• 1. OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
• 2. SECURITY
• 3. AIR OPERATIONS
• 4. BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS
• 5. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
• 6. LOGISTICS COORDINATION
• 7. CIVIL-MILITARY COORDINATION
• 8. FUEL
• 9. OTHER

During the week there have been a number of security incidents involving the humanitarian community including attacks on IOM and WFP.

Due to security incidents in the Mosul area, the Boeing 737 schedule for Amman, Mosul, Basrah was re-routed to bypass Mosul.

The black market price of diesel in Baghdad has doubled in recent days, from 120 to 250 Iraqi Dinah per litre, indicating that shortages are now acute across Iraq.

Upon request of the Baghdad NGO community, UNJLC has launched an NGO convoy notice board. This online tool to coordinate NGO movements is available at http://www.unjlc.org/home/help/04_01.html.

A new, comprehensive guide to passenger booking procedures has just been published on the UNJLC website including guidance for procedures to be followed by NGOs. http://www.unjlc.org/iraq/air/03_01.html.

UNJLC has launched a helpdesk facility to provide logistics information for the humanitarian community. Please see http://www.unjlc.org/home/help/01_01.php4.

2. SECURITY

Iraq: Baghdad: Security phase 4. The security situation in Baghdad remains poor with a steady flow of small scale attacks on soft targets such as convoys.

Mosul: Security phase 4. During the week there have been a number of security incidents involving the humanitarian community. On the 5th July, the IOM office in Mosul was attacked with an RPG. The following day, WFP offices came under heavy machine gun fire and grenade attack. On the same day, a WFP warehouse was attacked by 6 unidentified gunmen. Security guidelines have been compiled and distributed to the humanitarian community by the UN Area Coordinator.

Basrah: Security phase 4. The security situation at the Kuwaiti/Iraqi border seems to have improved slightly as trucks are now using the Iraqi military bypass which is guarded by British troops. A series of hijackings of Iraqi professionals (doctors, businessmen etc) has alerted UN security and new curfew measures have been taken.

Al Hillah: Security phase 4. During the reporting period the Coalition has been attacked a number of times on the roads between Al Hillah and Baghdad. UNSECOORD recommends the use of Highway 8 for all travel between the two locations. Unknown groups are also reported to be using Surface to Air Missiles (SAMS) and small arms fire on low flying Coalition aircraft.

Jordan: The country remains at security phase 1.

Kuwait: The country remains at security phase 1.

A complete daily listing of security incidents can be found in the “latest press releases” section of the www.centcom.mil.

3. AIR OPERATIONS

Due to security incidents in the Mosul area, the Boeing 737 schedule for Amman, Mosul, Basrah and return to Amman on 8th July was re-routed to miss Mosul. The flight for the 10th July remains under review pending decision from Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq (HCI).

Speculation concerning the reopening of Baghdad International Airport to commercial air traffic continues. The Jordanian and British Times reported that the Office of the Coalition Provisional authority (OCPA) is encouraging proposals from international carriers who want to start commercial services. It is rumoured that it is still hoped to reopen on 15th July. Whenever the opening date, it is believed that for the first 60 – 90 days, only passenger traffic will be allowed.

The International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) has nominated an expert to work alongside UNJLC in developing civilian Search and Rescue (SAR) procedures for eventual publication as an annex to the AIP for Iraq. The Combined Force Air Component Commander (CFACC) has promised to collaborate in this project which is now finally underway.

In a ceremony on 1st July, Erbil airport was handed over to the local authorities. An airport commission is in existence and will oversee the development of the site into a working commercial airport. UNJLC are, through the Ministry of Transport, monitoring the progress of the commission and will continue to observe developments. With the problems at Mosul as reported above, use of Erbil is being reconsidered as a possible alternative. ICRC and AirServ are still using the location for regular flights.

UNHAS Aircraft assets and utilisation.

The AN12 cargo only aircraft is no longer with us having completed its short-term contract.

Similarly the IL 76 is now off contract.

The Belgian Air Force C130 made a most welcome return to be based in Amman on 7 Jul 03 and resumed regional tasks on 8 Jul 03.

The Boeing 737, 100+ seat aircraft continues to fly to Baghdad, Basrah and Mosul as required provided conditions allow.

The government of Japan has generously agreed to place a C130 at the disposal of the UN to be based in Amman and to fly tasks between Brindisi and Amman and the other destinations in the region with the exception of Iraq. The aircraft left Japan on the 10th July.

Passenger and cargo procedures.

A new, comprehensive guide to passenger booking procedures has just been published on the UNJLC website including guidance for procedures to be followed by NGOs.

It has become apparent that not all users are aware of the requirement for bids for movement of cargo by air to be made using the “Cargo Movreq” form (available on the UNJLC website) with both pages complete in all respects. The Cargo Movreq must be accompanied by a packing list showing weights and dimensions of all pieces in the consignment. There are 4 important reasons for this, all of which have the customer’s best interests in mind:

a. The requirement is fully understood and can thus be met.

b. The (properly documented) consignment can be traced throughout its journey to destination.

c. Legal requirements (eg customs) are met and the consignment does not get delayed or impounded en route.

d. Finally, but most importantly, mandatory safety regulations are observed.

For more information see http://www.unjlc.org/iraq/air/03_02.html.

4. BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS

Last week it was reported that the Iraqi Assistance Centre (IAC) has advised that all humanitarian aid convoys entering into Iraq will now have to notify the IAC of their intentions 96 hours in advance. Following concerns from UNJLC and the Humanitarian Community, it was decided by the CPA Baghdad that the current notification period of 12-24 hours would remain as it is until further notice.

UNJLC Jordan was informed that the Iraqi Customs Officials in Trebil will start levying Administrative Fees at the Trebil Border Crossing Effective July 5th at 0700. The fees will be used in part to cover the costs of the new customs officials placed at the border. Please note that humanitarian and diplomatic convoys are exempt from the fees. For further details, please see http://www.unjlc.org/iraq/customs/01_01.html.

Handover of cross border and customs responsibilities from the coalition to the Iraqi authorities continues at the Jordanian/Iraqi border. Over 100 officials and 150 workers were deployed to the border by the 26th July. Some delays are expected during this handover period. 107 concrete barriers (Jersey Barriers) arrived at the border on the 9th July and will be used in a joint effort by the Coalition, WFP and UNJLC to better channel the flow of traffic through the border crossing points.

UNJLC Kuwait recently completed an in-depth review of the situation at the Abdaly/Safwan border crossing. The main conclusions of this report indicated that excessive delays do not occur provided the drivers hold all the correct documentation. The major problem at the border is security on the Iraqi side.

At the Turkish/Iraqi border crossing of Habur, traffic came to a standstill on the 5th and 6th of July when authorities reduced the flow of traffic to an average of 1 truck per hour for security reasons. The Turkish authorities have announced that a second border crossing point will be opened with Iraq in the Ovakoy district some 15 kilometres from the Habur gate, with the date of opening unspecified.

A border crossing map is available at http://www.unjlc.org/iraq/border/01_01.html.

5. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

Nothing new to report.

5.1 UMM QASR PORT UPDATE

SSA is expanding the capacity of the port particularly by increasing the number of available stevedores. Half of these local workers come from Umm Qasr town which provides a needed boost to the local economy. Since reopening the Port, break-bulk , bags, pallets ,containers and roro cargoes have been offloaded.

Bechtel is in charge of the maintenance of the facilities of the port including the dredging operations. All the berths of the port will be at 12,5 meters by the end of September.

Bechtel priorities for reconstruction include container cranes; Light equipment in the port to facilitate night shifts; Gates, fences and walls of the port; and offices and building repairs

The security firm, Olive, have improved port security dramatically with the training of local staff and the introduction of a pass system to allow only authorized personnel into the area.

40 customs officers are presently employed at the port and the Dubai customs are repairing the offices. As in all Iraq no customs taxes, duties or other charges are applicable before January 1st 2004.

For a complete weekly update from Barwill/SSA Marine see the website.

6. LOGISTICS COORDINATION

NCCI, the NGO coordination platform based in Baghdad and UNJLC have decided to merge their weekly logistics meetings to strengthen coordination between the UN and other humanitarian groups.

UNJLC has launched a helpdesk facility to provide logistics information for the humanitarian community. Please see http://www.unjlc.org/home/help/01_01.php4.

In order to support the NGO communities’ efforts to coordinate logistics, UNJLC has developed a bulletin board on their website where message can be posted. This can be found at http://www.unjlc.org/home/help/04_01.html.

UNJLC assisted in organising a military escort for a convoy of 22 tankers transporting Tetra Ethyl Lead (TEL) into Iraq to the Baiji refinery under the oil for food programme.

7. CIVIL-MILITARY COORDINATION

Information about the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq can be found at www.cpa-iraq.org.

8. FUEL

The supply of domestically produced fuels in Iraq has deteriorated in recent weeks. The situation is unlikely to improve in the short term. The country is increasingly reliant on imported fuels, a situation which is unsustainable. The black market price of diesel in Baghdad has doubled in recent days, indicating that shortages are now acute and more entrenched across Iraq

Disruption of electrical power supplies to crude oil operations, refineries and LPG production facilities during the past fortnight has significantly reduced the supply of domestically produced fuels. Overall gasoline supplies have not been as seriously affected as the Coalition and the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) together continue to import about 7 to 8 million litres per day. Today, an estimated 7 of every 10 litres of gasoline consumed in Iraq is imported, much of it paid for by the Coalition. However, an almost total lack of diesel imports means that there are no alternative supplies to domestic production. The lead time required to bring in substantial imports, should a decision be made to so do, means that shortages of diesel will continue for the foreseeable future.

LPG supply is well below half – perhaps one-third - of national demand. This is because of a lower level of imports and disruption to production from power grid problems, particularly at the country’s only functioning major gas plant in Kirkuk. Earlier expectations of supply from the country’s only other major LPG source, the Southern Gas Plant, and imports through the Khor Zubayr export terminal by mid-July, have proved to be unrealistic. An LPG supply and distribution crisis is likely to continue well into August, if not beyond.

Significantly, crude exports commenced on June 28th through Mina Al-Bakr in the Arabian Gulf, initially from crude held in storage. This has already allowed marginally more southern production. This should increase significantly in the coming weeks, with consequent greater LPG production, with further exports in the latter half of July.

Production, refining and distribution capacity continues to be limited by shortages of spares and supplies and the aged state of the industry’s infrastructure.

For the complete version of the UNJLC weekly fuel bulletin see the website.

For Fuel availability in Iraq please see the website.

9. OTHER

UNHAS/UNJLC contact information.

Passenger Bookings: Saba Jamil and Bartholemou Dias
o Email: jose.caquarta@wfp.org
Also now: iraq.unhas@wfp.org
o Office phone: + 962 562 9737
o Mobile: TBN.
o Fax: + 962 656 92316

Regional Air Coordinator: Paul Steiner
o Email: paul.steiner@wfp.org
o Office phone: + 962 (0)6 562 7943.
o Mobile: + 962 (0)79 6969 381.
o Fax: + 962 656 92316.

Air Cargo: Kjersti Bang
o Email: kjersti.bang@wfp.org
o Office phone: + 962 (0)6 562 7943
o Mobile: + 962 (0) 79 6969 392
o Fax: + 962 656 92316

UNJLC Kuwait Office and Liaison Officer OCPA Air Authorities: Keith Chapman.
o Email: keith.chapman@wfp.org
o Office phone: TBN
o Fax: + 965 537 5034
o Mobile: + 965 937 6427