Summary
Content
UNJLC SUDAN BULLETIN 2
19 March 2004
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 operations in Sudan. In addition sector/country specific reports will be released regularly in order to provide in-depth coverage of priority areas.
The UNJLC produces a weekly bulletin on logistics related activities and issues relating to the Sudan operation. To subscribe, please send an email to registration.sudan@unjlc.org with ' Subscribe Sudan' in the subject line.
CONTENTS
- Nairobi:
- 1. Assessments.
- 2. Donors
- 3. Rumbek
- 4. Requirements for licensing of vehicles for usage in South Sudan
- Khartoum:
- 5. Humanitarian activities in Khartoum continue to focus on Darfur.
- 6. Logistics Officer's meeting for Southern Sudan Operations
- 7. IDP/refugee return programme
- 8. UNJLC Staff
Nairobi:
1. Assessments.
A team of the UNHCR Regional Technical Support Center in Nairobi commenced an assessment in Uganda which should expectedly last for about three weeks. The purpose of this assessment is to identify the best locations for waystations, dispersal centers and places for overnight stays. The route of the assessment follows the western border of Southern Sudan. Once this assessment is completed, another assessment will commence in Kenya and on the eastern corridor as well as one from the Ethiopian side.
UNHCR has so far collected information in Uganda and some also in the DRC.
2. Donors
During an open discussion forum organised by OFDA in Nairobi on 10 March 2004 and in the presence of the DG of the SRRC, Commissioner Elijah Malok, an overview on the present Sudan program and an outlook for 2005 was given by OFDA Sudan Field Office Director Allan Reed and the OFDA Sudan Coordinator John Marks respectively. In both programs, emphasis was made on the funding of infrastructure rehabilitation with a special focus on road work.
The new Annual Program Statement (APS) for 2005, which is based on the “Sudan Interim Strategic Plan, 2004-2006”, outlines the different USAID assistance programs which can be found in one strategy (http://www.usaid.gov/locations/sub-saharan_africa/sudan/sudan_isp.pdf). The new AS is expected for July 2004, with a strong focus on infrastructure, including roads and bridges. For 2005 only new grants will be approved.
3. Rumbek
With more agencies and organisations setting up offices in Rumbek, the available office and living accommodations are not sufficient anymore for the requirements. A private contractor, African Expeditions (Afex), offers the construction of offices on the basis of an advance against rent and personal accommodation within their compound in the proximity of the airport. For further contacts on this, POC is Terry Light, te: 00254 2 578313/4 or e-mail tlight@africaexpeditions.com .
4. Requirements for licensing of vehicles for usage in South Sudan
For vehicles registered in Southern Sudan, SPLM issued drivers licences are required for usage inside Southern Sudan. For vehicles registered in Uganda and Kenya, Ugandan and respectively Kenyan Road Licences are required in addition to a (South) Sudanese Foreign drivers license, which can be obtained at the Border Crossing Points. In Uganda the applications for the drivers licences are made through the Ministry of Transportation, in Kenya through the Kenya Revenue Authority.
Khartoum:
5. Humanitarian activities in Khartoum continue to focus on Darfur.
Recommendations to the RC/HC/UNCT for the supply of diesel fuel to humanitarian organization was submitted to the RC/HC. These recommendations are based on the assessment made by the UNJLC fuel officer's field visit.
After a several week delay, IHP telecomm equipment, vehicles, and staff received approval from the Government to deploy to Darfur. The first plane loads of supplies should arrived in Darfur today. With the arrival of this equipment and staff more of the offices in the field will be closer to MOSS requirements. For reasons that are not clear, UNDP/OCHA arranged for the cargo airfreight on their own rather than through WFP AirOps.
An MSF-F convoy of three vehicles with national staff was attacked by bandits in Darfur. MSF-F reports their vehicles were clearly mark with their logo and flag. Shots were fired at the convoy to stop it but no staff were hit. The vehicles were searched and high value items were taken. Other NGO vehicles have been attacked and looted in recent months.
3,000 IDPs from Darfur are reported to have arrived in Khartoum this week.
Reports from the field suggest military operations continue in most parts of the region.
Detailed reports about Darfur are available at www.unsudanig.org
6. Logistics Officer's meeting for Southern Sudan Operations
The meetings will be held each Thursday afternoon at 13:00 at UNMAS. The first meeting reviewed the current and planned operations of the major agencies.
The initial focus of the meetings will be planning of the north to south routes for the IDP movement phase. IOM, with the support of the JLC and others, will take the lead in route assessments for this phase.
7. IDP/refugee return programme
The latest version of the SRT plan is in limited circulation now and will be released publically next week. The plan further details the plans of each agency and includes return route maps. There are no reports of significant IDP return movements. A high level mission from UNHCR Geneva reviewed HCR's own plans for the refugee return. The refugee return numbers are limited, HCR is reviewing how the refugee returnees will be assisted in the movement phase. The issue of concern to everyone is the wide difference between the high level of assistance planned for the refugee return compared to the low level planed for the IDP returns from the north and from IDP locations in the south.
8. UNJLC Staff
Nairobi:
Jens Grimm,
UNJLC Nairobi
c/o IRIN/OCHA, Gigiri,
Tel: 00254 2 623072,
mobile 00254 734 699727,
email: jens.grimm@wfp.org
general email: sudan@unjlc.org
Khartoum:
Douglas Osmond,
UNJLC Khartoum
C/O WFP Khartoum
email: douglas.osmond@wfp.org
general email: sudan@unjlc.org
Phone: 00-249 121 60405
ABOUT UNJLC
UNJLC is an inter-agency facility reporting, in the current emergency, to the Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, 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 Sudan can be viewed on the UNJLC website (www.unjlc.org).