4. AIR OPS

• One Beechcraft BE1900 (19 passengers) is based in Larnaca, performing a series of initial flights to the region. A regular schedule will soon be initiated. Another Beechcraft 1900 will be based initially in Dubai and then possibly moving to Kermanshah depending on circumstances. An AN12 will shortly be in the region, based initially in Dubai and performing airlifts within the region. An IL76 has been chartered by UNHAS and is providing services between Europe and the region. UNJLC will coordinate and monitor priorities set by the UNOHCI for the use of UNHAS aircraft in the region.
• Flight schedules will be published in the UNHAS Standard Administrating and Operating Procedures (SAOPs) and UNJLC website. The UNHAS contacts for passenger bookings are maria.faria@wfp.org and annette.louise@wfp.org. The contacts for regional and strategic cargo are einar.schjolberg@wfp.org and wilfried.debrouwer@wfp.org correspondingly. Airlifts using military assets may be requested through UNJLC Rome. All requests will be coordinated with Military Civil Defense Unit (UNOCHA) Geneva.
• More information can be obtained in the customs and air-ops sections of the UNJLC website (www.unjlc.org).

• The Government of Jordan (GOJ) has authorized the use of Marka airfield for UN Humanitarian flights. Moreover, the GOJ has agreed to waive landing fees for UN humanitarian flights and flights of implementing partners operating under a UN call sign. UNJLC has obtained one month blanket clearance for over flight and landing in Jordan.
• The Director of Marka Airport Handling Services informed that all cargo aircrafts, except 747, can be handled at the airfield. UNJLC is collecting information of UN implementing partners to determine cargo and passenger requirements.

• UNJLC has obtained landing and over flight clearance; an advance notice of 24 hours is required. The SLOTs are in use, and must be observed.
• All UN staff members arriving in Kuwait are currently required to have a pre-arranged visa, a security clearance and personal VHF.

• Turkey is ready to issue a blanket clearance to UNHAS for air operations in the country; UNJLC will send a request for flights to the MFA. In addition to Istanbul and Ankara, airfields identified by MFA for UNHAS are Van and Gaziantep, with Mardin as a backup for Gaziantep. However, the airspace is closed for all direct flights out of The Republic of Cyprus.

• UN aircrafts can use Kermanshah, Ahwas, Urumiyeh and Mehrabad airfields. UNJLC is following up on the procedures with the MFA.

• KLM, Alitalia and Kuwait Air have suspended flights to Damascus. The UNHAS BE1900C aircraft has been granted over flight clearance by CAA and Syrian Government for its Larnaca - Amman schedule up to 3rd April.

5. BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS

• The Habur border crossing is open on Turkish side but not operating on Iraqi side. Consequently legal trans-border transportation is not possible. The Cukurca border crossing point (BCP) remains under military control and is closed for any civil/humanitarian activity. The borders between Turkey and Syria ・Cilvegozu, Ocupinar and Al Qamishly ・remain open. The possibility of sending Iraq bound humanitarian supplies via Syria is being investigated, but this may result in an increase in transport costs along with additional customs fees.

• The borders of Abdaly and Um Qasr remain officially closed, though some local NGO痴 have delivered supplies from Kuwait into Southern Iraq.

• The Trebil BCP is open to humanitarian and commercial traffic. For humanitarian traffic a security pass and vehicle sticker obtained in Amman from the Ministry of Interiors (MoI) is required to enter the border security zone. The driver of the humanitarian shipment must sign a liability release at the security station in Safawi. Furthermore, the shipper/forwarder must have the address and telephone number of the receiver in Iraq. A separate pass obtained from the MoI in Amman is required to access refugee camps in the border area.

• All borders between Iran and Iraq remain closed at this stage. Access is possible to Khosravi border crossing point (Iran ・Iraq); in other locations UN staff can proceed to the official refugee camps near the border. In general, and until an agreement with the Government of Islamic Republic of Iran (GIRI) in this regard is reached, any travel to the border area needs clearance by the local authority.

• The borders between Syria and Iraq are open; however negligible commercial trans-border movement was observed.

6. LOGISTICS (Stock/Warehousing)

• The UNHCR bonded warehouse in Iskanderun is filled to capacity; negotiations are underway to share space with FAO in Gaziantep. In Gaziantep, WFP and UNICEF have not yet gained bonded status causing storage problems. Consequently WFP and UNICEF consignments have to stay on trucks.

• UNOPS is currently issuing tenders for shelter and NFI materials to cover the needs of up to 60,000 beneficiaries. In addition, UNOPS currently has NFI in stock for a population of 40,000. [this wasn稚 in any sitrep]

7. FUEL

• Petrol and Diesel was priced at the rate of 24.35 SL and 7 SL per litre respectively. The exchange rate varies from 50 to 55.1 SL per USD 1.

• In Jordan the average prices of Diesel and Petrol were reportedly 0.22 fils and 0.35 fils per litre. Kerosene is priced at the rate of .22 fils per litre. The exchange during the week was 0.70 JD per USD 1.

• Prices of Diesel and Petrol were reportedly IR 500 and IR 130 per litre respectively. The exchange rate in was 8,100 IR per USD 1.

• During the week, Diesel and Petrol were priced at the rate of 0.05 and 0.06 KD per litre respectively. The exchange rate remained 0.33 KD for 1 USD.

8. TRANSPORT SECTOR

• The minimum transport rate set by the GOJ per MT from Aqaba to Baghdad is 0.20 JD and from Aqaba to vicinity in Northern Iraq is 0.35 JD. For long distance transport of water, 0.05 JD per ton per km is the minimum rate of transport. WFP is in the process of finalising agreements with trucking companies and forwarders.

• The minimum transport rate (for 28 MT per 100 km) range from 0.026 USD to 0.030 USD for each MT/km. These are however subject to change. Maximum weight per truck in Syria is 32 MT and for Iraq is 40 MT.

9. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

• No new developments in the transport infrastructure.

10. OTHER

• In Jordan Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) is conducting preliminary training for the use of rapid assessment forms. Similar courses would be conducted in other neighbouring countries on request. Once finalised, the training material would be available on the HIC website and CD ROMs (on request) for the agencies to conduct independent trainings.