01 April 2003
U.S. Outlines Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq
(Aid covers food, health, displaced persons, emergency relief) (3270) The U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) March 31 issued a fact sheet outlining humanitarian assistance to Iraq. The aid targets food security, internally displaced persons, refugees, health, emergency relief and construction. (Note: The following terms are used in the text.) ANE: Asia and Near East DAI: Development Alternatives, Incorporated DART: Disaster Assistance Response Team GOI: Government of Iraq EMOP: Regional Emergency Operation HOC: Humanitarian Operations Centers ICRC: International Committee for the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies IDP: Internally Displaced Person IO: International Organization IOM: International Organization of Migration IRC: International Rescue Committee ITI: Iraq Transition Initiative MSF: Medecins Sans Frontieres NGO: Nongovernmental Organization NFI: Non-Food Item OFDA: Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Resistance OFF: Oil-for-Food Program OTI: Office of Transition Initiatives SCF: Save the Children Fun SSA: Stevedoring Services of America UNICEF: U.N. Children's Fund UNHCR: U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Reugees UNOHCI: U.N. Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq UN OPS: U.N. Offices for Project Services UN OCHA: U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs USAID: U.,S. Agency for International Development WFP: World Food Program WHO: World Health Organization Following is the text of the fact sheet: (begin text) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Iraq --- Humanitarian Assistance Fact Sheet #1, Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 March 31, 2003 Background Humanitarian conditions have deteriorated in Iraq since the 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent Government of Iraq (GOI) manipulation of international sanctions. In 1996, the GOI accepted the U.N. Oil-for-Food Program (OFF), after which humanitarian conditions improved. Between 1991 and 1996, the U.S. Government provided nearly $794 million in humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Iraq. Since 1996, revenues from the U.N. Oil-for-Food (OFF) Program have provided food, medicine, and other civilian goods to assist vulnerable Iraqis. Under OFF, the GOI has ordered and paid for an estimated $8.9 billion in food medicine, and other humanitarian supplies that have not yet been delivered. The World Food Program (WFP) estimates that 16 million Iraqis -- approximately 60 percent of the total population -- rely solely on food rations distributed through OFF in order to meet household needs. On March 19, 2003, coalition forces began military operations in Iraq. As a result of the conflict, the U.N. Secretary General suspended the OFF food distribution system. On March 28, the U.N. Security Council unanimously passed a resolution that allows the U.N. to administer Iraq's OFF program for 45 days. As the U.N. takes over the OFF program, WFP's first priority is to contact recently active food suppliers able to rapidly provide food, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE SOURCE Internally Displaced in Iraq 250,000-300,000 in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq 22,000 concentrated near Panjwi Refugees from Iraq, old case load refugees: 203,000: Iran 5,100: Saudi Arabia 250,000-300,000: Jordan 40,000: Syria Umm Qasr To date, USAID's interagency Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has conducted two assessments of Umm Qasr. The DART conducted the first civilian security assessment of Umm Qasr on March 26 and declared the security environment conducive to follow-on DART humanitarian assessments. DART members conducted a second assessment of Umm Qasr on March 27. The team identified large quantities of warehouse space available at the port. The DART confirmed that water and electricity supplies are suspended due to interruptions in the systems at Al Basrah that provide services for Umm Qasr. The team also noted that the Umm Qasr population lacks protein-rich food and is dependant on water distributions. Despite the need for water and food assistance among vulnerable segments of the population, no large-scale humanitarian crisis exists. The British vessel, the Sir Galahad, arrived at Umm Qasr Port on March 28. Relief commodities were off-loaded, warehoused at the port, and will be distributed as needed in and around Umm Qasr. Coalition forces have developed a community-based food distribution system that includes one representative from each of 85 neighborhoods. DART assessments indicate that the main hospital in Umm Qasr contains a functioning generator and medicines for approximately three months. Of the seventy-person pre-conflict nursing staff, forty-five nurses remain. The hospital administrator is a pediatrician, supported by general practitioners. No surgeons are currently on staff. Seven trucks containing Kuwaiti food assistance arrived on March 26 in the port of Umm Qasr to assist vulnerable populations in the port area. Kuwaiti engineers, with British support, completed a 3.5 km extension of the water pipeline from Kuwait on March 31. UNICEF signed a contract with a Kuwaiti firm to lease 43 water tankers and hire drivers. The pipeline simultaneously fills three, 24,000-liter tankers every 45 minutes for transport to populations in need of emergency water. Al Basrah In Al Basrah, Missan, Muthanna, and Thi-Qar, the International Committee for the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (ICRC) reported on March 26 that water shortages and poor water quality are immediate concerns. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a diarrhea outbreak in the city of Al Basrah. According to ICRC on March 26, Iraqi water engineers from the Al Basrah Directorate of Water and ICRC engineers have partially restarted the main water pumping facility for the city of Al Basrah. The engineers started three of six back-up generators at Wafa'Al-Qaed pumping station in order to provide 50 percent of the city's estimated 1.5 million inhabitants with access to drinking water. The pumping station had not been operational since March 21, when the electricity was shut down. United Nations Children's Fund's (UNICEF) water experts have been training local technicians to establish water bladders to provide the emergency distribution of water in the event of a main system failure. Northern Iraq The U.N. Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq (UNOHCI) reported sharp increases in food prices in the three northern governorates: Arbil, Dahuk, and As Sulaymaniyah. Scarcity resulted in a 300 percent fuel price increase during the week of March 29, which has impacted the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Since the GOI closed and mined major roads, no significant influxes of displaced persons from GOI-controlled areas into Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq have occurred. According to ICRC, the limited number of people moving within Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq are staying with families or friends and returning home periodically as the perceived security situation changes. On March 24, the United Nations Offices for Project Services (UN OPS) completed an assessment of the IDP situation in northern Iraq. According to UN OPS, of the total 300,000 displaced persons, 95 percent originated from Arbil governorate. The assessment noted that the resources of host families are being depleted. The remaining five percent of IDPs are sheltered in schools, tents, plastic sheeting shelters, or trucks. The assessment reconfirmed ICRC reports that a humanitarian crisis does not exist in northern Iraq. UN OPS reports indicate that potable water, access to health services, and cold weather are the primary humanitarian concerns for vulnerable IDPs. According UNOHCI, approximately 22,000 Iraqi Kurds have gathered in the town of Panjwin, near As Sulaymaniyah, of which 21,000 are living with family and friends. The remaining 1,000 people are sheltered in tents or public buildings. The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) confirmed that this population has no immediate plans to enter Iran. The Iranian Government has agreed to accept only those refugees who require immediate medical assistance. According to UNOHCI on March 26, the Pediatrics and Maternity Hospital in Arbil is operational. WHO and local authorities are working to keep hospitals open 24 hours per day in Dahuk. UNICEF is implementing a measles immunization campaign in northern Iraq. An estimated 23,000 pupils at 42 schools in As Sulaymaniyah have been immunized. UNICEF teams visited all the hospitals and health clinics in Dahuk, and have established rapid assessment teams to evaluate displaced populations near Dahuk. UNICEF reported increased rates of diarrhea among children under five in a camp near Mawat, and distributed oral re-hydration salts to the camp. Current Humanitarian Situation by Sector Food Security On March 27, AusAid representatives in Kuwait confirmed that the Australian government will provide the $25 million to WFP for associated distribution costs of the 100,000 MT [metric tons] of donated Australian wheat. The total cost of the contribution is estimated to be $49.5 million. WFP assessments indicate that at the onset of the conflict, households had an average of four to six weeks of food stocks. On March 28, WFP launched an EMOP [regional emergency operation] for 1.6 million metric tons of emergency food resources, of which 50 percent will soon be resourced, primarily by the USG. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) According to the U.N. Flash Appeal for the Humanitarian Requirements of the Iraq Crisis, UNOCHI will be responsible for the overall coordination of assistance to IDPs, with particular focus on protection issues. UN OPS is designated the lead agency for IDP issues in northern Iraq to include the provision of non-food items (NFIs), camp management, registration, provision of emergency shelter, and coordination of overall IDP humanitarian assistance efforts. UN OPS will also work closely with the International Organization of Migration (IOM), the lead agency for IDP issues in central and southern Iraq, to provide NFIs and emergency shelter as needed. In the mid to long-term, UN OPS also plans to facilitate the reintegration of IDP populations and to build host community capacity by assisting communities in resource planning and management, encouraging community participation, and revitalizing local networks that promote self-help projects. The Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) reported on March 29 that Coalition forces have identified an undetermined number of people outside An Nasiriyah who require assistance. Coalition forces plan to provide 20,000 humanitarian daily rations and 24,000 liters of bottled water to these vulnerable people. Refugees On March 23, a senior official from the Iranian Interior Ministry announced that 24,000 Iranian refugees located in camps in Iraq are free to return to Iran. In addition to stockpiling relief commodities in western Iran, the UNHCR is providing basic camp infrastructure, including water and sanitation, to four campsites identified by the Iranian government. To date, no significant population movements from Iraq to Iran have occurred. According to DART members, 67 third-country nationals entered the IOM transit camp in Jordan on March 28. DART members have also received unconfirmed reports that between 1,000 and 2,000 residents of Al Basrah may be fleeing toward the Iranian border. Health On March 30, ICRC visited three hospitals in Baghdad providing services for war-wounded patients. ICRC continued repair and maintenance efforts on two orphanages and six hospitals. Injured individuals are treated at the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-supported 250-bed al-Kindi General Hospital located in northeast Baghdad. MSF donated surgical equipment, antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and an emergency kit for 150 injured people to the hospital. In order to promptly respond to emergency health needs, ICRC is pre-positioning cholera kits in Kuwait and Amman. WHO has five functional sub-offices located in Kermanshah (Iran), Al Hasakah (Syria), Rewashed (Jordan), Diyarbakir (Turkey), and Silopi (Turkey). The French NGO [non-governmental organization] Premiere Urgence has positioned 60 staff in Baghdad. Staff are working in the Abougreb Hospital and have helped protect 15 of the city's 34 hospitals by positioning sandbags around buildings and taping windows to prevent shattering. ICRC and CARE are providing assistance in the city's other 19 hospitals. The Iraqi Red Crescent Society established 14, 24-hour first aid posts throughout Baghdad. UNICEF is working in Baghdad and in northern Iraq and has contributed 100 first aid kits to the General Federation of Iraqi Women to be distributed at the grass roots level in the capital. On March 26, UNOHCI reported that enough emergency health kits are in the region to assist 1.5 million people in Iraq and 380,000 people in surrounding countries for a three-month period. Supplies to assist an additional 1.6 million people are in the pipeline. Trauma kits that enable 9,600 hospital operations are in the region or could be available immediately. Kits to treat 19,000 cases of cholera are available, and large quantities of oral re-hydration salts are in the region. UNOHCI reports that vaccines, drugs, and other medical supplies are available in Iraq and in neighboring countries. U. S. Government Response On March 25, the President submitted a wartime supplemental request to Congress for $74.7 billion, $2.4 billion of which would be used to create a new, flexible account for immediate humanitarian relief, reconstruction support, and to assist in the development of a free-market democracy in Iraq. The total USG commitment of resources for Iraq emergency relief and reconstruction is approximately $3.5 billion (including funding from the Department of State). USAID/FFP has made more than $360 million in emergency food assistance available to meet the emergency food needs of the Iraqi population. Pre-Positioning Prior to military activity in Iraq, USAID's Office of U. S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) provided nearly $885,000 to Save the Children/U.S. (SCF/US) to the NGO Emergency Preparedness Initiative for Iraq (JNEPI) to facilitate NGO humanitarian assessments in Iraq. USAID/OFDA contributed more than $40,000 to the Cuny Center for contingency planning. USAID/OFDA also contributed $5 million to the World Food Program (WFP) for logistics, telecommunications, air transport services, and pre-positioning of food stocks, $2 million to UNICEF to procure emergency health kits and for water and sanitation, and nutrition activities, and $1.2 million to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) to support information and coordination efforts. USAID/OFDA pre-positioned emergency relief commodities in three warehouses in Jordan, Kuwait, and UAE. The commodities will be made available for use in Iraq as needed and include 26,667 rolls of plastic sheeting, 265,035 wool blankets, 130,700 10-liter and 5-gallon water containers, 85,618 hygiene kits, 87 water tanks, 8 water treatment units, and 97 WHO medical kits. USAID/OFDA has spent more than $5.3 million to acquire warehouse space, equipment for DART personnel, and for transportation costs. To date, USAID/FFP has provided $55 million to WFP to support planning and preparation efforts to meet the emergency food needs of vulnerable populations in Iraq. Emergency Relief USAID has deployed an interagency DART to the region to assess humanitarian needs and coordinate the emergency relief effort. Nearly 60 DART members are located in Kuwait, Turkey, Jordan, Cyprus, and Qatar and are working closely with U.N. agencies, NGOs, and in coordination with U.S. military Civil Affairs personnel at the Humanitarian Operations Centers (HOC) in the region. USAID/OFDA provided support to several NGOs to support quick-impact projects benefiting vulnerable populations in Iraq, including CARE ($4 million), International Rescue Committee (IRC) ($3 million), SCF/US ($4 million), and Mercy Corps ($3 million) On March 30, AirServ International received $2.1 million from USAID/OFDA to provide air logistical support for humanitarian personnel and emergency relief commodities in Iraq. USAID/OFDA also provided $5 million to IOM to support efforts to meet the humanitarian needs of IDPs in southern and central Iraq. IOM received $200,000 and Development Alternatives, Incorporated (DAI) received $473,253 from USAID/OTI to prepare for the implementation of the Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI). ITI will support political stabilization and community recovery activities in post-conflict Iraq by providing immediate, tangible examples of improvement and change. The program will provide small in-kind grants designed to build confidence among Iraq's diverse ethnic groups at the local level, increase citizen participation in decision-making, and rapidly respond to local needs such as small-scale infrastructure repair. State/PRM has provided $21 million to UNHCR, $10 million to ICRC, $3 million to IFRC, and more than $2.6 million to IOM to support U.N. and international organization (IO) preparation efforts and to meet the emergency needs of Iraqis affected by the conflict. Reconstruction On March 29, USAID/ANE provided an initial $8 million to UNICEF to provide basic health, water, and sanitation services in Iraq. The grant is part of USAID's planning for reconstruction in Iraq and will build on UNICEF's substantial on-going programs in the country. USAID/ANE provided $10 million in support to WHO on March 29. WHO will work with the Iraqi Ministry of Health to identify and address the most immediate and short-term health needs of the Iraqi population, while also strengthening health sector policy and systems. Specific activities supported under the grant include monitoring diseases and health status, responding to outbreaks of communicable diseases, rehabilitating health facilities and laboratories, training health staff, and assisting in the management and coordination of donor support and health partners working in Iraq. WHO will use both the Iraq Health Information System and non-traditional information sources such as surveys, rapid assessments, and other studies to identify gaps in the Iraqi health system and prioritize activities. On March 24, USAID/ANE provided $4.8 million to Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) for assessment and management activities at the Umm Qasr port in Iraq. In addition to being a critical component of Iraq's economic infrastructure, the southern seaport is critical to USAID's efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Iraq. SSA will be responsible for the effective operation of the port, allowing food and other humanitarian and reconstruction materials and supplies to be delivered smoothly and efficiently. SSA will provide an initial port assessment, develop improvement plans to overcome port-imposed constraints, and supply technical expertise to ensure an adequate flow of through shipment. In addition, SSA will be responsible for the port pilots who will guide ships up the channel and will manage the access of trucking companies to the port and establish a system of controls to avoid theft and corruption. The marine terminal operating firm will also assist in locating and identifying obstacles that could affect the movement of shipping traffic, in coordination with local and national authorities. Under the terms of the contract SAA will also facilitate cargo-handling services such as warehousing, shipment tracking, refrigerated and other cargo storage and the onward transport of shipments. SSA's services aim to reduce vessel turn-around time and increase vessel productivity. Public Donation Information The most effective way people can assist relief efforts is by making cash donations to humanitarian organizations that are conducting relief operations. A list of humanitarian organizations that are accepting cash donations for their activities in the Gulf can be found in the "How Can I Help" section at [www.usaid.gov/iraq]. USAID encourages cash donations because they: allow aid professionals to procure the exact items needed (often in the affected region); reduce the burden on scarce resources (such as transportation routes, staff time, warehouse space, etc); can be transferred very quickly and without transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-stricken region; ensure culturally, dietary, and environmentally appropriate assistance. General information on making donations and volunteering can be found at: -- USAID: www. usaid.gov/iraq, "How Can I Help?" -- The Center for International Disaster Information: www.cidi.org or 703-276-1914 InterAction: www.interaction.org, "Guide to Appropriate Giving" Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community can be found at www.reliefweb.org. (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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