Red Cross Red Crescent and WFP working together in southern Africa food crisis
10 September 2002

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) have signed an agreement today in Malawi on an operational partnership as part of their response to the unfolding food crisis in southern Africa.

The agencies will work as operational partners to supply and deliver food and non-food items to people in five southern African countries (Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe), where 13 million people are facing severe food shortages.

"The massive needs in southern Africa have led us to find new ways to collaborate and coordinate our activities. With this partnership we are benefiting from each other's strengths and maximising the use of available resources," explained Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Red Cross. He is signing the agreement on behalf of the International Federation, together with WFP's Executive Director and UN Special Envoy, James T. Morris.

"We are incredibly grateful for this strategic and timely contribution. This is typical of the extraordinary support that WFP has received from Norway and other Nordic countries over the years," said James T. Morris.

The International Federation is making a Transport Support Package (TSP) available to WFP. The TSP consists of 200 M6 trucks, two fuel tankers, one rescue vehicle, 10 long haul truck/trailers, four mobile workshops, three mechanical workshops, 20 landcruisers, five forklift trucks, 24 deployable warehouses, radio equipment and spare parts. Valued at 11.8 million Swiss francs, the TSP was donated to the International Federation by the Norwegian government and the Norwegian Red Cross. The TSP will allow the Red Cross Red Crescent and NGO's who are responding to the emergency to transport and distribute WFP food. The vehicles will be used to implement one of the largest food transport operations that the International Federation has ever carried out.

The transportation and distribution of the food poses an extraordinary challenge given the high number of people needing assistance and the vast distances to cover including remote, hilly and geographically isolated areas. "The TSP and our
operational partnership are increasing both agencies' capacity and will give us much greater success in reaching the most vulnerable with food aid and thus help to mitigate the effects of the humanitarian crisis," added James T. Morris.

WFP will cover the running costs for the TSP and the International Federation will employ and train all the necessary staff.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

In southern Africa
Grethe Ostern, Press Officer - Tel: + 27 72 18 78 855 / + 27 11 236 33 60
Solveig Olafsdottir, Press Officer - Tel: + 263 91 345 936 / + 263 4 72 03 15

In Geneva
Jette Soerensen, Press Officer - Tel: + 41 22 730 44 28 / + 41 79 308 98 29
Marie-Françoise Borel, Press Officer - Tel: + 41 22 730 43 46 / + 41 79 217 33 45
Duty phone - Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81

Link to the World Food Programme Website: www.wfp.org

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.