OCHA Situation Report
Guinea
16 September 2003


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

Launch of the National Committee of Monitoring of Humanitarian Affairs On
8 September 2003 the Minister of Interior officially launched the National
Committee of Monitoring of Humanitarian Affairs (Comité National de Suivi
de l'Action Humanitaire). The committee is designed to form the
cornerstone of Humanitarian Coordination at national level and lead to
strengthened preparedness and response as well as sound accountability.
OCHA will act as secretariat to the committee.

Influx from Liberia

Vulnerable groups continue to arrive from Liberia. Baala, Bignamou and
Thuo remain the major points of entry along the Guinea-Liberia border.
While UNHCR transferred a total of 1,463 refugees from transit centers to
camps during the period of 4-9 September, total populations in the transit
centers of Thuo, Boussou, Baala and Bignamou on 9 September climbed to
1,862.

Coup d'ętat in Guinea Bissau

The coup d'ętat that took place in Guinea Bissau on Sunday 14 September
has so far had no direct implications on the humanitarian situation in
Guinea. OCHA and humanitarian partners are, however, closely monitoring
the situation considering that Guinea has a history of hosting refugees
from Guinea Bissau: In October 1998 fighting in Guinea Bissau caused an
influx to Guinea of approximately 9,000 persons, including several
thousands returning Guineans, over a period of ten days. One year later,
by October 1999, a group of 1,800 refugees from Bissau was still hosted in
Boké. The majority of citizens of Guinea-Bissau who had sought refuge in
neighboring countries at the time voluntarily repatriated during 2000.

Access to Nzerekoré

WFP reports that trucks carrying food are crossing the Zarabara bridge on
the Guéckédou-Macenta route into N'Zérékoréare with difficulty. The wooden
bridge collapsed on 28 June 2003 and has caused UNHCR to postpone the
relocalisation of Kouankan refugee camp to the Kissidougou area.

Refugee education

IRC, Save the children and other NGOs had indicated that they would no
longer have sufficient funds to take care of refugee schools in the camps
by September 2003. The issue was discussed at a UNHCR coordination meeting
held at OCHA on 11 September 2003 and the problem has now been resolved.
UNICEF reports that UNICEF is providing funds and supplies to Save the
Children to ensure the continuance of education for children in Nonah
camp, while UNHCR has provided the required funds to IRC to continue
classes in Laine and Kola camps.

For further information, please contact OCHA Guinea:

Head of Office
Mr. Hervé Ludovic de Lys
herveludovic.delys@undp.org
Tel 377 47 (012) 66 37 14

Information Officer
Ms. Sofie Garde Thomle
sofie.gardethomle@undp.org
Tel: +37747 (012) 66 37 15


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