UNJLC preparedness and contingency bulletins aim to provide a concise weekly overview of UNJLC activities and the present logistical situation in regard to the potential crisis in the Middle East. In addition, sector/country specific reports will be released regularly in order to provide in-depth coverage of priority areas.

Note that NTR (Nothing to report) indicates no significant changes reported since the previous bulletin.

The password restrictions have been lifted from the UNJLC website www.unjlc.org, on which full details of all items mentioned in the bulletin below are available.

CONTENTS:

• 1. SECURITY
• 2. HIGHLIGHTS OPERATIONAL UPDATES International
• 3. CIVIL MILITARY RELATIONS
• 4. AIR OPS
• 5. BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS
• 6. LOGISTICS (Stock/Warehousing)
• 7. TRANSPORT SECTOR - NTR.
• 8. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
• 9. FUEL
• 10. OTHER

1. SECURITY

Jordan
- Jordan in is UN Security phase III.

Kuwait
- The country remains in phase 4. UN ID’s have been printed.
- Kuwait is the occasional target of Iraqi missiles though no casualties have been reported.

Syria
- The country is in security phase I.
- There were demonstrations in front of the UNDP office on 2 April with no significant incidents.

Turkey
- Phase 2 in the South East, Phase 1 elsewhere.

2. HIGHLIGHTS OPERATIONAL UPDATES International

- The United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 1472 (2003) on 28th March 2003 authorizing technical and temporary adjustments to the Oil for Food Programme for a 45-day period as to ensure implementation of approved contracts concluded by the Government of Iraq for the humanitarian relief of the people of Iraq.

- The resolution authorizes the United Nations Secretary General to, inter alia, determine the relative priorities of the essential civilian needs, to contact the suppliers of such contracts to determine precise location of contracted goods and, when necessary, to require the supplier to delay, accelerate or divert shipments of these goods.

- The resolution further gives the authority to the Secretary General and the representatives designated by him to negotiate and agree on necessary adjustments in terms or conditions of these contracts and their respective letters of credit. Full text of the resolution 1472 (2003) is available at the OIP web-site (http://www.unjlc.org/iraq/tools/download/UNSCR_1472.pdf).

Iraq
- UNICEF, WFP and UNJLC conducted the first assessment of the Umm Qasr area and port on 4th April.
- HMS Sir Galahad (UK Coalition vessel) delivered 200MT of food and water to a Kuwaiti NGO for distribution to the Iraqi beneficiaries into the port of Umm Qasr.
- UNICEF has contracted a company to deliver approx. 10 water tankers a day into the areas of Safwan and Umm Qasr from Kuwait.
- There are concerns that humanitarian trucks as well as UN vehicles in Northern Iraq face the risk of being requisitioned by PUK authorities in Sulimaniya governorate.

Iran
- A team from the French NGO Solidarites left on 1st April to cross the border into N. Iraq.

Jordan
- JNEPI has begun printing HIC and UNJLC maps for NGOs and IOs. David Pittfield, UNJLC Field Officer can be contacted at david.pittfield@undp.org for further details and requests.

Kuwait
- On 31st March, five out of an intended 13 trucks carrying water sanitation cargo of UNICEF were allowed to cross the border into Iraq. Assessments about the reasons of why only five trucks crossed are underway.

- With the assistance of UNJLC and MCDU/OCHA, a Belgian C-130 carrying UNICEF water sanitation cargo reached Kuwait from Amman on Saturday, 29th March. The consignment, with the support of ICRC, will be distributed in Southern Iraq.

Turkey
- On 1st April 03, 1445 hours, two trucks carrying UNICEF cargo crossed the border into Iraq at Habur (Silopi). The trucks carried medicines, chlorine and educational supplies.
- Consignments destined for N. Iraq were significantly delayed in Mersin port even though there appears to be no formal impediments to the transit of relief commodities through the port.

3. CIVIL MILITARY RELATIONS

4. AIR OPS

- The first UNHAS BE1900 (call sign UNR001W) has begun scheduled operations with flights to Amman and more recently, Turkey. Flight schedules will shortly be posted to the UNJLC website at http://www.unjlc.org

- As of 1st April the second BE1900 was deployed by UNHAS Dubai and is currently performing assessments of routes and airport procedures. The call sign is UNR002W.

- An UNHAS IL 76 cargo aircraft with a capacity of 40-45 MT / 180 m³ is now deployed by UNHAS and is based in Brindisi. The aircraft is available for cargo lifts from destinations in Europe to the Middle East region.

- The AN 12 stationed in Dubai made its first flight to Kuwait on 2nd April with UN equipment.

Kuwait
- Humanitarian flights are now exempted from all landing and parking fees. Fuel and handling fees have to be paid following normal tariffs. Kuwait Air Traffic Control (ATC) will allow UNHAS to base aircraft at the Kuwait International Airport upon request.
- A WFP IL 76 performed 4 rotations from Brindisi to Amman and Kuwait with WFP and WHO cargo.
- The CFACC representative for air co-ordination with humanitarian organisations, is located in the HOC from 5th April. The representative is at the level of Air Commodore.

Syria

- The first UNHAS passenger flight to Damascus was performed on the 5th April.

Turkey
- Gaziantep, Urfa and Mardin airfields are closed to civilian traffic due to use of the air corridor by military forces.

- CAA advised that the only entry/exit point for Turkey/Iran aviation is Dasis. On the Mediterranean side, the Eastern most entry/exit point is Tombi, thereby adding approx 2.5 hours to flight times from Syria to E. Turkey.
- The first UNHAS flight to Ankara occurred on 4th April. Owing to the inability to fly directly from the Republic of Cyprus to Turkey, flights had to be routed via Rhodes, resulting in significantly lengthened flying times.
Saudi Arabia
- Over-flight clearance has still not been granted for UNHAS flights.

5. BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS -

With the passing of UN Security Council resolution 1472 the oil for food programme is able to resume. At this point it is not clear what customs procedures will be used for the passage of food and other humanitarian cargo under the programme.

Iran
- UNJLC applied for, but did not receive, permission to travel to Shalamchah Border Crossing Point.

Jordan
- The border crossing at Trebil is open and being used for both humanitarian cargo and commercial traffic including some taxis. Everyone wishing to enter the border security zone must obtain a blue coloured personal pass and a yellow vehicle sticker from the Ministry of the interior in Amman.

- There have been some delays to humanitarian traffic at the Trebil border crossing owing to communication difficulties between the Iraqi customs post at Trebil and authorities in Baghdad.
Kuwait
- The HOC Movement Procedure Handbook has been derogated. A new handbook is being drafted; UNJLC and UNOHCI are attempting to provide input into the drafting procedures. Until that is completed the current procedures outlined in the HOC "Movement Procedures Handbook" (Draft March 17th” remain in place. The current handbook can be found on the UNJLC website at http://www.unjlc.org/iraq/tools/download/HOC_MovementProc030317.doc
- The HOC is currently requiring 96 Hours notice for the processing of border crossing applications for the movement of humanitarian cargo into Iraq. UNJLC and UNOHCI are working to reduce this requirement.

Syria
- Border crossings between Syria and Iraq are open but traffic is limited.

- Crossings between Syria and both Jordan and Turkey are open and traffic is passing regularly.

Turkey
- The Habur/ Silopi border crossing point (near Zakho on the Iraq side) is officially open; however, humanitarian traffic is experiencing extensive delays due to administrative procedures on the Turkish side. The border is open on the Iraqi side, but there are no customs authorities or Cotecna officials present. Trucks need 2-3 days to complete border crossing procedures at Habur/Silopi.

6. LOGISTICS (Stock/Warehousing)

- The current stock supplies in the region from leading UN Agencies include 26,376 MT of food, 144,662 water tanks (Rigid & Collapsible 10-20 L), 125,057 water jerry cans, 69,540 stoves, more than 1.2 million blankets and 150 New Emergency Health Kits (each kit serves up to 10,000 people for three months).

- UNJLC is compiling and regularly updating an inter-agency stock report that tracks the stock positions of key items of the UN agencies and associated agencies in the region. This report is available on the UNJLC website at http://www.unjlc.org/iraq/chain/01_01.html.

Kuwait
- In addition to the pre-positioned High Energy Biscuits (HEB) - 160 MT, WFP has come to an agreement with a local contractor to procure 10 million pieces of bread. Agreement has been reached to procure wheat and milling has begun.

7. TRANSPORT SECTOR

8. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

Iraq
- UNJLC, UNICEF and WFP conducted the first assessment of the Um Qasr port facilities on 4th April 2003.The port of Um Qasr is now declared (by the Coalition) open to receive vessels with relief commodities. HOC reports that the old port is clear of mines while the new port should be cleared in the coming week. The infrastructure and facilities of the port are not significantly damaged; rather the port is in a good state to handle shipments. However, it is not yet re-connected to the power supply (coming from Basra).

- The new port has 21 warehouses of approx. 2,000 m2 (53x33x7). Half of the warehouses are empty; The old port has 6 warehouses, of which half are unfilled. The warehouses are not in a good state. The full report plus photographs will soon be available on the UNJLC website at http://www.unjlc.org/iraq/infrastructure/02_02.html.

9. FUEL

10. OTHER

Syria
- UNJLC has moved into the WFP office: Adnan Malki St, 2, Malki 6, Area 2, Damascus. Tel: +963 11 334 2006/7 or +963 11 333 6432.