04 April 2003
USAID Outlines Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq
(Focuses on coordination, logistics, food, water, emergency aid) (1680) The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) April 3 issued its fourth update on humanitarian assistance in Iraq. Following are excerpts focusing on regions of the country and on coordination, logistics, food security, water, emergency assistance and other topics. Following are abbreviations used in the fact sheet: ANE: Asia and the Near East DAI: Development Alternatives, Incorporated DART: Disaster Assistance Response Team FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization HOC: Humanitarian Operations Center IDP: Internally Displaced Person ICRC: International Committee for the Red Cross IFRC: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies IMC: International Medical Corps IOM: International Organization for Migration MSF: Doctors Without Borders NGO: nongovernmental organization OFDA: Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance OFF: Oil-for-Food Program OTI: Office of Transition Initiatives SARC: Syrian Arab Red Crescent SCF/US: Save the Children/U.S. TCN: third country national UAE: United Arab Emirates UN OCHA: U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs UNICEF: U.N. Children's Fund UNOHCI: U.N. Office for the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq USAID: U.S. Agency for International Development WFP: World Food Program WHO: World Health Organization Following are the excerpts from the fact sheet: (begin fact sheet) Umm Qasr On April 1, nongovernmental organization (NGO) International Medical Corps (IMC) was the first NGO to enter the southern port of Umm Qasr. IMC visited the hospital and plans another visit on April 3, to include a conflict specialist, a physician, and a plastic surgeon who will assess some of the hospital's patients. IMC plans to bring antibiotics, basic drugs, and high-protein biscuits from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to assist malnourished children. IMC will bring more supplies and carry out another assessment of the hospital on April 4 or 5, and may stay for several days. Save the Children (SCF/US) is also poised to enter Iraq from Kuwait in the near future, and plans a security assessment in the coming days. British forces on April 3 indicated that the port of Umm Qasr is now permissive for U. N. operations. According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), "permissive" indicates that Coalition forces are in control of the area, armed opposition is sporadic and directed largely at military or political targets, and the routes have been cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance. British military forces cleared a 200-meter path in the channel of mines and plan to clear a 1,000-meter path to allow large ships to enter the port. According to the U.N. Office for the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq (UNOHCI), the Kuwaiti Coordination Committee delivered 174,000 litres of water and 17,000 meals to Umm Qasr on April 2. The commodities have not been distributed. Al Basrah On April 2, five UNICEF-contracted trucks departed from Kuwait for Safwan with potable water and emergency health kits. Safwan is located south of Al Basrah. Each of the trucks carries 35,000 litres of water. A UNICEF-sponsored water convoy will also transport potable water to Umm Kail and Az Zubayr. Northern Iraq On April 2, UNOHCI reported that UNICEF sent 3,112 kilograms of high protein biscuits to growth monitoring units in Arbil. UNICEF distributed 23 recreation kits to schools where internally displaced persons (IDPs) have settled in the area in northern Iraq. In addition, UNICEF completed construction of 48 latrines, 32 baths, and one bladder tank in the IDP camp in Soran/Arbil. In Soran, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UN OPS) provided 323 tents for two camps to assist IDPs. At the Ashkawtawan camp, UNICEF and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) are installing water and sanitation facilities and electricity. Current Humanitarian Situation by Sector Coordination New border crossing procedures put into place by the Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) in Kuwait City and the Kuwaiti Government on April 2 minimized delays at Coalition and Kuwaiti checkpoints for the NGO Doctors without Borders (MSF) and U.S. Government Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) assessment personnel. NGOs are required to have two forms in order to cross into Iraq from Kuwait. One form must be on the NGO's letterhead and submitted to the HOC Movements cell and contain the NGO's purpose for travel, proposed vehicles, personnel information, and the routes to be traveled in Iraq. The second form is a Kuwaiti Government memorandum, which gives the NGO permission to cross the border and must be carried with the team while traveling. The entire process should not exceed 96 hours for requesting and obtaining approval. Food Security The current fighting has raised U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) concerns with the approaching harvest of the winter wheat and barley crop in Iraq, expected to begin in late April. The harvest is estimated to be between 1.5 and 1.7 million metric tons (MT) of grain. FAO reports that the winter harvest, particularly in the northern "bread basket" governorates, accounts for more than half of the country's entire cereal production. FAO reported that farmers need access to fuel, spare parts, and storage, and support to ensure that combine harvesters are working. Planting for the irrigated spring crop of vegetables, maize, and rice is also important, as the vegetable crop is a necessary source of cash and an essential source of vitamins, proteins, and micronutrients missing from the food-aid baskets. Health UNOHCI reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) in Amman has been preparing a list of needed medical supplies for the next three months in Iraq. Internally Displaced The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reported on April 2 that 128 foreign workers and their families fleeing the war in Iraq are located in a 100-tent camp established by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) near the border town of Al-Bukamal. The group of mainly Sudanese nationals includes three people from Chad, one from Egypt, and one Somali and were the first displaced people to arrive in the Red Crescent camp since the current conflict began. An additional group of 40 Sudanese without valid travel papers remain at the Iraq-Syria border, but should arrive at the camp soon. The HOC reported that there are no permanently displaced civilians in southern Iraq. However, daily population movements continue to be reported by the media. Logistics UNOHCI reported on April 2 that humanitarian flights into Kuwait are now exempt of all landing and parking fees. However, fuel and handling fees are to be paid following normal tariffs. Refugees In Jordan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has referred 70 Somali third country nationals (TCNs) to the U. N. Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for refugee status determination. According to IOM, the TCNs have expressed fear of returning to Somalia. Water The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) received verified reports of serious water shortages in at least four populated areas of Anbar governorate: Heet, Ramadi, Hay Al-Bakr and Fallujah. ICRC has reported severe water shortages in Ninewa, Kerbala, Thi-Quar, and Wassit governorates in the south. On April 2, UNICEF's tankering contractor resumed water deliveries without informing UNICEF or the HOC. UNICEF contacted the HOC after British military police delayed 10 tankers from crossing the border. Five tankers later crossed into Iraq to deliver water to Az Zubayr. ICRC conducted assessments in Ramadi and Fallujah (Anbar governorate) and has reported that all of western Iraq from Heet to Fallujah has been without electricity since March 29. Two major electricity substations were damaged during fighting. However, back-up generators operate most of the water treatment facilities in the governorate, which function between six and nine hours a day at 40 percent capacity. British troops in the southern town of Az Zabayr distributed potable water to residents on April 1 and 2. Approximately 50,000 people live in Az Zabyr. On April 2, British official reported that 112,000 liters (29,590 gallons) of water were distributed from the pipeline near Umm Qasr, 15 miles to the south. U.S. Government Response Pre-Positioning Prior to Coalition military activity in Iraq, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) provided funding to assist U.N. and NGO preparedness activities. In addition, USAID/OFDA has pre-positioned relief commodities in three warehouses in Jordan, Kuwait, and UAE. USAID/FFP has supported WFP's planning and preparation efforts to meet the emergency food needs of vulnerable populations in Iraq. The State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (State/PRM) provided assistance to UNHCR and IOM to pre-position supplies for 600,000 potential Iraqi refugees and IDPs located at Iraq's borders, to establish transit camps for TCNs fleeing Iraq, and to pre-position supplies for the transportation of refugees and other migrants. Emergency Relief USAID/OFDA is supporting NGO emergency assistance activities with quick-impact projects and IDP support. USAID/FFP has provided emergency food commodities through the Emerson Trust to WFP to meet the food needs of vulnerable Iraqis. USAID/FFP has also provided P.L. 480 Title II emergency food assistance to be distributed to food insecure Iraqis and cash to purchase commodities in the region. USAID/OTI has supported IOM and Development Alternatives, Incorporated (DAI) to prepare for the implementation of the Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI), which supports political stabilization and community recovery activities in post-conflict Iraq. On April 3, USAID/OTI signed a one-year cooperative agreement with IOM to continue support for ITI, bringing total assistance to IOM to $1.7 million. State/PRM has contributed assistance for the pre-positioning and emergency response activities of UNHCR, ICRC, IFRC, and IOM. Reconstruction To date, USAID's Bureau for Asia and the Near East (USAID/ANE) has provided assistance for reconstruction activities in Iraq. USAID/ANE has supported UNICEF and WHO for health, education, and water and sanitation needs, and Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) to assess and manage the Umm Qasr port. TOTAL STATE ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY 2003 $36,630,000 TOTAL STATE/USAID ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY $533,338,588 (end fact sheet) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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