Bulletin 6 - UNJLC Liberia
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Bulletin No 6
17-23 September 2003
(163 KB)UNJLC bulletins aim to provide a concise weekly overview of UNJLC activities and the present logistical situation in regard to the crisis in Liberia.
In addition sector/country specific reports will be released regularly in order to provide in-depth coverage of priority areas.
Contact details for all UNJLC offices are available on the UNJLC website.
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CONTENTS
WFP have completed a port assessment of Harper port. This assessment will be available from the UNJLC website (www.unjlc.org) in the next few days. UNJLC and the National Port Authority of Liberia have created the only up to date map of the Freeport of Monrovia. This map, along with soundings and warehousing details, is being reproduced in UNJLC headquarters and will be distributed soon. UNJLC continues to organise the transportation of vulnerable IDPs from shelters in Monrovia to renovated camps outside of the city. 2. SECURITYFighting has been reported around the town of Sagleipie in the North East of Liberia. Reports state that people are fleeing the area towards Guinea, apparently in fear of a MODEL advance on the town. In the last week WFP reported a number of incidents involving armed assaults on their trucks. Trucks transporting goods unloaded from the ‘Skybird’ at Monrovia Freeport’s BMC Pier out of the Freeport compound have been subjected to several armed attempts to steal their contents. There have been no further security problems on the Monrovia-Salala-Totota road. As with the road to Buchanan, humanitarian traffic has proceeded without incident 3. AIR OPERATIONSA common air service (the ‘WFP Air Service’) began operations on 15th September: The WFP West Africa Air Service has completed its first week of flights. Fleet: Both the AN-12 and LET-410 aircraft previously servicing Monrovia have ended operations to Roberts International Airport (RIA). WFP West Africa Air Service flights are now operating with an AN-24 passenger aircraft exclusively. Booking: A new passenger booking form has been introduced in order to simplify the booking process. Key changes are:
Schedule: The WFP West Africa Air Service is now posted on the UNJLC website. Immigration: UNJLC is attempting to standardise immigration procedures at RIA. As part of this process, boarding cards will soon be provided to passengers while on board the aircraft in order to hasten procedures upon arrival. Contacts: Contacts for the WFP West Africa Air Service are:
UNJLC is working on reducing the visa charge at RIA to the legislated visa fee that was in operation up to the recent conflict. UNJLC is in the process of providing two 20’ containers for RIA for use as storage for valuable cargo. Once the WFP West Africa Air Service plane is stationed in Monrovia, the containers will also provide storage for aircraft spares. Work is starting on the compilation of a plan view/map of RIA similar to that completed for the Freeport. This will be made available once finalised. However, until this time, a diagram of the airport is accessible from the UNJLC website at http://www.unjlc.org/home/liberia/02_04.html Information is being gathered by UNJLC on commercial carriers operating both regional and long haul flights. This information, with contact details, will be compiled in map form for easy planning of journeys both within and in to/from West Africa. 4. SEA PORT OPERATIONSUNJLC and the National Port Authority (NPA) are in the process of compiling the only up to date map of Monrovia Freeport. With equipment provided by UNJLC, the NPA have completed a scale map of the Freeport detailing the dimensions of warehousing, piers and wharfs, and draughts and soundings. This map, along with the only surviving copy of the Freeport Soundings Chart, has been sent to UNJLC Core Unit in Rome for digitisation and printing. Maps, complete with full NPA contact details and port soundings, will be distributed by UNJLC upon completion. The creation of the Port Map is part of UNJLCs collaboration with NPA to catalogue and prevent the loss of information at the Freeport, and to encourage its dissemination. Detailed information on the Freeport is available on the UNJLC website at http://www.unjlc.org/home/liberia/04_01.html The WFP Port Captain, Eric Mora, carried out an assessment of Harper port in the southeast of Liberia. The report will shortly be available on the UNJLC website (www.unjlc.org), however key findings include:
5. BORDER CROSSING, CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION• UNJLC has now compiled clear step-by-step customs procedures for entry through land, sea, and air entry points. In addition, procedures for acquiring duty free status for humanitarian goods have been acquired. This information, along with examples of the forms and paperwork involved, will be made available through the UNJLC website and the UNJLC office in the near future. 6. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE (Roads, Bridges, Rail, Ports, Airports, Warehouse)UNJLC liased with Napoleon Chattah, Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Public Works (MoPW), to ascertain the level of information available on primary and trunk roads. Mr Chattah reported that, while MoPW have the mandate for overseeing construction of primary and trunk roads, it has been unable to carry out any projects since 2001. Discussions were held about the possibility of collaboration on the assessment of main supply routes. The MoPW Organisational Structure is as follows: Minister of Public Works Deputy Min. Technical Services Deputy Min. Administration ASSISTANT MINISTERS
UNJLC is currently exploring options for the effective assessment of main supply routes in Liberia. Collaboration with both public and private sectors is being considered, while standardised quick assessment forms have been made available for completion by NGO/UN missions. These forms are downloadable from the UNJLC website. A UNJLC Field Officer will also take up duties in Liberia soon and will be able to supplement incoming assessment information with additional missions. 7. LOGISTICS COORDINATION• The sixth weekly Joint Logistics Meeting was held at 11.00 hours in the HOC, ground floor of the WFP building. Key concerns raised both during and after the meeting included; specific details on the largest vessel able to dock at Monrovia Freeport, possible irregularities in the RIA immigration system/charges, whether a pre-inspection is needed when importing vehicles. UNJLC maps of Liberia, and of fuel stations in Monrovia were handed out to participants with copies of the previous UNJLC bulletin. Maps are available from the UNJLC office in Monrovia or can be downloaded from the UNJLC website. 8. CIVIL-MILITARY COORDINATIONOn 19th September the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1509, authorising the creation of a stabilisation force (UNMIL) for an initial period of 12 months. The transfer of authority from ECOMIL forces to UNMIL will take place on 1st October 2003. UNMIL will consist of up to 15,000 UN military personnel, including up to 250 military observers and 160 staff officers, together with up to 1,115 civilian police officers, including units to assist in the maintenance of law and order. Since discussions with potential contributing nations are still ongoing, ECOMIL deployment will not change for the time being. The first weekly joint (civil-military) UN CMCoord meeting convened on 20th September, with participants from ECOMIL, UNHCR, OCHA and WFP. The forum discussed procedures to further facilitate contact with the ECOMIL Emergency Room and ECOMIL assistance in the location and recovery of looted vehicles. The movement of IDPs from shelters in Monrovia to camps in Montserado area, the deployment of ECOMIL checkpoints, and the code of conduct were other subjects discussed. ECOMIL Emergency Response HOTLINE: +377 47 530 172/530 173 ECOMIL Force Commander – Brigadier General Festus Okonkwo, Nigeria. Chief of Operations – Colonel Mark, Nigeria: +377 47 523 675 Civil-Military Co-ordination Officer – Lt Col Logonda, Togo: +377 47 529 882 UN Civil-Military Co-ordination – Willy Peerens: +377 47 530 434 WFP Civil-Military Co-ordination – Albert Fiawosime: +377 47 530 209 UNHCR Civil-Military Co-ordination – Ian Hall: +377 47 530 180 9. FUEL (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene) /COMMODITY PRICESInformation on fuel station locations and capacities in Monrovia, included in last week’s Bulletin 5, are now available in map form. The map can be downloaded from the UNJLC website. The Ministry of Commerce has provided information on tax levels for fuel in Liberia:
It has been confirmed by Mobil that they no longer provide fuel at duty free price. The previous system involved the distributor selling fuel to those eligible at duty free price before recouping the duty from the Liberian Authorities. However, due to a level of arrears on the part of the Liberian Government, Mobil are now obliged to collect the full duty paid amount from their customers. The exchange rate to the US$ rose from 57 on 16th September to 58 on 23rd September. Fuel Prices
Commodity Prices
10. LIBERIA UNJLC STAFFDavid Pittfield: david.pittfield@wfp.org pittfield@hotmail.com Mobile: +377 47 530 093 UNJLC Offices are located on the ground floor of the WFP building, UN Drive, Mamba Point, Monrovi
11. OTHERUNJLC continues to oversee the transportation element of the OCHA/UNHCR project to return vulnerable IDPs from shelters in Monrovia to renovated camps outside the city. From 11th to 17th September a total of 2,538 IDPs were transported in assets belonging to UNHCR, ECOMIL, and UNMIL. Operations were suspended between 18th and 23rd September in order to allow additional work at the reception camps to occur. With additional absorption capacity secured, transportation will begin again on 24th September with an initial movement of 175 vulnerable people. Details of the projected distribution of ministries and agencies between GOL, LURD, and MODEL in the new Liberian Government can be found at the following URL: http://www.usip.org/library/pa/liberia/liberia_08182003_an4.html |
UNJLC is an inter-agency facility reporting, in the current emergency, to the Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Liberia, and overall to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. Its mandate is to co-ordinate and optimise the logistics capabilities of humanitarian organisations in large-scale emergencies. UNJLC operates under the custodianship of WFP who are responsible for the administrative and financial management of the Centre. UNJLC is funded from voluntary contributions channelled through WFP. The UNJLC project document for Liberia will be posted on the UNJLC website. (www.unjlc.org).
