USAID Iraq: Fact sheet no. 8, 9 April 2003

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Iraq – Humanitarian and Reconstruction Assistance Fact Sheet #8, Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 April 9, 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 OFF have provided food, medicine, and other civilian goods to assist vulnerable Iraqis. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan noted in a letter to the U.N. Security Council (UNSC), that the GOI has ordered and paid for food, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies under OFF 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 20, 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 UNSC unanimously passed resolution 1472 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 suppliers able to rapidly provide food, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE SOURCE Internally Displaced in Iraq 22,000 concentrated near Panjwin 50,036 in Arbil* 188,924 in Dahuk* 27,058 in As Sulaymaniyah* UNOHCI (March 26, 2003) UNOHCI (April 8, 2003) UNOHCI (April 8, 2003) UNOHCI (April 8, 2003) Refugees from Iraq Old caseload refugees: 203,000 – Iran 5,100 – Saudi Arabia 250,000-300,000 – Jordan 40,000 – Syria U.S. Committee for Refugees (2001) *Estimates from April 6 UN OPS survey of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in public buildings, with host families, and in open air. Baghdad and Baghdad Governorate On the afternoon of April 8, a clearly marked International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) vehicle was struck by gunfire. On April 9, ICRC confirmed that an ICRC expatriate staff member was killed in the incident. On April 8, ICRC reported that the Qanat raw water pumping station in northern Baghdad ceased functioning, resulting in increased concern regarding Baghdad’s water supply. ICRC indicated that hospitals in Baghdad are overwhelmed by the influx of war-wounded patients. The ICRC delivered surgical assistance to the 650-bed Medical City Hospital Complex on April 8, which lacks water and electricity. ICRC engineers are working to re-establish the water supply. Umm Qasr The U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) plans to restore the pre-conflict water system of Umm Qasr, including a 75- kilometer pipeline from Al Basrah to Umm Qasr that supplies two million liters of water per day to the town. The water supplied by the system is non-potable due to high salinity but can be used for other activities such as washing. The U.K. Royal Engineers Water Development Team reported that the pipeline near Umm Qasr, which was damaged on April 6, was repaired on April 9. The pipeline currently operates 12 hours per day, providing 60,000 liters of potable water to southern Iraqi towns including Umm Qasr, Safwan, and Az Zubayr. On April 8, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) conducted its first assessment trip into Iraq. During the visit, IOM registered 60 IDPs seeking shelter in the former United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) compound in Umm Qasr. Northern Iraq A total of 900 metric tons (MT) of wheat flour for northern Iraq crossed the border from Turkey on April 8 en route to Arbil. On April 8, UNICEF reported that five trucks carrying 31 MT of relief supplies including hospital beds, medical supplies, and latrines, are en route from Mersin, Turkey to Dahuk. The U.N. Office for Project Services (UNOPS) settled 111 ex-Iraqi soldiers in Ashkawtawan camp, located in Mergasur district. UNOPS provided the former soldiers with tents, relief items, and kerosene. In total, 354 IDPs occupy Ashkawtawan camp. UNOPS reported on April 9 that during the past few days, insecurity prompted an estimated 200 families from villages located near the GOI-Kurdish dividing line to flee to Mosul. Many of these families settled with relatives throughout Arbil governorate. Fighting prompted 28 families near Kirkuk to relocate to temporarily reside with relatives in Arbil. In cooperation with local authorities, UNOPS will attempt to register these IDPs within the coming few days. Current Humanitarian Situation by Sector Food On April 8, WFP identified priority contracts that are either in transit or available by May 12, in order to meet the 45-day deadline of UNSC resolution 1472. WFP contacted suppliers of 675,000 MT of commodities in transit that includes 251,000 MT of wheat, 270,000 MT of rice, 3,633 MT of vegetable ghee, 49,084 MT of sugar, and 977 MT of milk powder. The U.N. Office for the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq (UNOHCI) reported on April 9 that OFF identified four additional locations for the delivery and transhipment of emergency food and other items to Iraq, security permitting: Latakia (Syria), Iskenderun (Turkey), Aqaba (Jordan) and Kuwait City. Health On April 8, the World Health Organization (WHO) positioned a truckload of eight trauma surgical kits and medical supplies. The kits can serve 800 patients and will be transported to Baghdad as security permits. In the region, WHO pre-positioned 23 water-testing kits, 38 WHO New Emergency Health Kits (to treat 10,000 people for 3 months), and several laboratory diagnostic tests to diagnose diarrheal diseases. Humanitarian Assistance The United States Government’s Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) reported that the Spanish Navy ship, SSPS Galicia, is due to arrive in Umm Qasr on April 9. The ship is a landing platform vessel that can offload vehicles by landing craft. The crew consists of 600 personnel. In addition to 10 MT of water and 14 MT of emergency food, the ship’s cargo consists of medical supplies, a 20 to 50 bed medical bay, and a reverse osmosis plant (for water). The ship’s mission is to support humanitarian activities. According to DART members and the British Harbormaster’s office in Umm Qasr, a relief ship from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is scheduled to arrive in Umm Qasr on April 10. The ship is transporting 700 MT of boxed rations, bottled water, family first aid kits, 4 water tankers, an ambulance, 2 trucks, 2 cars, and 12 volunteers. International media sources reported on April 9 that Ankara, Turkey has allowed ICRC to open a temporary mission in Turkey to provide legal and humanitarian assistance related to the Iraq crisis. UNICEF sent eleven trucks containing relief supplies to Um Qail, southern Al Basrah, Safwan, and Az Zubayr on April 8. UNICEF has sent a total of 85 relief trucks into southern Iraq since access has been secure. UNICEF- funded drivers reported that local populations are looting schools in Az Zubayr and other locations. On April 9, UNOHCI reported extensive looting in Al Basrah and in parts of Baghdad. The United Nations emphasized that Coalition forces should bring the situation under control. Refugees A severe windstorm on April 8 destroyed three warehouses and several tents at the Jordanian Red Crescent’s Ruweished transit camp for third country nationals (TCNs) in Turkey. IOM reported that most of the camp’s 245 residents sheltered in two large tents following the storm, while children were sheltered in IOM buses. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), IOM, and Red Crescent staff members plan a damage assessment for April 9 to determine immediate needs. On April 8, IOM reported the organization has assisted 531 TCNs in Jordan, 237 in Syria, and 144 in Iran since the conflict began. 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’s Office of Food for Peace (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 The United States Government deployed a DART to the region to assess humanitarian needs and coordinate the emergency relief effort. 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 Center (HOC). 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 WFP for the purchase commodities in the region. USAID’s Office of Tranistion Initatives (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. 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. In mid-March, USAID/ANE awarded a contract to International Resources Group (IRG) to provide planning, monitoring, coordination, management, and reporting on USAID’s reconstruction and rehabilitation activities in Iraq. IRG’s services include support in a variety of sectors, including education, health, agriculture, civil society strengthening, and infrastructure. Other Donor and International Organization Assistance* On April 9, the European Commission announced an allocation of $10.2 million (9.5 million Euros) to meet humanitarian needs in Iraq through ICRC, UNICEF, CARE, Première Urgence, and UN OCHA. The allocation is part of the $22.5 million (21 million Euros) of humanitarian assistance to Iraq that the EC pledged on March 20. The Government of Japan (GOJ) pledged $100 million to support humanitarian assistance efforts in Iraq. Of this total, the GOJ will immediately provide $11.5 million to WFP to purchase 7,000 MT of pulses and 10,000 MT of rice. ICRC and UNICEF will receive $8 million and $5 million respectively to meet emergency humanitarian needs. To date, the GOJ has provided approximately $30 million in humanitarian assistance in Iraq, against the $100 million pledge. On April 8, the Federal Foreign Office of Germany provided an additional $1.07 million (1 million Euros) to ICRC to support emergency assistance efforts in Iraq. DONOR US $ (MILLIONS) DATE (2003) ASSISTANCE SNAPSHOT Australia $29.6 $4.4 $5.9 March 21 March 20 ----- 100,000 MT of wheat and distribution costs U.N. Agencies and ICRC Planning and preparation funding CIDA $67.5 March 26 U.N. agencies, international organizations (IOs), NGOs, CARE Canada for water and sanitation, food, shelter, and health Canada $3.8 ----- Response to U.N. Preparedness Measures Appeal China March 27 Tents Republic of $2.75 April 3 Blankets, sleeping bags, flour, sugar, water purification Croatia disinfectants European Commission $22.5 April 9 ICRC, UNICEF, CARE, Première Urgence, and OCHA for medical, water and sanitation, health, and coordination. France $10.7 Humanitarian Assistance Germany $11.77 April 8 UNHCR and ICRC Ireland $0.8 March 20 U.N. Agencies for planning and preparation $15.9 Japan $100 April 9 Humanitarian Assistance Korea $10 April 3 U.N. Agencies and Korean NGOs Kuwait March 24 45,000 meals/day and an emergency medical center Netherlands $19.6 April 2 U.N. Consolidated Appeal and ICRC New Zealand $3.3 March 20 U.N. Agencies, IOs, and NGOs for humanitarian relief Norway $21.6 March 20 NGOs for humanitarian assistance Russia March 22-23 150 MT humanitarian supplies for refugee preparation in Iran Spain $20.0 March 27 Refugee assistance in Iran, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey Taiwan $4.3 March 27 Refugee assistance – food, medicine, NFIs United $330 March 24 U.N. agencies, IOs, and NGOs – food, health kits, water units, Kingdom winter supply kits, primary health, IDP assistance OTHER DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO DATE**...................................................................................$684.42 MILLION *This compilation was drawn from ReliefWeb and may not be comprehensive. ** This total is approximate as the value of donated commodities is not available in some cases. 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 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: o USAID: www.usaid.gov/iraq -> "How Can I Help?" o The Center for International Disaster Information: www.cidi.org or 703-276-1914 o InterAction: www.interaction.org -> “Guide to Appropriate Giving” o Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community can be found at www.reliefweb.org. U.S. GOVERNMENT HUMANITARIAN AND RECONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ Agency Implementing Partner Sector Regions Amount FY 2003 EMERGENCY RELIEF USAID/OFDA ...........................................................................................................................................$41,780,632 Administrative Costs Administrative $198,046 AirServ Logistics Country-wide $2,151,585 The Cuny Center Research studies Country-wide $40,260 IDA Health Country-wide $711,850 IMC Quick-impact projects Country-wide $4,000,000 IMC Capacity building Country-wide $202,900 InterAction Coordination Country-Wide $92,860 IOM IDP programs Country-wide $5,000,000 IRC Quick-impact projects Country-wide $3,000,000 Logistics Commodity prepositioning and DART support $6,300,000 Mercy Corps Quick-impact projects Country-wide $3,000,000 NGOs Cooperative agreements Country-wide $4,000,000 SCF/US Quick-impact projects Country-wide $4,000,000 SCF/US NGO Consortium Country-wide $883,131 UNICEF Health, nutrition, water/sanitation Country-wide $2,000,000 UN OCHA Coordination and Information Country-wide $200,000 UN OCHA Coordination and Information Country-wide $1,000,000 WFP Logistics and preposition of food Country-wide $5,000,000 USAID/FFP ..............................................................................................................................................$430,000,000 WFP Prepositioning funding $55,000,000 WFP Emerson Trust – 161,000 MT $84,000,000 P.L. 480 Title II emergency food commodities –105,000 MT $91,000,000 WFP Regional Purchase $200,000,000 USAID/OTI ..................................................................................................................................................$2,333,612 IOM ITI Country-wide $1,700,000 DAI ITI Country-wide $473,253 Internews Media Country-wide $160,359 STATE/PRM..............................................................................................................................................$36,630,000 UNHCR Emergency refugee assistance $21,000,000 ICRC Emergency assistance $10,000,000 IFRC Emergency assistance $3,000,000 IOM TCN – transportation assistance $2,630,000 RECONSTRUCTION USAID/ANE ..............................................................................................................................................$30,900,000 IRG Reconstruction Support $7,100,000 UNICEF Health, Education $9,000,000 WHO Health $10,000,000 SSA Port Management $4,800,000 TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY 2003.......................................................................$505,014,244 TOTAL STATE ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY 2003 ........................................................................$36,630,000 TOTAL STATE/USAID ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY 2003.........................................................$541,644,244 *Factsheets can be obtained from the USAID web site at http://www.usaid.gov/iraq