Summary
Content
Highlight
- Contingency planning for the 2010 hurricane season is currently ongoing. Activities include coordination of emergency response measures with the Directorate for Civil Protection of Haiti, UN organizations, NGOs, MINUSTAH and other military actors.
- The Logistics Cluster (LC) is conducting evaluation missions in high risk areas within Haiti to assess the status of critical logistics assets and infrastructures: roads, bridges, ports, warehouses. Representatives from the GIS unit will be travelling in the next coming weeks to these priority areas. The acquisition and compilation of timely and accurate geographic information on the status off logistical assets and infrastructures will be used to produce comprehensive maps that will be made available to the humanitarian community.
Security
- Haiti is in UN Security Phase 3. The overall security situation in Haiti has become volatile, with sporadic anti-government demonstrations by the political opposition. A recent rekindling of criminal violence has also provoked renewed concerns.
- On 24 May, five demonstrations were reported. The most serious demonstration occurred chiefly in front of the National Palace, drawing students from the Ethnology University and IDPs from the camp on the Champ de Mars.
- Two kidnappings have been reported. On 21 May in Port-au-Prince, unknown abductors kidnapped a one-year-old girl from her parents’ house. In the second abduction on 23 May in Port-de-Paix, a four-year-old boy was kidnapped by persons unknown.
Border Crossing and Customs
- The Ministry of Finance waiver granted at the onset of the emergency in order to streamline the importation of humanitarian aid expired at the end of April. Discussions are currently being held with the Government for the extension of the waiver.
Logistics Coordination
- Given that a number of issues/requests/problems that emerged during the first months of the Earthquake response have now been solved, Port-au-Prince Logistics Cluster meetings have changed its frequency. There are now two-weekly meetings on Tuesdays at Log Base, WFP Meeting Tent. When required, LC meetings will be dedicated to specific topics of interest (i.e. emergency preparedness).
- A Technical Agreement is currently being finalised with the Haitian Department of Civil Protection. The agreement will set the framework for WFP/DPC collaboration on issues such as: emergency response to natural disasters, logistics, update of road maps and capacity building programmes.
Civil Military Coordination
- On Thursday 20 May, the MINUSTAH-U3 branch gave a presentation in Gonaives on the Military Plan for natural and man-made disasters. During the briefing, key representatives from the Humanitarian Community and GoH were able to give suggestions and express their opinions regarding the plan. In particular, Logistics Cluster representatives shared with meeting participants the outcome of an assessment mission conducted in Gonaives. Feedback provided by LC on the status of logistics assets and infrastructure in the region, will be integrated into the MINUSTAH Contingency Plan for Gonaives.
- A second assessment mission was conducted by WFP/LC to Cap Haitien to evaluate logistics assets and infrastructures (roads, bridges, warehouses). Information gathered will be shared with the MInustah CRO for Cap Haitien.
- Through the Joint Operations and Tasking Centre (JOTC) located in Port-au-Prince humanitarian organisations can continue to place requests for Military and Civil Defence Assets (i.e Logistics, Security, Escorts, Engineering) in support of their relief activities. The Logistics Cluster and WFP security worked together to review and streamline WFP's internal procedure to submit MCDA requests. An inbox was created to centralise all MCDA-related queries and requests. Haiti.MCDArequest@wfp.org.
Air Operation
- Air assets: 1 caravan C208, 1 helicopter 1 Mi17, 1 410 (19 seats) or 1700 KG cargo to arrive by June.
- As of 25 May, total cargo delivered by LC: 794 MT approx.
Hubs - Infrastructure and storage
- The LC in Santo Domingo has put together a comprehensive list of customs agents, shipping agents, transporters, freight forwarders, storage options, available to partners after Cargo movements for the international common trucking service between Dominican Republic and Haiti ended on 30 April. The list is available on the LC website: http://www.logcluster.org/ops/hti10a/transport_and_forwarding_companies_in_santo_domingo/view
- As the volume of cargo stored in inter-agency facilities is likely to decrease, there might not be the need for maintaining current levels of storage capacities. Therefore, LC is considering the possibility of closing Cluster 1 warehouse within a two-month timeframe. However, this will not affect services currently being provided to partners.
Transport Sector
ROAD
- Provision of over 70 trucks providing transport services within Haiti to all many destinations, of which, some are very remote requiring very specialized off-road. Fleet capacity provided by the Cluster and operated by Handicap International/Atlas Logistique. Another 20 Clinton Trucks expected within the next 2 weeks.
- 824 MT / 4,167 cu m, were moved by the Interagency Fleet during 1 – 26 May.
- CMRs for the international common trucking service between Dominican Republic and Haiti, as well as associated common storage, ended on 30 April. 49 Trucks are still pending arrival (40 are currently located at the Jimani border; 9 are being loaded).
- 50 pick-up trucks made available by the Clinton Foundation to the humanitarian community are currently being allocated.
SEA
- A 3-month contract was signed for a barge to come on charter at the beginning of June. This will mean that in the case of road failure, access to disaster-prone areas will be possible via sea to northern coastal areas and southern coastal areas. This will serve as a re-supply route for forward bases and will be available for inter-agency use.
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