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Facts, figures and the lastest updates from WFP's high profile emergencies.

• WFP continues to provide food assistance to victims of harsh winter conditions in Nangarhar and Hirat provinces. A total of 40 mt have been dispatched to more than 3,000 beneficiaries. In addition, 15,000 winter affected IDPs have received WFP food assistance in Hirat province.

• During the reporting period, due to tribal tensions, there was a displacement of 400 families from Nuristan province to Nari district of Kunar province. WFP delivered 21 mt of food to 200 of the most vulnerable families. The food assistance is combined with non-food assistance by other UN agencies based on requests of the Afghan government.

• On 13 February, a convoy of 17 commercial trucks loaded with 600 mt of WFP food moved from Kandahar to Hilmand and Nimroze provinces. The convoy, escorted by the Afghan National Police (ANP), was attacked in Maiwand district soon after leaving Kandahar and at least one of the trucks was taken by the assailants. This was the first WFP convoy since September bound for Nimroze.

• On 15 February, the Government of Chad declared a state of emergency. A curfew has been imposed throughout the country from 1800 to 0600 apart from in N’djamena where it begins at 2400. Most humanitarian operations continue uninterrupted in the east. However, reports on the presence of armed groups in Koukou in the Dar Sila region have led to the suspension of several NGO activities and humanitarian operations are limited to life-saving activities only.

• Over the weekend some 700 Chadian refugees in Cameroon were transferred from the Madana temporary sites in Kousseri to a new camp in Maltam. The refugees received a one-day ration of high energy biscuits for the day of the transfer and a 15-day food ration upon arrival at the camp. Some 10,000 new refugees from CAR have been registered to have crossed the border into Chad and will be transferred to one of the four camps in southern Chad – to be identified by UNHCR.

• Expected pipeline breaks due to delays in arrivals from Libya are of concern. Available stocks are limited and there is concern about food availability (especially cereals) for March distributions – rations may need to be adjusted in some camps.

• Negotiations are ongoing on the re-opening of the Libya corridor. WFP hopes that the situation will be resolved soon. Any delay will significantly hamper prepositioning for the 2008 rainy season disrupting food assistance for over 500,000 beneficiaries in the east.

• The Government’s Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA) has dispatched some 22,400 mt of WFP food aid to the five priority zones in the Somali region under military operations, of which over 14,000 mt has arrived at destination. Approximately 76 percent (10,610 mt) of the delivered food has been distributed to beneficiaries. WFP continues to closely monitor the actual delivery and distribution of food. Reports from Deghabour regarding food shortages in Segag woreda were taken up immediately with the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Bureau (DPPB – the regional bureau of DPPA).

• The Oromiya Regional Government issued an emergency appeal for Borena zone where some 88,000 people and over 920,000 livestock are affected by drought and water shortages. Some of the food needs have been met already through cash/food transfers through the safety net. The situation warrants close monitoring and the need for a well coordinated humanitarian intervention (food and non-food).

• WFP has signed a contract with the Ethiopian railway in an effort to reduce transport costs, which have increased considerably due to a recent 27 percent increase in the fuel price. A first trial shipment from Djibouti to Dire Dawa is expected to take place soon.

• Another round of food distributions by WFP, Kenya Red Cross (KRC), GoK, and community-based organizations is underway in Nairobi slums. The food distributions target about 45,000 of the most vulnerable people such as HIV/AIDS affected women-headed households, physically disabled, sick, elderly, orphans and other vulnerable children. Thus far, 2,128 mt of WFP food has been distributed to some 415,000 people displaced in Rift Valley and western Kenya as well as the most vulnerable people in the slums of Nairobi and Kisumu. Approximately 14,800 children are receiving high-energy biscuits in Eldoret and its environs.

• In Central Province, the number of displaced people in the area continues to decline as more people move to their ancestral homes. One of the largest camps at Tigoni Police Station, near Nairobi, is now closed after more than 6,000 IDPs left for Western and Nyanza Provinces. Between 11 and 13 February, KRC, WFP and other partners assisted 5,031 IDPs with 23 mt of food in different camps in the province.

• A monitoring team from WFP, UNICEF, UNHCR, KRC and other NGOs has reported that land preparation for planting ahead of the long rain season has been significantly affected in the grain basket of north Rift Valley, due to the ongoing crisis.

• The fuel demand in the Great Lakes Region and South Sudan seems to be stabilizing with high export volumes recorded from Kenya in the last two weeks.

• In Iraq, distributions to beneficiaries are due to start by the end of the month. In total, 972 mt of wheat flour delivered will provide a two-month ration for a total of 81,000 beneficiaries. As vegetable oil and pulses are not yet available, the ration will be partial.

• In Syria, approximately 4,337 mt of different commodities have been resourced and will be used to cover the initial phase of the EMOP. Food items were purchased both locally and regionally. Ration cards with bar codes are being introduced.

• A survey conducted at UNHCR’s Douma Refugee Registration Center between October 31 and November 25, 2007 revealed that 37% of Iraqi refugees interviewed depend on savings as their primary source of income, 33 percent expect their money to run out in less than three months.

• UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres on Monday concluded a two-day mission to Iraq. The High Commissioner said UNHCR would intensify its humanitarian work and the international staff presence in the country as part of a joint UN effort.

• Sufa remains the only cargo crossing open between Israel and the Gaza Strip. The total off-take capacity has gradually increased in the past week to up to 50 trucks/day (including 15/day for WFP), but remains well below the commercial needs. Pre-June 2007 imports were 200-300 trucks/day via Karni. WFP losses at Sufa are now within reasonable levels except during periods of rain when they have reached 1.9 %. WFP deliveries to Gaza were suspended from 13-19 February due to rain, thus in the past month WFP has only delivered 50 trucks to Gaza instead of the 150 planned.

• The wet-feeding programme in Mogadishu, currently benefiting 52,000 vulnerable Somalis, appears unsustainable considering the cost of running the centres: US$ 1,000 daily or US$ 300,000 monthly, excluding food costs. Although the project has been very successful, WFP is reviewing its continuation.

• On 8 February, three grenades were thrown into the UN common compound in Mogadishu. There were no casualties and only minor damage reported. Al-Shabab has taken responsibility for the act accusing UNDP of supporting its enemy – the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). The UN Designated Official has suspended all travel by UN international staff to Mogadishu, Afgoye and K50 (Airport south of Mogadishu).

• A WFP team led by the Deputy Country Director (CD) met with the Ministers of National Security, Transport and Ports in Merka, regarding the Special Operation for the rehabilitation of Mogadishu and Kismayo ports, and the issue of TFG checkpoints. A ministerial level review of the checkpoints has been initiated and the results will be discussed with the UN humanitarian agencies.

• Following the release of the findings of the post Deyr (short rains) assessment by the Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU), which indicated that between 1.8 and 2 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance for at least the next six months, WFP is now finalizing the distribution plans for the first quarter of 2008 and expanding the operational bases in southern Somalia.

• This week, the Government officially closed Al Salam camp in South Darfur to new arrivals, citing concerns of over-crowdedness, limited health and sanitation facilities, and insecurity. The camp currently houses over 45,000 IDPs, compared to 3,500 people at the beginning of 2007. The humanitarian community had urged the Government to close Al Salam camp in mid-2007, when the camp population peaked at 35,000 people, and seek alternative solutions for new arrivals. The recent influx of new arrivals to the camp is being attributed to poverty, rather than insecurity, in the wake of a poor crop production as indicated by the post-harvest assessment for the South Darfur region.

• On 7 February, armed conflict between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and armed groups in Khorfulus, Upper Nile State – Southern Sudan, resulted in population displacement. An inter-agency assessment team to the area confirmed 4,170 people in need and WFP provided one-month food ration to the IDPs this week.

• Areas along the Ugandan border are being closely monitored due to suspected rebel activities in border towns. As such, the Area Security Management Team has revised the security level to 3 (precaution) from 2 (transition).

• Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) verifications remain ongoing. As for distributions, overall challenges continue to be fuel accessibility, secondary transport availability and general problems related to a highly inflationary environment.

• WFP has so far delivered over 32,000 mt of food to Extended Delivery Points for the February cycle of the VGF programme and distribution continues throughout the country at full scale and with full ration. Upon completion of the remaining tonnages, pre-positioning for March will commence as of this week in order to start March distributions as early as possible.

• Early indications point to yet another disappointing agricultural season; so far it has been characterized by incessant rains, which have adversely affected both farm operations and crop conditions. The situation has been exacerbated by a general shortage of both basal and top dressing fertilizers and seeds.

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