Bulletin 57 UNJLC SUDAN

1. SUMMARY

Repairs to the KHARTOUM International Airport runway remain on schedule and officials expect completion on 10 May as planned, allowing resumption of around-the-clock operations and easing the current congestion.

Most of the 75 ECHO funded vehicles are in Khartoum, with 51 vehicles customs cleared.  Last week 50 vehicles were distributed to 29 recipients, with the remaining 25 to be distributed next week. 

The NFI User Group has determined that there is insufficient  capacity to transport the vehicles by air or surface in the time they would need to be deployed to the Darfurs. UNJLC may, if so requested by the Humanitarian Co-ordinator, facilitate a convoy to drive the vehicles to the DARFURS once statutory registrations are completed.  Agencies wishing to participate in such a convoy should contact John Levins (john.levins@wfp.org) to express interest as soon as possible, indicating to which DARFUR state capital the vehicle(s) are destined for. 

Contracting suitable surface transport into the DARFURS remains a challenge for CARE.  One of the two transporters repeated failed to perform satisfactorily and the contract has thus been terminated. The process has been initiated to re-tender and appoint a new transport contractor. An interim arrangement has been made to continue the service uninterrupted.

2. SECURITY

Security concerns in SOUTH DARFUR continue to hinder transport in the state.  Due to sporadic outbreaks of fighting and attacks on humanitarian vehicles, three of the most frequently travelled corridors out of NYALA (ZALENGIE, MENAWASHI / FASHER, and ED DAEN) remained closed to UN traffic.

3. COMMON NFI PIPELINE

*Updated figures for El Obeid are not available. Last week’s totals are therefore used.

226,800 blankets procured by UNICEF for the common pipeline are en route from Port Sudan to El Obeid.

NORTH DARFUR: IRC began distributing shelter kits to new arrivals in ZAM ZAM and ABU SHOUK camps. The kits contain plastic sheeting, reinforced bars and bamboo sticks.

SOUTH DARFUR: Distributions continue to support the priorities of new arrivals and those areas that will be cut off by the rains.  An NFI meeting held in ZALENGIE marked significant gains in coordination for distributions throughout the ZALENGIE - WADI SALIH - MUKJAR corridor.

SOUTH DARFUR is facing a shortfall of plastic mats and mosquito nets.  There is currently no indication that these items are coming into the pipeline, while jerry cans and buckets continue to flow in beyond the current needs.

As registration results materialize in NORTH DARFUR, agencies have noticed that IDP’s, aware that NFI’s are distributed on the basis of households, have begun splitting their families to sometimes as few as two people in an effort to receive more NFI’s.  NGO’s report that this is occurring primarily in the more established camps where people are familiar with the distribution system.  In order to manage limited stocks, distributions will be made only to households with 5 members per family. 

WEST DARFUR: UNJLC is now focusing on distributing NFI’s to areas in the South and North that are likely to have access problems in the rainy season.  UNJLC expects to replenish the stock for plastic sheeting and blankets in the first and second week of May to ensure that they pre-rainy season distribution can continue as scheduled.

4. SURFACE TRANSPORT

The lack of commercial trucks in EL FASHER has led to inflated transport prices.  The shortage is exacerbated with trucks leaving for Khartoum not returning due to security concerns as well as government-enforced convoys from El Obeid to El Fasher.  All commercially-owned trucks (including some carrying humanitarian cargo) are obliged to travel in a convoy under GoS armed escort beyond UM QOZEIN at the state border between KORDOFAN and NORTH DARFUR. This contributes to increased travel times and higher costs to trucking contractors as trucks are sometimes subject to a week’s delay.

The UNJLC Field Logistics Officer based in EL FASHER town will meet with transporters on 28 April to discuss the lack of available trucks for transport to and from the town.

At the request of the NFI working group, UNJLC has begun a survey of transport rates that the humanitarian community is paying.  The community wishes to establish a maximum rate that they are willing to pay transporters in an effort to halt increasing prices.  The data will be shared with the group once complete.

5. AIR OPERATIONS

All commercial and cargo flights into EL FASHER were cancelled on Monday 25 April due to a sand storm in the area.

Planned maintenance of the Khartoum International Airport runway is behind schedule and should be complete by 15 May instead of the planned date of 10 May. Completion of this work will allow the resumption of operations between 0900hrs and 1700hrs local and should ease the current congestion, permitting improved services to the Darfurs and elsewhere in Sudan.

The UNHAS An-12 cargo aircraft used for NFI transport will undergo minor service for several days during early May. It is expected to resume operations without undue delay.

Due to increasing passenger demand on WFP HAS flights to the field, WFP HAS has established a User Group that will meet every Tuesday to discuss the obstacles faced.  Attendees will include representatives from UN Agencies, NGO’s and the Donor community.

6. FUEL PRICES

*Price in Sudanese Dinar per Imperial Gallon / Litre. 1 IG = 4.546 Litres

NORTH DARFUR: Jet A1 fuel is in short supply in EL FASHER. However an AU escorted fuel convoy is currently en route.  Otherwise, prices in EL FASHER remained stable throughout the week.

SOUTH DARFUR: Intra-DARFUR flights are back to their normal operating schedule as Jet A1 fuel stocks have been replenished for WFP HAS operations.

WEST DARFUR: Diesel and kerosene prices dropped due to the arrival of a convoy that included fuel tankers.

7. LOGISTICS ASSESSMENT

North Darfur: A joint OCHA-UNJLC mission will travel to TAWILA, about 60 km due west of EL FASHER on Saturday 30 April, visiting Dali and Jebel-Si Camps to determine if IDP’s have returned.  They will also meet with OXFAM in TAWILA town to discuss their future plan of distribution in the area.

West Darfur: NFI needs assessments for IDP populations reported in Gobe, Tendulti and Gozedega (West Darfur) are being planned for next week.

The survey of the roads in West Darfur that will be conducted by ACTED and UNJLC is expected to start in the beginning of May. ACTED has reported that their road rehabilitation project has fallen behind schedule and as a result will now focus on the roads around EL GENEINA before the start of the rainy season.

A general consensus was reached regarding the need for a light vehicle workshop in West Darfur. UN logistics officers have brought the issue to the table at the UN Head of Agencies Meeting as a coordinated action in pursuit of the realization of the project.

8. ONGOING ISSUES

The electricity supply in EL FASHER has improved since last week.  One of the generators has been partially repaired and as a result there is currently 3-4 hours of electricity daily.

The shortage of fuel for the intra-DARFUR helicopter flights remains a challenge for WFP HAS.  They are investigating the possibility of transporting empty fuel drums to NYALA via air.  The drums are currently delayed in PORT SUDAN due to a lack of ground transport.  

The short supply of commercial trucking capacity remains a challenge for all agencies bringing goods in through Port Sudan.  UNJLC recommends that a country-wide assessment of ground transport be conducted.

9. MISCELLANEOUS

Available Connectivity for Selected Locations in Sudan

*Connectivity available under Kenyan Network.