Summary
Content
1. Permission for humanitarian cargo to cross the Kenya/Somalia border appears to be carried out on an ad hoc basis. While general border closure has remained in effect for the past seven weeks, a few transporters have in the meantime received authorisation to cross with humanitarian cargo.
2. Border crossings have been reported from Liboy on a number of occasions over the past two months. Also, on 9 February, 39 WFP-contracted trucks with 1,122mt of food crossed at El Wak into Somalia, as did consignments of NGOs such as COSV with 162mt of UNIMIX last week. On 18 February, 7 trucks with some 100mt of UNICEF NFIs passed at Mandera.
3. However, local authorities continue to maintain vis-a-vis other organisations that no movement neither into Somalia nor into Kenya can take place. For example, a CARE consignment of almost 10,000mt of food is still waiting to cross at Mandera.
4. Concern is increasing amongst agencies affected by the border closure and resulting transport delays that sufficient humanitarian relief items will not be able to be prepositioned in Somalia as planned in preparation of the next rainy season in the spring.
5. WFP is planning to load another 2,000mt of food in El Wak next week.
6. Advocacy efforts with the Government of Kenya continue for open humanitarian access into Somalia.