Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06NAIROBI738, AMBASSADORS' FIRST HAND LOOK AT FAMINE CONDITIONS

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06NAIROBI738.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06NAIROBI738 2006-02-17 07:18 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Nairobi
VZCZCXYZ0005
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNR #0738/01 0480718
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 170718Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9687
INFO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 1230
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1589
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4788
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3755
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS NAIROBI 000738 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC 
 
AIDAC 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USAID/DCHA FOR MHESS, WGARVELINK, LROGERS 
DCHA/OFDA FOR KISAACS, GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, IMACNAIRN, 
KCHANNELL, LPOWERS, CABLA 
DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN, DNELSON, SBRADLEY 
DAA/AFR, FOR KALMQUIST 
AFR/EA FOR JESCALONA, JBORNS 
ROME FOR FODAG 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
STATE FOR AF/E, AF/EPS, AF/PD, AND IO 
REDSO/FFP FOR NESTES 
NSC FOR JMELINE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID ETRD ECON EAGR SENV PREL PGOV SOCI KE
 
SUBJECT:  AMBASSADORS' FIRST HAND LOOK AT FAMINE CONDITIONS 
AND RESPONSE IN NORTHEASTERN KENYA 
 
REF:  A. NAIROBI 96  B. NAIROBI 67  C.  NAIROBI 285 
 
1.  Summary:  U.S. Representative to the Food and 
Agricultural Organization (FAO), Ambassador Tony Hall, 
joined Ambassador Bellamy, the Swedish Ambassador, the 
Deputy U.K. High Commissioner, WFP, USAID and GOK officials 
including Assistant Secretary Ibrahim Maalim and District 
Commissioner Samuel Otieno among others in a visit to Wajir 
in Kenya's arid North Eastern Province.  The trip afforded 
a first-hand look at the impacts of Kenya's on-going 
drought, and the range of international and local responses 
to this crisis.  The trip highlighted the U.S. response to 
the current WFP/GOK joint Emergency Operation (EMOP) 
appeal, and created an excellent opportunity for the 
Ambassador, Ambassador Hall, and others to encourage the 
international community to respond quickly to Kenya's 
worsening food emergency.  Also discussed was the need for 
the GOK to take a leadership role in formulating an 
effective, long-term development plan for Kenya's arid 
regions in order to break this on-going, multi-year cycle 
of food insecurity.  End summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
GREATER RESPONSE TO THE CURRENT APPEAL NEEDED 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
2.  The deadly reality of Kenya's on-going drought-induced 
famine in Kenya's North Eastern Province (NEP) (and a 
number of other regions) was on stark display as Ambassador 
Bellamy and U.S. Representative to the Food and 
Agricultural Organization (FAO), Ambassador Tony Hall, 
traveled to Wajir on February 13.  By our invitation, the 
UK High Commissioner and Swedish Ambassador joined. 
 
3.  At a visit to an OXFAM-supported GOK emergency food 
warehouse in Wajir Town, the party, along with 
international and local press, saw U.S. food aid (mostly 
bagged maize, but also vegetable oil and corn soy blend) 
enroute to community-based feeding centers in rural areas 
of NEP.  Ambassador Bellamy, Ambassador Hall, WFP, OXFAM, 
and Kenyan officials used this venue to request timely and 
generous international responses to Kenya's on-going food 
emergency.  To date, only the GOK and the U.S. have 
provided food to support the December 2005 appeal (Ref A). 
On February 8, the GOK and WFP announced an expanded 
appeal, stating that at least 3.5 million Kenyans are at 
risk of severe malnutrition through February 2007, and 
requesting a total of 396,525 MT of additional food aid 
assistance, valued at approximately $221.5 million. There 
are pledges from major donors (including the EU and DFID), 
but these total $13.4 million, falling drastically short of 
requirements.  The WFP is also actively lobbying non- 
traditional donors and so far expects to receive small 
donations from Luxembourg and Turkey. Current commitments 
to this appeal (almost exclusively from U.S. and GOK 
sources) will likely be exhausted by early April. 
 
4.  The next visit was to a water point to discuss how 
local authorities and families cope with new arrivals 
displaced by the drought.  These (hopefully) temporarily 
internally displaced persons (IDPs) had traveled great 
distances looking for water for themselves and their 
livestock.  Many of their animals died during the journey. 
The impact on the local community is enormous, since these 
nomadic people are not easily organized into a larger 
community with responsibilities for providing health 
services. 
 
5.  At the Makauror Primary School the Ambassadors had a 
first-hand look at a WFP school feeding program, which 
 
receives the majority of its food donations from the U.S. 
via the Dole-McGovern Act.  [Note:  The U.S. is 
contributing over $10.5 million worth of corn products and 
soybean oil, which is the foundation of a program feeding 
more than 1,000,000 school children.  This program will be 
expanded during the emergency to include 500,000 additional 
at-risk food insecure school children, making Kenya the 
WFP's largest school feeding program.  End note.]  As 
reported in Ref C, many students in drought-impacted areas 
are dropping out of school to help herd livestock greater 
distances, or simply because they are too malnourished to 
attend.  These school feeding programs are literally 
keeping a generation of NEP students in class. A USAID/GOK 
project is also adding three classrooms and four toilets at 
this school as part of planned outreach to the marginalized 
populations of NEP. 
 
------------ 
USG RESPONSE 
------------ 
 
6.  As noted in Ref B, the U.S. has made a significant 
contribution to Kenya's appeal for relief food and non-food 
contributions.  From September 2004 to January 4, 2006 the 
United States has contributed 62,890 MT of food commodities 
valued at $36.9 million for the drought emergency in Kenya. 
A further contribution of 12,800 MT of vegetable oil, peas 
and corn-soy blend as well as of 12,000 MT from a wheat- 
maize swap, valued at $15 million has been approved and 
will be delivered as soon as possible.  This food will 
address the immediate food needs of 1.5 million drought 
victims throughout Kenya, particularly in NEP and other 
pastoralist areas. 
 
7.  USAID is also currently providing $2.6 million for 
water, emergency feeding and agriculture actions.  USAID, 
and perhaps CJTF-HOA, is moving forward on new projects to 
improve local water access and supply in Northeastern 
Province. 
 
--------------- 
BLEAK PROSPECTS 
--------------- 
8.  For the residents of NEP, the future is bleak.  Water 
resources are limited in the best of times, and close to 
non-existent currently.  OFDA estimates that throughout 
drought-impacted pastoralist areas of Kenya there is 30 
percent livestock die-off, and a much higher figure in many 
locations. 
 
9.  Long-range meteorological forecasts suggest that the 
much anticipated "long rains" of March-May will be below 
average - maybe much below.  Without decent rains this 
spring, not only will currently impacted areas remain under 
emergency conditions, but many small-scale farmers will 
have experienced a full year, or more, of failed crops, 
further deteriorating the country's ability to respond and 
putting many more people at risk of severe malnutrition. 
 
 
------------------------------ 
NEED FOR LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT 
------------------------------ 
10.  At a lunch hosted by the Department of Arid Lands, the 
discussion focused on the need for long-term, effective 
development planning to break the chronic cycle of drought 
and famine in Kenya.  Since 2000 Kenya has required a 
significant international response to food insecurity in 
many parts of the country.  Ambassador Bellamy noted that 
it is critical that the Kenyan government and its local and 
 
international partners create longer term strategies to 
avoid chronic food emergencies.  The consensus among the 
ambassadors was that a robust plan, fully backed with 
unwavering political will, would be able to generate donor 
assistance. 
 
11.  USAID is supporting developmental programs in some of 
the worst-affected areas in Kenya, including a focus on how 
pastoralist lifestyles add to the perpetual nature of the 
region's food insecurity.  In five Arid and Semi-Arid Lands 
(ASALs) of Kenya, USAID is supporting a Title II 
development to achieve sustainable improvement in food 
security and household incomes. 
 
---------------------------------- 
ADDRESSING FAMINE-RELATED CONFLICT 
----------------------------------- 
12.  The final stop on the Wajir tour was a meeting with 
Representatives of the Wajir Peace and Development 
Committee and Al Fadha Council of Elders, which was 
organized by a USAID-funded contractor, Development 
Alternatives, Inc.  In recent weeks the Kenya media has had 
a number of stories on inter-tribal, sometimes cross- 
border, violent conflict over water, food, and grazing 
land.  While these groups have had great success in 
bringing stability to the Wajir District, the worsening 
drought conditions will certainly put their community-based 
conflict resolution efforts to the test. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
13.  Through our food aid, the U.S. has taken the lead in 
responding to Kenya's food insecurity, and we've received 
some good press for our contributions.  However, Kenya's 
focus must turn away from multiple "emergency" appeals to 
address slowly-unfolding, entirely anticipated, food crises 
and towards development efforts that connect NEP (and other 
historically neglected regions) to the rest of Kenya and 
permit some market forces to benefit isolated communities. 
 
14.  One of the hard truths that the Kenyan government and 
local leaders must address is that traditional ways of life 
may not always be viable in the future.  In the best of 
times when there is adequate rainfall, Kenyans living in 
the NEP face many challenges, relying largely on nature and 
their livestock herds to meet most their needs.  In good 
years, the herders increase their animal numbers.   In bad 
years they are forced to sell their animals at minimal 
prices as a last resort.  Increasing pressure on the land 
places natural limits on growth of herds and therefore the 
population that can be sustained in this arid environment. 
 
15.  Designing, much less implementing, alternatives to the 
traditional pastoralist lifestyle would be an enormous 
challenge for any government.  Yet it is this challenge 
that Kenya  and its arid land neighbors -- must face, and 
soon. 
 
BELLAMY 
 
 
 
DRAFTED: 
ECON:WBAIN, PAS:JABARNES 
 
CLEARED: 
DCM:LVROWE, USAID:SHAYKIN, REDSO:NESTES