Armenia - DHA-02: 5 August - 1 September 1996
Armenia - DHA-02: 5 August - 1 September 1996
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS
SITUATION REPORT FROM THE COORDINATOR IN ARMENIA
No. 2, 9 September 1996
Covering the Period 5 August - 1 September 1996
HIGHLIGHTS
Preparations for Presidential elections underway, UN
formally declines invitation to observe elections
IMF commends progress and performance by Armenia in
implementing macro-economic reforms
WFP and DHA collaborate in assessing the food
pipeline-supply situation for winter 1996-97 in Armenia
New coordination activities launched by DHA including
regular donors' meeting and economic forum
DHA collaborates with UNHCR-IOM to develop Country
Implementation Plan for CIS Conference
DHA begins in-house preparations for mid-term review of
1996-97 CAP and transition support plan
SITUATION OVERVIEW
Elections
During the reporting period, heightened activities were
reflected in the local media concerning the preparations
for the upcoming Presidential elections, scheduled for the
22 September. While various international organisations,
including OSCE and others, conducted assessment missions
and other preparatory activities, the United Nations
Secretariat in New York has formally declined to
participate as an international observer in the elections.
The decision was conveyed to the Central Electoral
Commission (CEC) as well as to UN Heads of Agencies in
Yerevan during the second half of August, and was based on
the short advance notice given by the CEC to the UN system
to the extent that the UN would not have been able to
participate in the appropriate range of electoral
activities planned by the CEC.
Cross-Border Military Activity
Shelling of villages (allegedly by the Azeri military) in
the north-eastern border regions of Tavouch and Gegharkunik
continue d to be reported in the Armenian press and media.
The villages allegedly shelled during the month of August
included Movses in Tavouch region in addition to Chinari
village in Gegharkunik region. DHA was not able to
independently confirm these reports nor have any casualties
been reported during these alleged attacks.
Relations with Turkey
The Presidential Chief Advisor in Armenia, Mr. Jirayr
Libaridian, was reported by the Armenian press to have
visited Turkey at the end of August on a two-day visit to
discuss various issues which included the conflict in
Nagorno Karabakh, economic relations between the two
countries and an Armenian proposition for Turkey to open
the land border between the two neighbors. 1 0 days prior
to this visit, the same Armenian media had reported that
certain Turkish business associations (particularly in the
eastern parts of Turkey, adjacent to Armenia) are calling
for opening the border between the two countries in order
to stimulate trade. The implications of these efforts to
lift the Turkish land blockade on Armenia are o f prime
importance to DHA's ongoing efforts to exempt humanitarian
aid coming to Armenia from such a blockade to reduce
financial and time costs of delivering such assistance.
Macro-Economic Performance
According to reports in the Armenian media, the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) commended the performance
of the Armenian economy during a recent visit to Armenia.
The press mentioned that certain economic indicators have
improved and that Mr. Kacambas, Vice-President of IMFs
Second European Department who headed the delegation and,
according to the media, Armenia has attributed these
improvements to strict macro-economic policy measures which
the Government of Armenia has implemented so far. The
reports mentioned that Armenia has achieved a 4 percent
economic growth rate together with an inflation rate of 2-3
percent.
Preparations for Winter 1996-97
According to press reports, the Government of Armenia has
announced its plans for the provision of central heating
this winter. The main decision reported by the press was to
provide central heating only I n those districts which had
paid at least 70 percent of their debts for previous energy
inputs from the Government. In this regard, the districts
which the Government considers as being the worst
performers include Armavir, Sisian, Kajaran and
Charentsavan. It is to be noted that the forecasts for this
winter anticipate a relatively cold season, while efforts
by a few donors continue to prepare for the importation and
distribution of fuels such as fuel oil (mazout) and
kerosene for vulnerable sections of the population. The
nuclear power plant at Metmasor had undergone what was
stated as routine maintenance while (at least in Yerevan
city) the effects of its closure during August for this
purpose were negligible. The plant receives technical
assistance and raw materials from various countries,
including Russia and France and its authorities claim that
it will be able to provide more or less regular electricity
during this upcoming winter.
SECTORAL SUMMARY OF EVENTS
(Sectoral coverage attempts to follow the Consolidated
Appeal Sectors of UNDHA and includes relevant and
significant activities of UN Agencies, NGO and other
partners during the reporting period).
Food Security-Agriculture
Based on recent concern raised by ECHO in Yerevan, WFP held
a meeting between UN Agencies, USAID and ECHO to discuss
the food supply pipeline for this winter in Armenia. WFP
highlighted the shortfall in food sup plies to vulnerable
groups targeted by WFP in Armenia (approximately 250,000
persons) against current stocks in the pipeline as well as
donations to date. Participants in the meeting noted the
lack of information about the food needs for an additional
150,000 vulnerable persons (currently covered by various
NGOs and International Organisations such as IFRC). For
both, WFP and non-WFP targets (250,000 and 150,000 persons,
respectively) the possible gap in coverage may extend from
January until April, 1997. More information should be
available by early September.
WFP held its regular food coordination meeting on 8 August
which was attended by UNDHA and others. WFP has also
launched its 3rd cycle of food distribution consisting of a
2-month ration amounting to 2627 MTs. The target
refugee-IDP and other vulnerable groups will receive wheat
flour, vegetable oil, fish-meat and sugar and the
distribution is due to be completed by 10 September. WFP
has also completed the implementation of its school feeding
program with its partner, Forum des Associations
Armeniennes de France. An agreement was concluded between
WFP, Armenian Relief Society (AR S) and Fund for Armenian
Relief (FAR) to continue the 2nd part of the program
targeting 16,000 children in 17 regions from September
through December, 1996. In Tavouch region, WFP is
reinforcing its commitment to women through providing
10,000 women identified by PAROS with supplementary food
rations (covering 40 percent of daily caloric requirements)
as of September, 1996.
UNDHA met with ADRA to discuss its food security programs,
including its receipt of over USD 150,000 from the
Government of the Netherlands as a cost-share for its
green-house project. The other contributors to ADRA's total
funding for this project include UNHCR and the SCF-USAID
umbrella grant. The project provides seeds, tools, plastic
sheets and technical advice to promote household food
security among 2000 families. ADRA also operates other
privately-funded soup kitchens I n Armenia.
UNDHA also met with Mission Ost regarding the logistic
arrangements for its plans to provide over 480 MTs of food
to over 25,000 beneficiaries in southern Armenia. Several
meetings were held during August in order to determine how
the food ma y be delivered in the most cost-effective and
expeditious manner. Funding for the program is expected
from ECHO in addition to the Danish and Dutch Governments.
Health and Sanitation
UNICEF and the Armenian Ministry of Health (MOH) report
ed that, to date, 2,241,013 children and adults have been
vaccinated against diphtheria, with 79.2 percent
coverage. The total number of cases in the first half of
1996 amounted to 8, compared to 29 and 36, during the
same period of time in 1995 and 1994, respectively. Over
2.5 million doses of vaccine were delivered using
donations from USAID and ECHO. UNICEF is planning
follow-up activities in September for areas with low
coverage.
UNICEF, ICRC, UNHCR and WFP facilitated a visit by
Japanese reporters focusing on the effects of conflict
and economic transition on the children of the Caucasus.
UNDHA met with members of an evaluation team from the US
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which
reviewed the USAID-funded project to strengthen emergency
and public health surveillance systems in Armenia. The
project is jointly implemented by the CDC and the
Ministry of Health.
An agreement between the International Federation of Red
Cross-Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Armenian Red Cross
(ARC) and the Ministry of Health has just been signed in
order to launch a nation-wide campaign against skin and
intestinal parasites among school children. Beginning in
September, the campaign will target approximately 270,000
school children up to 18 years of age and will provide
treatment and health education.
Coordination of health-nutrition efforts will resumed by
UNICEF in a meeting to be held on 4 September.
Refugees, Displaced Persons and Migration
UNDHA provided some informational inputs as a
contribution to the joint UNHCR-IOM exercise to develop
the Country Implementation Plan. The CIP is considered as
the planning tool for following-up the recommendations of
the CIS Conference on Conflict and Migration held earlier
this year, and for whom UNHCR and IOM have been tasked
with follow-up. UNDHA also attended the opening ceremony
of a forum for Caucasian local NGOs to discuss conflict
and migration issues organised by the Armenian Sociology
Association and the Norwegian Refugee Council.
UNHCR is in the process of preparing its Country
Operation Plan for 1997 in Armenia. During the reporting
month, UNHCRs office in Yerevan as well as its Field
Offices (OFs) continued their review and follow-up of new
and on-going, project, respectively. These included
income generation, small-scale agriculture and
irrigation, the provision of educational kits to school
children in addition to monitoring food and non-food
distributions to refugees. These efforts invariably
involved close collaboration and discussions with other
organisations such as World Vision, US Peace Corps, Women
Aid International, Save the Children, WFP, ADRA and
several Armenian NGOs. Other UNHCR activities include
training and support to OFs in order to strengthen their
management of more development-oriented programs such as
income-generation.
As Trust Fund Grand Manager for USD 1.3 million of UNHCR
funds, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has provided this
community development expertise and training to the OF
and community groups mentioned above. As of 21 August, 23
grants to a number of non-governmental and community
organisations have been awarded by CRS. Targeting
primarily refugee or returnee communities, these projects
are specifically designed to bridge relief aid with
longer-term development in sectors such as health,
nutrition, community services benefiting women, disabled
and elderly persons, income-generation, agriculture,
livestock and animal husbandry as well as education. CRS
provides financial and program management, community
development inputs and insures grant compliance on behalf
of UNHCR. As both agencies plan for 1997, CRS role in
community site assessments and development of programs
for UNHCR will be enhanced.
Education and Child Care
In the first two weeks of September, UNICEF will be
utilising an emergency donation from the Government of
the Netherlands to finance one recycling of textbooks
used at the third-grade level of primary education in
Armenia. Shortage of textbooks, particularly in the
primary grades, is an acute problem in this sector and
the recycled books remain the property of the school to
be used again in following years.
To celebrate its 50th Anniversary, UNICEF is organising
an exhibition of stamps which were collected by a
childrens group in Armenia. The stamps will be exhibited
in the lobby of the UN building on 9 September.
A project to strengthen community and parent involvement
in schools in Armenia is being developed by CRS for
implementation by this US-based agency in 1997. CRS is
seeking funding and collaborative arrangements for the
project from donors and other partners in the field.
Coordination efforts for the education-child care sector
have been initiated by UNICEF and the first meeting of
the group will be held on 5 September.
Community Development and Income Support Activities
UNDHA met with the Acting Director of the NGO Training
and Resource Centre in Yerevan, Ms. Nouneh Doudayan, who
provided an overview of various components of the Centres
work with local NGOs. In the meeting, Ms. Doudayan
briefed UNDHA on the Centres promotional efforts on
behalf of the non-profit sector, its efforts to publicise
non-profit work, in addition to its provision of training
and basic organisational resources to Armenian NGOs since
its establishment in 1994. The Centre is funded through a
sub-grant from the SCF-USAID Umbrella Grant awarded to
the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA). Current
preparations for an advanced training module for
graduates of earlier course provided by the Centre were
also described by Ms. Doudayan, in addition to future
options for growth and development of the Centre. A copy
of the NGO Newsletter was provided to UNDHA covering
activities in the local NGO scene in July, 1996.
The regular NGO Council meeting was held by the AAA on 30
August. Discussions Included a debriefing by UNDHA on its
recent coordination efforts, debriefing on progress
towards developing the NGO draft law, the status of
preparations for the Presidential elections in September
and the arrival of consultants who will assist some NGOs
in dealing with tax issues. The next meeting will be at
3:30 pm, 4 October at the AAA.
UNDHA met with World Vision International and obtained an
overview of some of WVIs current and proposed programs.
Within its program to promote micro-enterprise in
Armenia, WVI has provided small-business training and
grants of up to USD 500 each to over 170 partnerships
since April, 1996. The two-person partnerships comprising
each of the supported businesses were reported by WVI as
having a sound business practices and good potential fro
growth. Activities included shoe repair, wood carving and
others.
The Armenian press reported that the Social Investment
Fund (SIF), crated last year by the Government and the
World Bank (though a USD 12 million loan from the latter
in November of 1995), has approved 59 community-based
projects to date. Utilising USD 167,000 out of donation
of USD 2.5 million from the Government of The
Netherlands, the SIF is required to raise 10 percent of
each projects costs from contributions paid by the
communities involved, with a target of about 400 projects
within 4 years of operation.
UNDHA started a coordination group among NGO partners
involved in projects that are designed to increase
household income. The Economic Opportunities Forum met
twice in August and over 17 international and local NGOs,
as well as representatives from the Governments Social
Investment Fund and the Foreign Aid Coordination Centre
attended both meetings. The next meeting will be held on
20 September and will be hosted by UNDHA. In
collaboration with Save the Children, a data-base on all
programs in this sector will be compiled by UNDHA with a
view of institutionalising the data-base in an
appropriate organisation in the nearest future. Fund for
Democracy and Development is currently obtaining topical
and thematic preferences from all the participants so
that the nest Forum meeting is able to share some lessons
learned from monetisation programs, business training and
micro-credit schemes implemented by NGOs.
CONTRIBUTIONS
1. Certain contributions to the humanitarian assistance
in Armenia have been received. The Government of the
Netherlands has awarded over USD 157,000 for a green
house project implemented by ADRA in Armenia (see above
for details under sectoral summary of events),
2. The Government of the Netherlands has also confirmed
its previous pledge to WFP,
3. UNHCR received a contribution of USD 250,000 from the
US State Departments Bureau for Population, Refugees and
Migration (or DOS-PRM),
4. The Government of Germany donated 12 vehicles,
equipped with various devices and support for rescue
operations and worth approximately USD 2.5 million to the
Governments State Emergency Management Administration
(SEMA).
OTHER ACTIVITIES-EVENTS
DHA Activities
a) UNDHA began holding regular UN-Donors meetings as of
August and will continue regularly, thereafter. The first
meeting focused on the food supply situation in Armenia
for this winter, as well as feedback from the
participants on the Situation Reports and the importance
of regular meetings. The next meeting will be on 2
October, 1996.
b) UNDHA began internal deliberations and discussion on
its plan to support the transitional phase of
international assistance in the Caucasus. Sectoral plans
and mechanisms for such support will be elaborated during
September with the various specialised UN Agencies. UNDHA
has already began discussions at the headquarters and
field level (in Armenia) with UNDP in order to explore
ways and means of establishing concrete action plans for
collaboration by both agencies during the transition.
UNDHA also had meeting with UNDP on the PAROS mechanism
for identifying socially vulnerable groups and on the
disaster management team.
c) UNDHA attended a debriefing by ECHO experts on the
recent food and medical needs assessment which was
conducted in the three Caucasus countries. Other meetings
attended by UNDHA during the reporting period include
meetings with IFRC and the Armenian Red Cross on disaster
management capacity-building, with CARE, UMCOR, FAR and
Fund for Democracy on upcoming USDA food donations and
with VOCA for familiarisation with its programs. As
mentioned elsewhere above, UNDHA also met with IOM in
support of the Country Implementation Plan for the CIS
Conference, conducted in conjunction with UNHCR.
d) UNDHA conducted a field trip to UNHCRs sub-office in
Echmiadzin and to sites for its shelter program in
Massis.
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United Nations Office in Yerevan, Armenia
Mr. Robert Robinson
Tel.: (003742) 15 14 51-53
Fax:(003742) 15 14 50-52
Complex Emergency Division (CED) - New York
Mr. Kazuhide Kuroda
Tel.: (1 212) 963.5713
Fax:(1 212) 963.3630
E-Mail:dhagva@dha.unicc.org
Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) - Geneva
Mr. Arjun Katoch - Ms. Katarina Toll
Tel.: (41 22) 788.6381
Fax:(41 22) 788.6386
Press To Contact - (DHA-Geneva)
Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo
Tel.: (41 22) 917.2856
Fax:(41 22) 917.0023
Telex: 414242 DHA CH
E-Mail:dhagva at dha.unicc.org