Summary
Content
Dear Logistics Cluster participants,
In this update:
Lebanon update
Follow up on Sri Lanka transport and warehousing services
Operations update on air services in the Central African Republic
Logistics Cluster Mapping and GIS preparedness through UNJLC
Consolidated initiatives table - YOUR INPUT STILL REQUIRED
Word Vision Secondee to the Global Logistics Cluster Support Cell arrived in Rome
Logistics Cluster website launch plan
Upcoming missions and events
**********
The hostilities at Nahr El Bared camp, Lebanon, continue and there is no timeframe for an end. Unfortunately, as the heavy shelling continues, questions are being asked as to what will be left of the camp when it ends. All of the plans at the moment are based on an assumption that some of the homes will be habitable but as each day passes, the situation worsens.
UNRWA has devised a fairly extensive return plan based on certain assumptions that use key partners to undertake the work at hand. Unfortunately, it is now a case of "wait and see" whilst continuing to provide assistance to displaced Palestinians in and around Beddawi camp as well as across the rest of the country. Tensions are high. Lebanese troops killed six militants during a clash near the northern town of Qalamoun (18km South of Tripoli) early on Thursday. As this update is being written, displaced persons are staging a protest march outside Beddawi which is being disbursed by Lebanese forces.
**********
Follow up on Sri Lanka transport and warehousing services: As mentioned in a previous update, the WFP country office in Sri Lanka prepared a budget revision/extension in time until the end of 2007 regarding the on-going Special Operation (SO) entitled "Augmentation of Logistics Preparedness Capacity". It has now been approved and will expand common transport and warehouse services as well as providing means for logistics coordination. Additional 10 x 20-25mts trucks will be secured to supplement the existing fleet of 20 x 12mts trucks and additional temporary warehousing will be assembled.
These services are open to all UN agencies and NGOs and can be offered on a free of charge basis.
**********
Air services in the Central African Republic (CAR): The ongoing crisis in CAR has triggered an increase in humanitarian activity throughout the first half of 2007. During the last two months alone, WFP Humanitarian Air Services (HAS) has registered 16 new NGOs as users of its aircraft services, bringing the total number of frequent users to approximately 60 NGO and UN agencies.
Air services in CAR are required by the humanitarian community due a lack of reliable and security-cleared commercial flights. In addition, the recent killing of a NGO aid worker in the north of CAR and several acts of banditry have further consolidated the need for air travel within the country. To cater for the significant raise in humanitarian presence, HAS aircraft services have augmented their activities.
From January to June 2007, there have been 319 flights carrying 1,072 passengers and nearly 15 mt of humanitarian cargo, including food and other relief supplies. The air services cover nearly the entire country in addition to cross-border flights to Yaoundé (Cameroon) and N'djamena (Chad). With the arrival of Sudanese refugees in the eastern part of the CAR, the flight schedule has been revised to include a new location, Sam Ouandja, which is currently sheltering refugees. At present, HAS is the only available and safe way to reach the location.
For the period between January 2007 and December 2007 the annual funding shortfall is nearly 35%.
**********
Logistics Cluster Mapping and GIS preparedness through UNJLC: CJ Hendrix arrived at UNJLC Rome to fill the role of GIS Operations Coordinator and to strengthen a GIS team of now 4 staff members. His primary role is to increase deployment preparedness through standardisation of procedures and logistics map products to be produced during an operation and to support the GIS component of UNJLC deployments.
The UNJLC GIS Unit is preparing A1 size planning maps (scales 1:2,000,000 to 1:4,000,000) for 24 selected countries. These maps will be ready by 6 July and will be available from maps@unjlc.org (PDF files) and eventually on the Logs Cluster website. Please stay tuned for the list of countries for which maps will be available and the relevant website address.
**********
Please find attached the consolidated Logistics Cluster Initiatives table with all input received to date. This is an ongoing exercise and all organisations' information is required in order to identify similar or overlapping activities, but hopefully also to identify synergies for future collaboration. PLEASE PROVIDE FEEDBACK, COMMENTS AND FURTHER INPUT.
**********
Word Vision Secondee to the Global Logistics Cluster Support Cell arrived in Rome: Anastasia Lubkovskaya joined the Global Logistics Cluster Support Cell, based in WFP Rome offices, on 26 June 2007 for an initial period of 11 months. She is the first of 3 NGO secondees to arrive in Rome, fostering the link with non-UN Logistics Cluster participants. The Support Cell team now consists of representatives from UNICEF, World Vision and WFP; further planned additions include secondees from ACF and CARE.
Anastasia started her work in the humanitarian field with World Vision Russia, Chechnya program. During the last years she worked for World Vision in logistics/commodities in various relief programs including the Bam earthquake, Zimbabwe, the Tsunami in South East Asia and the Pakistan earthquake.
**********
Website Launch: In order to give you proper representation for the launch of the new Logistics Cluster website in July, please submit the logo of your organisation to me by 5 July 2007.
**********
Missions and events:
OCHA Cluster Sector Leadership Training, 2-6 July 2007 in Montreux, Switzerland - attended by Anastasia Lubkovskaya, WVI secondee to Global Logistics Cluster support cell, and Denis Gravel, WFP Emergency Logistics Officer, Logistics Cluster focal point West Africa
IASC Humanitarian Reform Workshop, 5 July 2007 in Conakry, Guinea - attended by Sally Haydock, Head of Logistics, WFP Guinea
IASC Humanitarian Reform Workshop planned in CAR, date to be confirmed as overlapping with Workshop in Senegal (Regional) planned for 9-11 July including CAP Workshop
IASC Humanitarian Reform Workshop planned in Haiti, 16-20 July
Global Logistics Cluster/UNJLC/UNHAS meeting, 10-11 September 2007 in Copenhagen, Denmark
Second Logistics Response Team training planned 22-27 October 2007 in Brindisi, Italy
**********
Please note: Anyone wishing to share information with the global logistics cluster may send an email to me or call the Support Cell to be included in the weekly updates.