Summary
Content
UNJLC LIBERIA BULLETIN 11
21 - 28 October 03
UNJLC bulletins aim 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.
Contact details for all UNJLC offices are available on the UNJLC website.
CONTENTS
- 1. HIGHLIGHTS
- 2. SECURITY
- 3. AIR OPERATIONS
- 4. SEA PORT OPERATIONS
- 5. BORDER CROSSINGS, CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION
- 6. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
- 7. LOGISTICS CO-ORDINATION
- 8. CIVIL-MILITARY COORDINATION
- 9. FUEL (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene) / COMMODITY PRICES
- 10. LIBERIA UNJLC INTERNATIONAL STAFF
- 11. OTHER
1. HIGHLIGHTS
An Operations Centre is to be established by OCHA, UNSECOORD, UNMIL, HIC and UNJLC. This Centre will provide a common platform that can focus on the multi-sectoral humanitarian coordination within Liberia. The functional areas of this Centre include logistics coordination, ICT, security, information, CM Coordination and liaison to NGOs and local authorities.
UNJLC has updated the outlook of its website. It can be viewed at www.unjlc.org.
The new transitional government headed by Chairman Gyude Bryant is still in the process of nominating and appointing senior officials. An updated contact list is provided below.
The first phase of the Roads and Bridge Assessment within Liberia is expected to commence soon. The survey will be implemented out by contracted commercial companies.
2. SECURITY
The security situation has been calm and stable in and around Monrovia.
Following the inauguration of the transitional government on 14 October and the process of nominations for government posts, fighting has broken out in various regions, including Grand Bassa County.
Continuing clashes were also reported in the Bong and Nimba Counties in the North, with large-scale movements of displaced people as a result. Influxes of IDPs in Totota were reported, as people fled from the Sanoyie area.
Monrovia remains in UN Security Phase IV, while the rest of Liberia continues to be designated as Phase V.
3. AIR OPERATIONS
The WFP Air Operations will be meeting on 28 and 29 October with their counterparts in UNHCR and UNMIL to harmonise and de-conflict air assets and schedules in the region. It is anticipated that a new flight timetable will be announced by mid-November. The new schedule will be posted on the UNJLC website. In addition UNJLC will produce an humanitarian air schedule chart detailing humanitarian flight details and links to commercial and military carriers.
The transport of 250 Sierra Leonean refugees for UNHCR will commence on 29 October from Monrovia to Freetown. It is expected to continue over the next few weeks.
An updated Passenger Request Form is available on the UNJLC website.
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.
Contacts: WFP West Africa Air Service contacts are as follows:
Ivory Coast: Liberia:
WFP West Africa Air Service WFP West Africa Air Service
WFP Office Ground Floor, WFP Office
Rue Jesse Owens United Nations Office
Angle Boulevard de la Republique Mamba Point
Residence Tropique 3 Monrovia
Abidjan Plateau
Contact: Alain Rakotovao Contact: Carole Harris
Phone: (225) 05 404 990 Phone: +377 47 530 092
Fax: (225) 20 226 239 Fax: N/A
Email: alain.rakotovao@wfp.org Email: liberia.airops@wfp.org
Sierra Leone:
WFP West Africa Air Service
WFP Office
5H, Old Railway Line
Tengbeh Town
Freetown
Contact: Aisha Kamara/Rosemary Parnell
Tel +232 22 227 796/+232 22 222 395
Fax: (232) 22 277 094
Email: john.rhodes@wfp.org
4. SEA PORT OPERATIONS
The new Managing Director for Monrovia Freeport has been appointed. Mr. Clayee Z. Doe can be contacted at Tel: 534428.
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 CROSSINGS, CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION
Liberia’s borders with its neighbouring countries remain closed. Customs and Immigration officials responsible for these entry points are currently in Monrovia and other communities in Liberia.
6. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
Rehabilitation of the access road to the Freeport of Monrovia continues to take place. (WFP Sitrep report 25 October)
On October 22, WFP took part in a joint Heads of Agency needs and security assessment mission to Buchanan. The mission aimed to hold talks with the MODEL leaders and prepare the ground for road assessments on the route to Zwedru and to Harper.
7. LOGISTICS CO-ORDINATION
The eleventh weekly Joint Logistics Meeting was held at 11.00 hours in the HOC, ground floor of the WFP building.
Chief UNJLC described a concept for an Liberian Operations Centre to the attendees. The Ops Centre concept is evolving and is currently envisaged to include UNOCHA, UNHAS, UNSECOORD, UNMIL, HIC and UNJLC. Its purpose will be to facilitate the coordination and de-confliction of logistics and movement in the region. The policy guidelines for this Centre will be defined by UNOCHA and presented to the country team. UNJLC will assist in the development of the concept, and the establishment of the Centre.
Funding for the first phase of the Road and Bridge Assessment of Liberia is now available. The assessments are expected to begin as soon as training of the assessors is complete. Phase I will comprise of surveys of primary roads and key bridges, followed by secondary roads. A Road Assessment Task Force will be tasked with assessing the primary road and bridge network in Liberia and identifying where emergency repairs are required. The Task Force will prepare a prioritised list of proposals for repair and prepare bills of quantity for the work required. The Task Force will be placed under regime of the UN security system. Data compiled will be used in the updating the map information of the road networks. HIC and UNHCR GIS staff will be involved in training the personnel involved in this project.
UNJLC is in the process of negotiating warehouse space for UN agencies with UNMIL Civil Engineers and Legal Advisers. This potential space will be located between “Star Building” and the NIOC Pier.
8. CIVIL-MILITARY COORDINATION
The draft “General guidance for the interaction between humanitarian organisations and military forces operating in Liberia” (version 24 October), was presented in the UNCT meeting on 24 October. This document has been put under silence procedures expiring on Wednesday 29 October.
UNMIL succeeded in retrieving 8 vehicles which were stolen previously from UN agencies and/or NGOs.
Initially planned to deploy to Tubranburg, the Bangladeshi Battalion will deploy to Gbarnga as soon as possible.
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 Opande, Kenya.
Sector 1 Commander – Brigadier General Festus Okonkwo, Nigeria.
Civil-Military Co-operations Officers– Capt Lapage: +377 47 532 516
Col Whobrey
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
The exchange to the US $ dropped from L $ 40.00 on 21st October to L $ 43.00 on 28th October.
Fuel Prices (per Gallon)
| Fuel type | Retail Price (US$) | Street Price (US$) |
| Diesel | 2.90 | 3.02 |
| Gasoline | 3.00 | 3.14 |
| Kerosene | 2.75 | 3.33 |
| Commodity | Quantity | Price 21-10-03(US$) | Price 28-10-03(US$) |
| Sugar | 50kg | 25 | 25 |
| Rice | 50kg | 18 | 16 |
| Flour | 50kg | 22 | 22 |
| Food Oil | 20l | 40 | 32 |
| Bread | Loaf | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Tea | Pack | 0.08 | 0.08 |
| Tomato paste | Can | 0.33 | 0.25 |
| Sweet potatoes | 50kg | 12.3 | 12.3 |
| Potatoes | 20kg | 17 | 17 |
10. LIBERIA UNJLC INTERNATIONAL STAFF
David Pittfield: david.pittfield@wfp.org pittfield@hotmail.com Mobile: +377 47 530 093
Peter Schaller: Monrovia.guest19@wfp.org Mobile: + 377 47 534 090
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
UNJLC Offices are located on the ground floor of the WFP building, UN Drive, Mamba Point, Monrovia.
11. OTHER
As mentioned last week, the transitional government headed by Chairman Gyude Bryant continues to be established. Since 14 October, the process of nominations and appointments for government posts has been taking place. The government’s 21 Ministries are to be shared among members of the old Taylor administration, the LURD and MODEL rebel groups, former opposition political organizations and civic groups.
Below, we have included the names of the senior officials from key Ministries:
Thomas Namely Yaya Minister of Foreign Affairs
Vivian Rred Chief of Protocol
Emmett Kennedy Deputy Chief of Protocol, Tel: +377 47511881
Lusinee F. Kamara Minister of Finance, Tel: +377 47 510680
Tugbeh Doe Deputy Administration, Tel: +377 47 510597
Emmanuel Crawford Deputy Revenue
Princeton Miller Special Assistant to Minister, +377 47 511764
Fatu Gaddens White Commissioner of Customs
Kabinah Jannuh Minister of Justice
Theophilus C. Gould Deputy Minister, Tel: +377 47 512076
Edward K Goba Deputy Minister for Administration, Tel:+37747510126
Christian Herbert Minister of Planning & Economic Affairs, Tel: +377 47 513111
Edward Salli Deputy for Regional Planning
James Balleh Administrative Assistant to Minister
H. Dan Morias Minister of Internal Affairs
Samuel A. Wlue Minister of Commerce & Trade, Tel: +377 47 533-801
Mustapha Kamara Deputy Minister, Tel: +377 47 520478
Nyah Mantein Deputy Minister for Administration, Tel: +377 47 511778
N’du Adighibe Assistant Minister, Tel: +377 47 530718
Gloria Bishop Hoff Special Assistant to Minister, Tel: +377 47 510017
Dr. Vamba Karnah Minister of Transport , Tel: +377 47 533360
Eugene Nagba Minister of Post & Telecommunications, Tel: +377 47 510008
Stephen Kollie Director General of Post, Tel: +377 47 520643
Alfred Toe Director for Technical Communication
J. Laveli Supuwood Minister of Labour
Dr. Peter S. Coleman Minister of Health & Social Welfare
Daniel Chea Minister of Defense
George Kamee Minister of Agriculture
Tiah J. D. Slanger Commissioner, Bureau of Maritime Affairs
Dr. D Evelyn S. Kandakai Minister of Education
Abraham B. Mitchell Minister, Bureau of Immigration
Ermat C.B. Jones Minister of Rural Development, Tel: +377 47 531561
George K. Yarngo Director for Rural Water, Tel: +377 47 511171
Sam Mohammad Kromah Managing Director, Liberia Freezone Authority
Hammed Wilson Acting Managing Director, Roberts International Airport, Tel: +377 47 512012
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).