Aid saves Angola's children, but relief threatened

LUANDA, Angola (Reuters) -- Humanitarian efforts have drastically cut starvation among children in Angola this year, but a lingering war and U.N. budget shortfalls are squeezing relief efforts, officials say.

Malnutrition rates for children under five decreased from more than 31 percent in June 1999 to 3 percent last month, Tesema Negash, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) deputy regional director for Africa, said.

"What is striking since I was here in December is the improvement in the nutrition of the affected population where we have access," he told Reuters.

On a recent tour of several provinces he had not seen "a single severely malnourished child nor heard of a single death due to hunger," he said.

But program aid had been cut by 40 per cent in May, June and July and without new funding the WFP will run out of resources by November, Ronald Sibanda, WFP country director, said.

"The needs are still there and they are increasing due to new displacements," he said.

By September, the WFP had received just half of the $207 million it needs for Angola by March next year.

The 25-year conflict between Luanda and the rebel UNITA movement has killed about one million people and forced millions more to flee their homes.

While Luanda appears to have the upper hand, aid distribution has become more difficult as UNITA resorts increasingly to guerrilla tactics. The threat of land mines and rebel attacks means there is little security outside provincial capitals.

"The general military situation remains a concern," Sibanda said.

Angola is the food program's second most expensive distribution network among the 36 African nations in which it operates. Sudan, where aid is often parachuted in, is the most expensive.

More than 70 per cent of the 16,000 tonnes of Angolan food aid a month is flown into government controlled airstrips.

There have been successful ground convoys, but they require complex logistics involving government troops and freelance truckers.

"We were hoping to increase ration sizes and the number of people we feed from 1.1 million to 1.5 million, but we have been unable to," Sibanda said.

Sibanda blamed the financial shortfall on donor fatigue and attributed it to "the CNN factor."

"What we have here is a structural emergency which has been going on for so long it doesn't hit the headlines," he said.

He said oil-rich Angola's government had budgeted $50 million this year for humanitarian aid, which included a $17 million boost to help farmers with seeds, tools and land.

The United Nations also aims to increase self-sufficiency among recipients with food-for-work programs.

Sibanda was optimistic about the government's move last year to begin allocating resources and land to people displaced by the war.

"It may not be adequate yet, but they are positive steps requiring support from the international community," he said. "We must not forget this country is still at war."

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