Korea (DPRK) - DHA: 15.Aug-15.Sep.97
Korea (DPRK) - DHA: 15.Aug-15.Sep.97
Korea (DPRK)
Situation Report from the DHA Coordinator in the Democratic People's
Republic of KOREA (DPRK)
Period covered: 15 August - 15 September 1997
HIGHLIGHTS
The UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Asia and the
Pacific visited the country between 30 August and 2 September. He met with
senior members of the Government and visited sites of agricultural
rehabilitation under the Agricultural Relief and Rehabilitation Programme
(ARRP) in North Hwanghae province and inspected areas affected by the
tidal wave in South Pyongan province. He also announced an additional
contribution of USD 2 million for the ARRP.
FAO-WFP issued on September 11 a special alert, based on the drought and
tidal wave assessment carried out in mid August. It is estimated that the
domestic production of cereals will cover less than half the country food
needs for the period November 1997-October 1998.
The IFRC launched on 2 September an appeal seeking CHF 1.4 million to
assist the victims of the tidal wave.
GENERAL
During the reporting period, a number of missions have visited the country
in order to assess different aspects of the current situation.
The FAO-WFP crop and food supply assessment mission evaluated the impact
of the drought and the August 21 tidal wave on cereal production. It is
estimated that the domestic production of cereals for the period November
1997-October 1998, even under the most optimistic scenario, will cover
less than half the country minimum food needs. Imports from commercial
channels are likely to become increasingly difficult due to growing
economic difficulties and the lack of foreign exchange.
The WFP-led nutritional assessment completed field visits in 18 counties
selected by the Government. Some 3,600 children below six years of age
were measured and weighed. The final report is expected by the end of
September.
In addition, staff at Nutrition Institute was trained on how to conduct an
assessment and the Government has been advised to carry out their own
assessment on a country wide basis, as the collected information is not
sufficient to draw any precise conclusions on the nutritional status of
the people.
IFAD, in collaboration with UNDP and FAO is currently assessing the needs
for investment in the agricultural sector in order to prepare a Rural
Rehabilitation and Investment Programme covering food security aspects for
the next 4-5 years.
An IMF delegation visited the country in the beginning of September to
initiate a dialogue on possible future collaboration between the Bretton
Woods institutions and DPRK. This special initiative builds on the
momentum created by DPRK formal application to the Asian Development Bank
(ADB).
After the tidal wave that hit the western coastal Provinces in early hours
of August 21, the IFRC launched an emergency appeal for CHF 1,435,000 in
cash, goods and services to assist 10,000 beneficiaries for two months.
CARE International joined in and coordinated their effort with IFRC. They
are supplying essential relief items to the same affected population.
The different organisations working on the current humanitarian programme
in DPRK have continued their limited assessments and monitoring visits to
the counties assisted. There are, however, areas of the country,
especially in the East and Northwest that have not yet been visited or
assessed by any relief-humanitarian organisation.
Food
The relief food arrivals during the month of August, according to the
information received and recorded by WFP, amount to 121,942 MTs, the
higher tonnage received during a single month in 1997. CARITAS (6,250 MTs
of rice) and ADRA (100 MTs of noodles) channeled their contributions
through WFP.
FOOD ARRIVALS AUGUST 97
Channel Rice Maize Wheat CSB Pulses Vegoil Others Mts
IFRC-KRC 300
UNICEF
WFP 18,828 40,612 4,100 113
FDRC 60 110
Bilateral 12,000 45,819
TOTAL 31,188 86,431 4,100 223
>From January 1997 to the end of August, WFP recorded the arrival of
421,493 MTs of relief food from different humanitarian organisations and
on a bilateral basis. Most of the food (70 percent) arrived between 1 June
and the 31 of August. In the next two months it is expected an additional
tonnage of 200-250 thousand MTs.
The Swiss Disaster Relief started the distribution of 1,056 MTs of frozen
meat in 21 cities and counties of seven provinces. The target groups are
children below six, pregnant and weak women in reproductive period and
aged or weak persons, estimated at 221,859 beneficiaries. Canned meat (100
MTs) is also being distributed to 18,654 beneficiaries of the same target
group in two counties of two provinces.
The 5-member US NGO Consortium arrived in Pyongyang on August 23. The
Consortium will work under the aegis of WFP and monitor 55,000 MTs of
maize to be distributed over the next three months. The first shipment of
12,750 MTs arrived and has been programmed for food for work (FFW)
projects aimed at the rehabilitation of dykes destroyed by the tidal of
wave on August 21, in 22 affected counties in North and South Pyongan and
South Hwanghae provinces. Monitoring has begun. Discussions are underway
on a distribution plan for the remaining 42,250 MTs. The Consortium member
organisations are Amigos Internacionales, CARE, Catholic Relief Services,
Mercy Corps International and World Vision Relief and Development.
The German Interest Section in Pyongyang has announced the funding of
around DM 100,000 by the German Government to a school feeding project to
be implemented in selected provinces by the NGO German Agro Action.
Health
A UNICEF nutritional consultant trained, during the month of August, 51
medical staff from 27 institutions in Pyongyang and held a seminar for 27
researchers at the Institute of Child Nutrition.
After visiting four provincial pediatric hospitals, two county hospitals
and five children centres the consultant reported that there is objective
and subjective evidence that the nutritional rehabilitation has been
effective where there has been staff training, follow up and sufficient
high energy milk (HEM) and other supplies.
As all visited institutions keep careful detailed records on each child,
the consultant estimates a case fatality of less than 5 percent and an
incidence of corneal ulceration (night blindness, lack of vitamin A) in
4-5 percent of the severely malnourished.
UNICEF has received 272 MTs of salt to be iodized in the country by the
four UNICEF provided salt iodization machines and distributed it to
nurseries and kindergartens in selected areas to rectify the effects of
micronutrient deficiencies (goiter).
In the beginning of September, UNICEF started a new distribution of 122
MTs of HEM and medical support kits to 83 selected institutions, including
hospitals and children centres where training in nutritional
rehabilitation has taken place. Additional shipments of 65 MTs of HEM are
expected in the country by mid September.
MSF started the pre-positioning of dispensary kits and other medical
equipment in different counties of the three provinces where they will
implement the health programme. In South Pyongan province 619 dispensary
kits with other equipment (scales, examination kits and water filters) are
already in 11 counties to be distributed to different health institutions.
The provinces of North Hwanghae and Kangwon have already pre-positioned in
11 counties 483 and 360 dispensary kits with other equipment respectively.
The NGO CESVI has informed that their emergency operation in DPRK is about
to start. CESVI will focus on the provision of medicines, essential
medical equipment and hygienic and sanitary equipment to all hospitals and
clinics of the South Hwanghae province and Kaesong assisting 725 health
structures. Sustainable Food Security Aspects UNDP has approved another
special TRAC 3 contribution of USD 2 million for the ARRP. These funds, an
addition to UNDPs regular country programme, bring to USD 4 million the
UNDP funding of the ARRP.
This specials contribution will help consolidate achievements of the first
emergency phases, especially in the lights of the droughts that have
affected the maize crop this year and expand activities initiated in 1996,
including support for the 1998 double-crop.
UNDP will provide additional funding for capacity building and the
Republic of Korea has pledged USD 1.2 million in equipment for the ARRP
emergency component for the rehabilitation of secondary agricultural
roads.
After the USD 16 million already provided by IFAD to fund a sericulture
programme for income generation, it is expected that two additional USD 20
million loans will be made available for livestock development and input
supply for agriculture.
For the main 1997 cereal season (rice and maize) the international
community funded 7,000 MTs of fertilizer (USD 1.5 million) of the original
Government request for 50,000 MTs. Nearly 80 percent of the fertilizer,
mainly urea, arrived in July and was applied to paddy and maize. The rest
is intended for the autumn vegetable season. Additional contributions for
vegetables seed and pesticides of about USD 1 million were made to the
current agricultural season. CARE International will provide additional
1,750 MTs of fertilizer to the winter vegetable crop.
Based on lessons learned with the first trial and formal evaluation, UNDP
and FAO have already appealed to donors and international organisations to
ensure that seeds and fertilizer are delivered in time for the next season
(springs barleys), i.e., by end December 1997-January 1998. The next
double-crop should cover 50,000 ha minimum barley plus possibly
vegetables, pulses and potatoes. UNDP will circulate, after consultations
with the Government, a brief technical document covering the needs for the
next double-crop.
This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int
Department of Humanitarian Affairs Pyongyang
Mr. Christian Lemaire
Tel.: (850) 238 17 566 - 571 - Satellite: (872) 1507-451
Fax: (850) 2381-7603 - E-Mail: fo.prk@undp.org
Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) - Geneva
Mr. David Bassiouni - Chief
Ms. Sylvia Ferazzi
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1402 - Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail: Rosemary.Addo-Yirenkyi@dha.unicc.org
Complex Emergency Division (CED) - New York
Mr. David Chikvaidze
Tel.: (1 212) 963.9665 - Fax: (1 212) 963.1388
E-Mail: chikvaidze@un.org
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: Moulin-Acevedo@dha.unicc.org
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