UNJLC LIBERIA BULLETIN 28
18 - 24 February 2004

Download the document

The aim of the UNJLC bulletins is 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.

CONTENTS

• 1. Highlights
• 2. Security
• 3. Air Operations
• 4. Sea Port Operations
• 5. Customs and Immigration
• 6. Infrastructure
• 7. Logistics Co-ordination
• 8. Civil-Military Co-ordination
• 9. Fuel (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene) / Commodity Prices
• 10. Other
• 11. UNJLC International Staff

1. Highlights

UNSECORD New York has officially downgraded a number of locations in Liberia from Security Phase V to Phase IV.

The WFP Air Service flight schedule for March is now available.

UN Agency fuel, water, and comms requirements in planned sub office locations are urgently required for possible future incorporation in UNMIL plans.

2. Security

In consultation with the Security Management Team (SMT), and following the recommendation of the Designated Official (DO), the UN Security Co-ordinator has reduced the security phase in certain areas of Liberia. The decision reduces the security phase from V to IV in the following areas:

 The whole of Margibi and Montserrado Counties
 The road from Gbarnga to Ganta including the town of Ganta
 The road from Tappita to Zwedru including the towns of Tappita and Zwedru

Areas already at security phase IV are:
 The road from Monrovia to Buchanan
 The road from Monrovia to Gbarnga
 The road from Monrovia to Bo Waterside
 The road from Monrovia to Tubmanburg

All other areas of the country remain at security phase V

3. Air Operations

The WFP Humanitarian Air Service has issued its flight schedule for the month of March:

The WFP Air Service will not operate flights, other than Medevac, on Friday 5, Saturday 6, and Sunday 7 March.

UNMIL Air Operations Contacts:

 Mr. Carl Markussen: OIC- UNMIL Air Operations/Aviation Section, Tel: + 377 47 532 603, E-mail:  markussen@un.org
 Mr. Chris Njenga: OIC- Technical Compliance/ UNMIL Air Operations, Tel: + 377 47 538246, E-mail: njengac@un.org
 Mr. Thomas Vandy: UNMIL Spriggs Payne Aiport Manager, Tel: +377 47 542883
 Mr. Tomislav Ristov: UNMIL Chief Air Operations Centre, Tel: + 377 47 532504, E-mail: ristov@un.org
 Ms. Griffith, MOVCON, Spriggs Payne Airport, Tel: + 377 47 530 602, E-mail: griffithsk@un.org
 Mr. Tesfaye Tesgaye, OIC, Airfield Management, Tel: + 377 47 547 041
 Mr. Idrissa Ezeh: UNMIL RIA Manager, Tel: + 377 47 542 885, E-mail: i_ezeh348@hotmail.com
 Mr. Christopher Tumbay: Assistant RIA Manager
 Mr. Mario Calderon: MOVCON RIA, Tel: + 377 47 532 597, E-mail: calderonm@un.org
 Mr. Assamis Comporare: UNMIL Gbranga Airfield Manager
 Mr. George Kabia: UNMIL Greenville Airfield Manager

WFP West Africa Air Service contacts are as follows:

4. Sea Port Operations

A level of rehabilitation continues at the Freeport of Monrovia. The National Port Authority (NPA) is in the process of constructing a weighbridge and rehabilitating a number of offices. Commercial organisations are currently repairing a number of warehouses. However, the issue of wreck removal has yet to be resolved.

Between the 14th and 20th February WFP dispatched a total of 1,833.075MT of assorted food commodities from the Freeport of Monrovia. In the same period a total of 538.587MT of assorted food commodities were received at the Freeport. 

 Contacts for the Ghanaian Security contingent (UNMIL) 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. Customs and Immigration

UNJLC has distributed copies of its recent Customs and Immigration Study to key members of the National Transitional Government of Liberia. The executive summary of the report is available on the UNJLC website.

A collaborative effort between UNJLC, HIC, and the NTGL to create a comprehensive map of all current and planned border crossing points continues. The map will assist the NTGL in the roll out of its Customs and Immigration services around Liberia, as well as providing a planning tool for humanitarian operations.

6. Infrastructure

An inter-agency assessment mission to Voinjama led by UNJLC was cancelled by UNMIL on 23 February for operational reasons. The assessment was part of a series being undertaken by UNJLC to identify structures suitable for the common location of UN Agencies. Locations yet to be assessed are Voinjama, Harper, and Zwedru.

UNMIL's water purification plants are not yet established at its Sector Headquarters. It is possible makeshift water pumps will be set up instead.

An UNMIL VSAT system has been established at Tubmanburg, Zwedru, and Gbarnga. VSAT communication is also available in certain locations outside of the Sector Headquarters such as Tappita.

7. Logistics Co-ordination

The weekly Joint Logistics Working Group was held at 10.00 on Wednesday 18 February in the UNDP Conference Room. UNJLC again reiterated the need for Agencies to provide details of prospective fuel, water, and comms needs at each planned sub office location. These figures are urgently required by UNMIL if they are to consider the possibility of incorporating UN Agency needs in their plans. All figures should be provided to UNJLC asap for collation and forwarding to UNMIL.

The points of contact at the HOC are as follows:
 General: 
Stephen Hiscock, Tel: + 377 47 530 434, E-mail: stephen.hiscock@wfp.org

 Logistics Coordination & Movement Control: 
Steven Eames, Tel: + 377 47 534 468, E-mail: steven.eames@wfp.org

 Civil-Military Coordination: 
Stephen Hiscock, Tel: + 377 47 530 434, E-mail: stephen.hiscock@wfp.org
Major Noel Duffy, Tel: + 377 47 532 516, E-mail: monrovia.guest8@wfp.org

 LRRRC Liaison:
Adella K. Kermah, Tel: + 377 47 544 133, E-mail: kobekermah@yahoo.com

 NGO Liaison: 
Momo Larmena, Tel: + 377 47 530365, E-mail: momo.larmena@wfp.org 

 Security:
Arve Skog, Tel: + 377 47 529 616, E-mail: arve.skog@undp.org

 Humanitarian Information:
Varney Kawah, Tel: + 377 47 521 726, E-mail:varney.kawah@undp.org

The HOC is located on the ground floor of the WFP building. 

The opening hours are: Mon-Fri: 08:30 - 18:00. Sat: 10:00 - 15:00.

8. Civil-Military Co-ordination

The UNMIL Medevac plan identifies Freetown as a Level 3 hospital, while the designated Level 4 hospital is Accra in Ghana.

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

UNMIL Force Commander - Lieutenant General Opande, Kenya

Sector 1 Commander - Brigadier General Festus Okonkwo, Nigeria

Civil-Military Co-operation Officer - Noel Duffy: + 377 47 532 516                                                                 

UN Civil-Military Co-ordination - Stephen Hiscock: + 377 47 530 434

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

9. Fuel (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene) / Commodity Prices

UNMIL announced at the weekly Joint Logistics Meeting that the finalisation and awarding of their fuel contract will be deferred. To cover the period prior to this, the existing UNMIL fuel contract is expected to be extended for an additional period of three months. The implication for the UN Agencies is that UNMIL can only assist the UN community on an ad hoc basis. Those Agencies with plans to deploy in areas outside of Monrovia prior to the awarding of the contract will be required to effect their own fuel procurement and transportation.

The exchange rate to the US $ is LD $ 55.

Fuel Prices (per gallon)

10. Other

UNJLC received written confirmation from the Ministry of Labour of a 50% reduction in the processing fee of a work permit booklet. This represents a drop from US$100 to US$50. The ruling applies to all accredited national and international NGOs, and locally recruited international UN staff. International UN staff recruited outside of Liberia are exempt from the need for a work permit.

11. UNJLC International Staff

- Peter Schaller: peter.schaller@wfp.org Mobile: + 377 47 534 090
- Matthew Dee: matthew.dee@wfp.org Mobile: +377 47 530 187
- Steven Eames: steven.eames@wfp.org Mobile: + 377 47 534 468
- Farzana Rasheed: farzana.rasheed@wfp.org Mobile: + 377 47 531458
- UNJLC Offices are located on the ground floor of the WFP building, UN Drive, Mamba Point, Monrovia.
- UNJLC Fax: + 871 763 467 061. 
- UNJLC Tel:  + 871 763 467 060.

ABOUT UNJLC
UNJLC is an inter-agency facility reporting, in the current emergency, to the Humanitarian Coordinator for Liberia, and overall to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. Its mandate is to coordinate 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 can be viewed on the UNJLC website (www.unjlc.org).