Summary
Content
Participants: WFP, ACTED, Americares, IOM, Islamic Relief, LIFE, MSF, Salvation Army, UNHCR, UNJLC, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO
Action Points
1. All humanitarian actors requiring cargo movement should use the Cargo Movement Request form and send to UNJLC at lebanon.cargo@unjlc.org;
2. All humanitarian actors are invited to share information on their relief cargo pipeline. UNJLC’s tracking system is expected to be functional by 11 August.
3. Any feedback/follow up on cargo movements can be addressed directly through UNJLC.
4. Personnel transport request can be directed to Security-UN-Lebanon@un.org, copied to Mr. Sabir Mughal, DSS Security Officer who is acting as liaison to the NGOs in Lebanon: sabir.mughal@undp.org. Travel will be arranged based on availability. Send name, NGO, passport details. Must sign security waiver at border and bring personal protective equipment (ballistic jackets and helmets).
5. WFP – reviewing the fuel situation and will update
6. WFP – check on acquisition of visas for Lebanon in Damascus
7. MSF – check on possible use of their convoys for use by other organizations
8. JLC – new operations procedures and cargo movement form by week end
9. UNHCR & UNICEF – provide supplier databases to JLC for posting on JLC website
Operational Update & Convoy Movement
Daily convoys of 10 trucks running between El Aarida and Beirut with no current capacity issues
UN Agencies have reached personnel caps and therefore fewer UN personnel convoys currently running
WFP warehouses in Damascus (1,000 sq mtrs) and El Aarida (7,000 sq mtrs warehouse plus 20,000 sq mtrs open plot with temporary warehousing) are available for storage
Movement south of Tyre has come to stand still for the last 2 days for all organizations because of the vehicle movement ban
UNICEF is moving vaccines in a refrigerated vehicle and may be able to assist UNFPA or others.
OCHA is organizing a database of organization activities and locations (who/what/where). WFP to obtain the latest list for dissemination.
JLC’s database of cargo and supply movement and quantities operational by 11 August.
Customs guide available on JLC website – www.unjlc.org
Individual Organization Activities/Updates
ACTED
Fact finding
Trying to see what kind of gaps we can fill – both emergency and for afterwards
Islamic Relief
Suspended operations in and south of Tyre
LIFE
Distributing medicine and food, hotmeals to schools and community centers, medical care to 6 clinics
Interested in how to move medical supplies inside Lebanon
MSF
Distributing medicine in refugee camps
Running their own convoys in with IDF concurrence
First one went through last week – originally only 1 truck with a land cruiser and med equip on board
Yesterday, second one tried, probably with IDF, stopped on border – try to get it through this afternoon or tomorrow morning
Coordination is going through Jerusalem, includes passenger #s, cargo, plates, very well identified (marked) with MSF flags, stickers etc
Will be doing 2 trucks at a time once process is secure
Red Crescent Society is doing warehousing
Using 40’ trailers
5 hour trip from Arida to Beirut
Running small trucks and land cruisers running south of Tyre – but that has come to a halt in the past 2 days
South of Beirut, small vehicles are identified and notified, north only identified
Identified = car plastered with logos and stickers
Notified = identified + informing important parties of specific vehicle movements
Will look into whether other organizations cargo can be included on trucks
Normally this is not possible
Get requests from leaders of camps for supplies and try to get it out – described as “internet shopping”
Also had medical equipment cleared for Syria, so bring it in for local use
Managed to get a vehicle off a plane, onto a truck and to the border in under 24hrs (no radios installed)
Re radios, can either apply for a license or have a customs officer escort it through Syria to confirm no usage whilst in Syria (WFP advised still problems with this process)
Also using phones mainly since they work – instead of using radios
Salvation Army
no presence here
3 days into fact finding
UNHCR
major delays getting goods in due to problems with Ministry of State for Red Crescent Affairs
hold on release of in transit goods from warehouse in Damascus
Syrians’ are strict about “in-transit” vs. “temporary storage”
Information JLC is giving UNHCR isn’t matching the numbers from WFP about the number of trucks
Please look into and improve communication because causes problems with prepping stuff, etc.
Also trying to develop a local supplier base – for stuff that they would like to buyer here
Would be interested in sharing
UNICEF has one – could help
UNJLC
Cargo movement request forms, there have been changes to form
Tomorrow new final form hopefully & operational procedures
Not receiving many forms right now
UNFPA
Has delicate medical items that can not rise above a certain temperature or be exposed to direct sunlight – talking to UNICEF about shared transport
UNICEF
Planning on shipping vaccines
They can help UNFPA and others with delicate items
WHO
Successfully moving medical supplies via WFP arranged convoy ex Arida
Transiting cars across the border – Jordanian plates did not cause any problems
Currently working with Syrian Red Crescent about refugee camp assistance