CONTENT

• 1. HIGHLIGHTS
• 2. SECURITY
• 3. AIR OPERATIONS
• 4. SEA PORT OPERATIONS
• 5. BORDER CROSSING, CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION
• 6. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE (Roads, Bridges, Rail, Ports, Airports, Warehouse)
• 7. LOGISTICS COORDINATION
• 8. CIVIL-MILITARY COORDINATION
• 9. FUEL (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene) /COMMODITY PRICES
• 10. LIBERIA UNJLC STAFF
• 11. OTHER

1. HIGHLIGHTS

UNMIL have occupied the VIP terminal at Roberts International Airport. The WFP West Africa Air Service will soon utilise the facilities in the terminal to greatly reduce the check in time for its passengers.

UNJLC have liased with UNMIL at the Freeport of Monrovia in order to ensure additional security for those times when there is humanitarian activity at the Freeport.

The UNJLC Customs and Immigration booklet is complete, and an overview of immigration procedures is included below.

2. SECURITY

On the 14th October security in Monrovia was heightened due to the arrival, and hand over of power to, the new Liberian Government headed by Gyude Bryant. This was preceded on the 13th October by a show of force by UNMIL throughout the streets of the capital.

During the reporting period fighting continued between Government and LURD forces in both Nimba and Bong counties. Clashes between Government and MODEL forces in River Cess county were also reported.

One UNJLC rented vehicle was hijacked in the Freeport area of Monrovia, while three more attempted car-jackings on WFP rented vehicles were reported.

Monrovia remains in UN Security Phase IV, while the rest of Liberia continues to be designated as Phase V.

3. AIR OPERATIONS

On the 14th October the WFP West Africa Air Service operated an AN-24 flight into Roberts International Airport (RIA) in order to bring a European Union delegation of eight representatives to Monrovia in order to take part in the assumption of office by the new Transitional Government.

UNMIL have now taken control of the VIP terminal at RIA. The WFP West Africa Air Service expects to be able to make use of the Customs and Immigration services, as well as a number of check-in counters and a weigh scale in the terminal by the end of the week. This will greatly reduce the check-in time for passengers.

Work continues on the harmonising of WFP, UNHCR, and commercial air services in the region. This is intended to minimise duplication and to provide as comprehensive a coverage as practicable.

UNMIL air operations personnel are expected to arrive in Monrovia this week. WFP West Africa Air Service staff will liase with their incoming counterparts with an aim to standardise relationships with commercial suppliers and contractors, and to fully optimise co-ordination between the humanitarian and the UN Mission air services.

Initial information has been collected for use in the compilation of a comprehensive planning map of RIA. This will take a form similar to that of the UNJLC Freeport of Monrovia planning map, downloadable from the UNJLC website at http://www.unjlc.org/home/liberia/05_01.html.

Two 20’ containers for use as cargo storage at RIA have been secured by UNJLC for the WFP West Africa Air Service. They will be transported to their allotted space at the airport in the coming days.

4. SEA PORT OPERATIONS

NJLC is in the process of negotiating, on behalf of the United Nations, with the National Port Authority (NPA) for use of land at the Freeport of Monrovia. This land is intended for use as a warehousing area for UN Agencies. An MoU has been drafted and will be presented to the UN Country Team for their consideration.

UNJLC liased with the Ghanaian contingent of UNMIL currently providing security at the Freeport of Monrovia. Agreement was reached on the provision of additional security by UNMIL during times of humanitarian activity at the Freeport.

Contacts for the Ghanaian contingent at the Freeport are as follows:

Commanding Officer – Lt Col James Adoinama: +377 47 530 657

Operations Officer – Major Louman Gbetanu: +377 47 530 654

Military Intelligence Officer – Capt Errigton Commil: +377 47 530 649

5. BORDER CROSSING, CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION

• Those travelling on a UNLP do not require any visas for Liberia. UNLPs will be stamped upon entry and exit with no costs or additional procedures. As such, none of the below applies.
• To enter Liberia you must either A. acquire an Entry Visa from a Liberian Embassy before you travel, or B. have a representative prepare an Airport Visa for your collection upon arrival in Liberia.
• The cost of Entry Visas is Embassy specific. Airport visas cost US$25 but are free for UN and INGOs if an official letter of request is sent to the Commissioner of Immigration.
• Once you arrive in Liberia you will be given 48 hours in which to report to the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalisation (BIN) in order to register. You will need to purchase and fill in a registration form (US$20 from ECOBANK).
• Once you have registered you will be given a Temporary Stay Stamp in your passport by the BIN. This will entitle you to a stay of 30-60 days in Liberia (you specify the length on the registration form). An additional 30 days stay is available upon expiration of the first 60 days.
• If you wish to work in Liberia or to stay longer than 90 days you require a Residency Permit. These are available for 1, 3, and 5-year periods and cost US$50 for INGOs and UN staff travelling on their national passports. An additional US$20 is also payable for the application form.
• You can renew your residency through the purchase of a ‘Renewal of Visa’ form (US$20 from ECOBANK).
• There are no exit visa fees levied by the BIN. However other Ministries levy the following taxes: A land departure tax of US$5, a sea departure tax of US$5, and an airport departure tax of US$25. RIA also charges an airport development tax of US$15 in addition to the airport departure tax.
• The full report on Customs and Immigration, outlining all procedures and costs in detail is available from the UNJLC office in Monrovia

6. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE (Roads, Bridges, Rail, Ports, Airports, Warehouse)

The UNJLC/GTZ transport survey is now available from the UNJLC office. Three additional companies have been collected and details will be incorporated into the main survey. An overview of these three additional companies are:

On 8th October UNMIL and UNHCR undertook an assessment of the road from Monrovia to Gbanga. Two bridges were identified:

1. A concrete bridge 22m long by 6m wide. Located at grid LH 70413 42136.
2. A steel bridge 15m long by 7m wide. Located at grid LH 62770 33894

It was estimated that they have a load bearing capacity of approximately 20mt.

On 12th October UNMIL Military Engineers conducted a road assessment mission to Gbanga-Bellefania-Zorzor-Voinjama-Foya. Preliminary reports state that the road from Bellefania to Voinjama is one lane and not suitable for heavy trucks. The road from Voinjama-Foya is reported to be in very poor condition. UNMIL will provide UNJLC with a copy of the report once it is finalised.

7. LOGISTICS COORDINATION

8. CIVIL-MILITARY COORDINATION

On 8th October, the UN CMCoord Officer gave a presentation in the HOC Daily Meeting on the UNMIL deployment plan.

A combined UNMIL – UNHCR reconnaissance mission was conducted on 8th October. Its aim was to gain updated information on the situation in the Gbanga area, while also verifying the condition of the road leading to this city.

With the arrival of the Bangladeshi Battalion in Monrovia on 12th October, the total strength of UNMIL is now 4,363 troops (interim Force Headquarters and 15 Military Observers included). The Bangladeshi Battalion will deploy towards Tubmanburg on 15th October.

After the announcement to declare Monrovia an arms free zone, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia officially declared on 10th October that it is illegal for any soldier to be seen with a weapon in the city without permission from UNMIL. He urged all soldiers to hand over their weapons for safekeeping.

The fourth weekly UN CMCoord meeting convened on 11th October. An update of the CMCoord activities undertaken by the UN CMCoord Officer, UNHCR, WFP, and UNJLC was presented. Discussions also covered security procedures to be employed if the United Nations uses the BMC Pier at the Freeport of Monrovia. Methods for co-ordinating humanitarian and UNMIL convoys were also explored.

As from 14th October, all NGO requests for humanitarian assistance from UNMIL are to be submitted through the UN CMCoord Officer (Willy Peerens +377 47 530 434). This procedure has been developed through close co-operation between UNMIL and the UN CMCoord Officer and was presented in the HOC Daily Meeting on 13th October.

UNMIL Emergency Response HOTLINES:
Duty Officer HQ Sector 1: +377 47 530 173
Duty Officer HQ UNMIL: +377 47 532 313

UNMIL Force Commander – Lieutenant General Opende, Kenya.

Sector 1 Commander – Brigadier General Festus Okonkwo, Nigeria.

Civil-Military Co-ordination Officer – Capt Lapage: +377 47 532 516

UN Civil-Military Co-ordination – Willy Peerens: +377 47 530 434

WFP Civil-Military Liaison – Albert Fiawosime: +377 47 530 209

UNHCR Civil-Military Liaison – Harry Leefe: +377 47 530 180

UNJLC Civil-Military Liaison – Oleksandr Grebenyuk: +377 47 532 378

9. FUEL (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene) /COMMODITY PRICES

10. LIBERIA UNJLC STAFF

• David Pittfield: david.pittfield@wfp.org pittfield@hotmail.com Mobile: +377 47 530 093
• Matthew Dee: matthew.dee@wfp.org m_dee99@yahoo.com Mobile: +377 47 530 187
• Carole Harris: carole.harris@wfp.org Mobile: +377 47 530 092
• Victor Cole:victor.cole@wfp.org Mobile: +377 47 531 423
• Oleksandr Grebenyuk: oleksandr.grebenyuk@wfp.org Mobile: +377 47 532 378
• Farzana Rasheed: farzana.rasheed@wfp.org Mobile: +377 47 531458

11. OTHER

In response to requests made at the seventh Joint Logistics Meeting, UNJLC collected details of banking facilities provided by Monrovia’s three banks. This information was distributed in full in hard copy to participants during the eighth Joint Logistics Meeting. A overview is outlined below: