OCHA Situation Report No. 68
Liberia
19 November 2003


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

GENERAL SITUATION

I. Highlights

An OCHA-led meeting took place 17 November among local NGOs, in support of
the creation of a local NGO umbrella organization, the Liberian NGO
network, representing 150 local NGOs. The aim of the meeting was to
finalize the organizational matters pertaining to the election of its
staff, planned for the near future.

II. Assessment Missions undertaken

a. An inter-agency mission to Harper took place 19 November. The aim of
the mission was to distribute Non-Food Items (NFIs). The mission will be
followed by another mission to the same destination on 21 November, with
the aim of distributing food.

b. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is undertaking
weekly cross-border family reunification missions to refugee camps in
Guinea and Sierra Leone, thereby assisting 12-15 persons a week. The total
number of persons to be assisted is 1,800.

c. Caritas took 5 vehicles to Ganta on 19 November to bring much-needed
drugs to the lab and TB clinic. It also brought materiel for the
rehabilitation of the Catholic Mission. The mission noted no problems
along the road.

III. Assessment Missions planned

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-Switzerland is planning a mission to
Saclepea on 20 November to undertake cholera vaccinations at the IDP camp.

IV. Coordination Sector Groups

The Emergency Education Committee resumed its activities on 19 November.
During the meeting, UNICEF reported that some 1,600 teachers are being
trained weekly, and an estimated total of 20,000 teachers are targeted.
Concerns were expressed that the Back to School Campaign has involved a
limited number of local NGOs. In addition to this, participants pointed
out that there is an urgent need to start the rehabilitation and
reconstruction of damaged schools. UNICEF reported that it has made an
assessment of damages to schools in only 6 counties.

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

1. Food aid

The vessel "Miss River" carrying 1,345 Mt of bulgur wheat berthed in
Monrovia on 15 November. As of 17 November, 1,084 Mt has been discharged
leaving 261 Mt on board. On 14 November, food distributions were carried
out to Blamasee, Samukai and Plumkor Camps in Montserrado, to the SKD camp
in Monrovia and in Loyee, Nimba County

2. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

A relocation meeting was held on 18 November. It was reported that the
relocation from irregular shelters to regular/official IDP camps is
on-going, and that as of 18 November only 6 irregular sites are left, as 3
irregular shelters (Newland, Soul Clinic and Mount Barclay) have been
recognized as regular camps. Another issue discussed during the meeting
was the limited absorption capacity in formal IDP camps. A critical issue
that relates directly to the number of people in irregular shelters is the
relative absence of programmes/assistance for non-IDP vulnerables. It was
decided that there is a need for an IDP Working Group to support the IDP
Committee.

3. Water and Sanitation

As part of the Back to School Campaign, UNICEF has signed agreements with
19 local NGOs to construct 303 wells with hand pumps and 235 latrines at
483 schools in Montserrado, Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties. In the past
week, the OXFAM/UNICEF solid waste project collected and disposed of 824
cubic meters of garbage and solid waste. UNICEF, working with the local
NGO Gold Child distributed household containers and soap to 3,000 IDPs in
Sinje-3 IDP Camp in Montserrado County. UNICEF also signed an agreement
with the local NGO ZOA to carry out latrine construction and well
development in Kakata district, assisting approximately 10,000 people.

4. Education

UNICEF in collaboration with the Liberia Football Association and Children
Assistance Programme, CAP, continued advocacy on the Back to School
campaign 15 November during the 2006 World Cup qualifiers between the
national teams of Liberia and The Gambia.  During a pre-match ceremony
UNICEF facilitated children ushered in the players, led the spectators in
singing the Back to School jingle.

5. Protection

UNICEF led a two-day training for the Child Protection Working Group on
14-15 November.  The training workshop covered issues relating to Child
Rights and Child Protection and provided the opportunity to prepare for
the protection aspects of the DDRR process set to begin 7 December.  
Forty representatives from the Child Protection Working Group attended the
workshop.

COMMON SERVICES

7. Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC)

New products:

- A database sheet showing various camp information such as demographics,
area and density, shelter, water, sanitation, health as well as as targets
to bring the camp resources in conformity with agreed standards. The sheet
covers 14 camps.

- Information on sector activities by county

- Information on the geographical coverage of sector activities

For details go to: www.humanitarianinfo.org/liberia

8. United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC)

The Humanitarian Operations Centre will be operational starting 19
November. Representatives from UNJLC, FITTEST, Air Operations, HIC,
UNSECCORD, Civil Military Coordination (CIMIC), UNMIL and a focal point
for NGO Liaison will be present at the Operations Centre, which will be
situated in the WFP conference room

WFP flew a passenger flight into Spriggs Payne Airport on 7 November. It
is expected that humanitarian air operations will eventually be focused at
Spriggs Payne after certain safety requirements are fulfilled. WFP has
obtained a waiver for landing charges and a 50% reduction in handling fees

Initial information is being collected for use in the compilation of a
comprehensive planning map of Roberts International Airport (RIA). This
will take a form similar to that of the UNJLC Freeport of Monrovia
planning map.

UNJLC met with the new Managing Director of the Monrovia Freeport
Authority to discuss the pending agreement for warehouse space for UN
Agencies.

Preparations continue for the UNJLC coordinated comprehensive roads
assessment for Liberia. Preliminary training in the use of GPS and other
equipment is being conducted by HIC for the field assessors

For details go to: www.unjlc.org/home/liberia

For further information and contributions contact

Rosemary Musumba, Public Information Officer/Spokesperson OCHA Liberia
+ (377 47) 53 00 48
Email: rosemary.musumba@undp.org

Hugo Karlsson, Reporting Officer, OCHA Liberia + (377 47) 53 01 97
Email :hugo.karlsson@undp.org


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