterovskaya, Ekazhevo, Yandare, indicated satisfactory level of the distribution performance. No complains regarding quality of food were reported. During the reporting period, 24 Chechen IDP families have been interviewed. Some 5% of the interviewees replied that they sell some of the food or exchange it for other food items. 22 respondents confirmed that they have been regularly receiving bread (half a loaf per person per day) from the Ministry of Federation. The survey of market prices for main food commodities in Ingushetia revealed that the new wheat harvest has brought down considerably the prices of wheat flour in Ingushetia.

Chechnya

During the reporting period, Monitors of Vesta, a local NGO, which has been conducting monitoring of WFP food distribution in Chechnya, visited WFP implementing partners’ distribution points in all four districts of the Chechen capital Grozny. They observed that generally distribution is carried out in orderly manner. No complaints have been heard from the aid recipients. They conducted 66 interviews of the end-use beneficiaries in Grozny, including 50 women and 16 children. The interviews showed that most of them continue to rely on WFP food assistance for survival.

WFP Commodity Status as of 15 August 2001

(Figures in metric tons)	W/flour	Veg. Oil	Sugar	Salt	Total
Regional stocks on 15 August	3,637	146	78*	179	4,040
Quantity delivered 1 - 15 August	950	0	0	0	950
Total available	4,587	146	78	179	4,990
Distribution in Ingushetia	921	0	34	11	966
Distribution in Chechnya	512	35	0	6	553
Total Distribution	1,433	35	34	17	1,519
Balance in the region by 16 August	3,154	111	44	162	3,471

* Borrowing from DRC for August cycle