U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Current Situation (Updated Daily)

Regional Updates

Northern Iraq

According to the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), the greatest concern facing the Dahuk governorate is a shortage of fuel. The main source of fuel for Dahuk is Mosul, as the governorate does not receive any fuel from Turkey. Gasoline tankers are available to go to Mosul to deliver gasoline to Dahuk. Liquid Propane Gas (LPG) is available from street side vendors in Dahuk. The price for LPG has decreased from 90 Swiss Dinar to 60 Swiss Dinar in the past week. There are two government and four private gas stations in Dahuk. These stations all provide gasoline to government vehicles at no direct cost aside from a 1 dirham service fee. They are limited to a 20-liter maximum per fueling and must be on an approved list. Prior to the conflict, the limit was 46 liters for government vehicles. For private cars, the cost is 10 dirhams per liter and the stations will only sell to cars with Dahuk plates. The Dahuk Oil Company delivers gasoline to these stations from Mosul in a 10,000 liter tanker. Prices in Dahuk are one-third to one-quarter the prices charged in Arbil one week ago.

The United Nations Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq (UNOHCI) reported that, on May 18, the first shipment of medicines and supplies from Kimadia/Baghdad was dispatched to the three northern governorates. Southern Iraq

On May 18, the DART met with international NGOs in Al Hillah. In An Najaf, NGOs have assessed 50 of the governorate's 59 compact water units and found that most need restoration or replacement. In Karbala, it was reported that the governorate's 42 compact water units were in better condition. NGO representatives stated that they did not find any public health emergencies in An Najaf or Karbala governorates. However, people were suffering from preventable, chronic health problems.

On May 17, DART members met with the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) in Al Hillah. The IRCS in Al Hillah stockpiled medicine, equipment, and food in a secret warehouse so that work would not be interrupted as a consequence of the conflict. Their warehouse was not looted since only a few individuals knew where it was located. IRCS is now distributing a small number of food packages to needy residents. This population is identified with the assistance of local mosques and a church in Al Hillah. The IRCS had also been working on providing medical supplies including medicine and medical equipment to the local hospitals and on renovating some of the smaller clinics around Al Hillah. IRCS indicated that sporadic electricity and water supply, poor sanitation, and food shortages were a major concern in Al Hillah.

Sector Updates

Coordination

National Red Cross and Red Crescent societies from the region and beyond are contributing to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)-led movement to meet the most pressing needs of the people of Iraq. As of mid-May, more than 20 national societies provided assistance: the Kuwaiti Red Crescent developed numerous projects in Basra including water, food and medicine distributions, satellite communications, and an operation to reunite family members; the Syrian Red Crescent transported medical equipment and fuel tankers to Basra; and the Bahraini Red Crescent has been distributing clothing, transported medical equipment to Basra, and provided 70 wheelchairs through the ICRC delegation in Kuwait.

Food

According to the DART, the next food shipment to Umm Qasr port is expected to arrive on or about May 20. The M/V Irazou is transporting 14,400 MT of bagged rice. The rice was a previous contract under the Oil-for-Food Program with the authorities given to the U.N. under 1472/76. The World Food Program (WFP) has assumed responsibility for the contract. WFP wants to retain the services of the same stevedoring crew that unloaded the M/V Rise.

The WFP reported concerns over the coalition forces' occupancy of the Ministry of Transportation warehouse in Al Hillah and one of the silos in Karbala. The tight security at the warehouse entrance does not allow more than nine laborers and seven local staff at a time. Only 26 to 30 food agents are allowed to collect food per day. The DART has confirmed that the Marines have vacated the warehouse.

Fuel

According to the UNOHCI, the Ministry of Oil is distributing 3.5 million liters of gasoline imported from Kuwait, Jordan and Turkey. A total of 85 gas stations are operational out of 100 in Baghdad. It is expected that there will be a shortage in the supply of liquid petroleum gas for the next two weeks. As a result, supplies are rationed at a maximum of half a canister per household. On May 18, UNDP started the delivery of fuel to all sewage and water treatment stations in Baghdad. UNDP also plans to truck 120,000 liters of fuel per day to replenish fuel stocks.

Health

International Medical Corps (IMC) reported that a World Airways charter flight carrying medical supplies and equipment landed in Baghdad on May 16. The commodities represent an in-kind contribution that will support programs IMC is implementing under its agreement with USAID/OFDA.

Logistics

U.N. agencies, international organizations and accredited NGOs have been invited to identify their respective requirements for both passenger and cargo service in Iraq. The U.N. Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) is an air transport service established and managed by the WFP. The U.N. Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) will coordinate and monitor priorities set by the Humanitarian Coordination for Iraq (HCI) for the use of UNHAS aircraft during the Iraq operation. The service is available to: organs of the U.N. system, U.N. agencies, bodies, funds and programs, and their implementing NGO partners engaged in humanitarian assistance activities; officials of humanitarian aid donor governments; government officials of host nations directly involved in humanitarian, peacekeeping, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities of the primary host nation sponsored by the U.N.; and any other persons sponsored by the U.N.-approved by the board.

UNOHCI reported that while the border crossings between Iran and Iraq are running smoothly, once inside Iraq, agencies are experiencing delays at several mobile coalition checkpoints between Khosravi and Baghdad.

UNOHCI also stated that the Umm Qasr port is planned to be open for commercial traffic starting May 23 when Stevedoring Services of America will begin operations.

Population Movement

UNOHCI reports that the Danish Refugee Council registered 649 internally displaced persons in the Saad military camp in Ba'aquba (Diyala governorate). The majority (81 percent) is from within Diyala and the vast majority of families came from Khanaqin. IOM reports that the total number of verified IDPs in the 15 center/south governorates stands at 33,757. It is not clear whether these individuals are newly displaced, or part of an older caseload. The full picture of IDPs with host families will emerge as assessments continue and numbers may reduce further.

UNOHCI said it is continuing its efforts to reach an agreement with the Iranian government on transfer arrangements for the Ahwazi refugees who wish to repatriate to Iran, as well as access to border areas where some refugees are still stranded. The number of individuals in No-Man's Land between Jordan and Iraq reached 1,241, the largest group being the 1,146 Iranian Kurds from the Al-Tash refugee camp.

Security

According to the UNOHCI, coalition roadblocks effectively closed the city of Kirkuk for a few hours on May 16 following a grenade attack that injured three Americans. Inter-ethnic violence between Kurds and Arabs erupted on May 17 and resulted in a reported 18 deaths. A security assessment is planned. The coalition has advised against travel to Sinjar district in Ninewa governorate due to tensions following the arrest of a key clansman.

Water and Sanitation

On May 17, DART members visited the R-Zero Water Pumping Station in Al Basrah to review the availability of water supplies to the greater Al Basrah area and to observe the chlorination processes being used at the plant. The plant is supplied with fresh potable water by a 220 km canal that originates near An Nasiriyah. The canal is designed to provide eight cubic meters of water per second (7 million liters daily) to the R-Zero plant, although recent production has been 7 cubic meters per second. The average level of salinity of the water is around 800 TDS, which is high by international standards, but is considered to be good by Iraqi conditions. Approximately 80 percent of the canal water is pumped untreated to eight treatment plants serving one million people in Al Basrah and seven plants outside of the city. Approximately 20 percent of the water is filtered and chlorinated by 25 compact water treatment units situated at the R-Zero Station. Each of these compact units has the capacity to treat 200 cubic meters of water per hour. The water is chlorinated at the level of 3 to 4 parts per million at the outlet of the compact units and again while being held in large concrete storage tanks on the plant premises. The pumping station employees, with the help of UNICEF, are monitoring the chlorination process at the plant, but because of extensive looting of the water quality laboratory no other water tests are being conducted. UNICEF reports that the latest tests show traces of chlorine in 75 percent of the samples taken in Al Basrah, as compared to no traces of chlorine in 90 percent of samples taken two days earlier.

U.S. Government Response (New information is underlined)

Emergency Relief

USAID/OFDA is supporting U.N. and NGO emergency assistance activities through quick-impact projects and IDP support. USAID/OFDA supports projects in the sectors of agriculture, food security, health, logistics, nutrition, shelter, and water/sanitation.

USAID's Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) is providing emergency food commodities through the Emerson Trust and P.L. 480 Title II emergency food assistance to WFP for distribution to food insecure Iraqis. WFP also received a cash contribution from USAID/FFP for the purchase of commodities in the region.

USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) is supporting the implementation of the Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI). The ITI program supports the process of political stabilization and community recovery in post-conflict Iraq by providing small grants designed to build confidence among Iraq's diverse ethnic groups, increase citizen participation in decision-making, and rapidly respond to community needs, while establishing and building trust for long term reconstruction efforts. The ITI program is implemented through Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The Department of State's Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (State/PRM) contributed assistance for the pre-positioning and emergency response activities of UNHCR, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Reconstruction

In addition to the emergency relief assistance provided through the DART by USAID and the Department of State, USAID's Asia and Near East Bureau (USAID/ANE) has provided assistance for reconstruction activities in Iraq in a broad range of sectors. USAID supports reconstruction projects in education, governance, health, infrastructure, and logistics.

Education

In coordination with UNICEF, USAID education private sector partner Creative Associates is assisting the Ministry of Education to conduct an inventory of all 700 schools in Al Basrah. The team will meet with the Director General of education in the Dhi Qar governorate to obtain similar information.

Health

International Medical Corps, a subcontractor to USAID's private sector partner Abt Associates, is establishing a medical supplies and equipment management systems database for tracking all international medical donations, which will then be given to ORHA for shipment approval. A donors committee will approve distribution according to needs.

USAID officials reviewed an English translation of the previous Iraq Public Service Announcements on diarrhea, hand washing and breastfeeding, which were technically incorrect. The announcements are being broadcast nationwide in Arabic on Radio Sawa.

Infrastructure

The survey of wrecked ships at the Port of Umm Qasr is completed, 4 vessels were located and the salvaging schedule is to be determined shortly. Titan, a subcontractor to USAID's private sector partner Bechtel, conducted the survey. In addition, the dredging is proceeding with the current level at 9 meters below the surface. The goal is to reach 11 meters in the near future. The port is divided into two areas called old port and new port. The channel approaching the grain elevators in the new port area is where the dredging is taking place. This is prioritized for humanitarian cargo and will enable faster off-loading of bulk shipments. The old port area is sufficient to handle off-loading of smaller, bagged cargo.

Bechtel and UNDP engineers viewed and assessed four bridges, including the two on the main supply route from Jordan (highway #10), specifically at Ar Rutbah and Al Ramadi, west of Baghdad. The team finalized their mission report and prioritized the repair of the Ar Rutbah bridge, which the engineers declared unsafe. USAID continues to ask CFLCC to reroute traffic through the neighboring town. Bechtel is being authorized to build a temporary by-pass to ensure safe passage across the bridge.

Local Governance

USAID Local Governance private sector partner, Research Triangle Institute (RTI), initiated rapid response grant making activities in the ORHA Southern Sector over the last two days. Valuable support was received from coalition partners, the British and Spanish military, to make this possible. Grant applications were received from prospective Iraqi grantees for activities in Umm Qasr and Al Basrah. In Umm Qasr, RTI grant applications estimated at approximately $100,000 were received from the Umm Qasr town council for rehabilitation work on 21 schools (totaling 7,364 students out of a population of 45,000 citizens). RTI also received a grant application for $300 for transportation services to enable 13 teachers from two rural schools to administer final exams to their students in the Umm Qasr area. This saves the students from losing the entire academic year. In Al Basrah, with the support and cooperation of the British military, the Al Basrah technical secretariat submitted a grant application for approximately $20,000 for rehabilitation work on the Al Ma Primary Care health center and the adjoining Regional Administrative support center, which supports 12 primary care centers serving a population of 50,000. All grant applications will be received on May 19 and 20 and, if appropriate, approved immediately.

RTI will have an initial permanent representative based in Basra on Wednesday May 21, located next to the ORHA South headquarters. The RTI representative is an experienced city manager and will co-chair with a British General, the Al Basrah Technical Secretariat (town council) charged with restoring core public services to Iraq's 3rd largest city.

Background

Since 1991, the Iraqi population has subsisted on the brink of a humanitarian disaster due to the lingering effects of war, sanctions, and drought. Between 1991 and 1996, the U.S. Government provided nearly $794 million in humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons in northern Iraq.

In 1996, the Government of Iraq accepted the U.N. Oil-for-Food Program, after which humanitarian conditions improved. Revenues from the OFF program provided food, medicine, and other civilian goods to assist vulnerable Iraqis through the Public Distribution System. However, widespread corruption by Iraqi officials limited the effectiveness of the OFF program.

On March 20, 2003, Coalition forces began military operations in Iraq. On May 1, 2003, 42 days after the conflict began, U.S. President George W. Bush announced that combat operations in Iraq have ended. Although the recent conflict did not result in the large-scale humanitarian crisis and widespread displacement many had envisioned, the conflict and subsequent disorder has exacerbated the Iraqi population's vulnerable circumstances.

In March 2003, the United States Government deployed a multi-agency Disaster Assistance Response Team to the region to assess and respond to humanitarian needs and to help coordinate the emergency relief effort. In Iraq, the DART has established offices in Al Basrah, Arbil, Baghdad, and Al Hillah. In addition, DART members are located in Kuwait, Jordan, Cyprus, and Qatar and are working closely with U.N. agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations, and in coordination with U.S. Military Civil Affairs personnel.

Other Donor and International Organization Assistance*

*This compilation was drawn from the Department of State tracking of donor government pledged or committed funding. The list may not be comprehensive.
** This total is approximate as the value of donated commodities is not available in some cases.

Public Donation Information

The most effective way people can assist relief efforts is by making cash donations to humanitarian organizations that are conducting relief operations. A list of humanitarian organizations that are accepting cash donations for their activities in the Gulf can be found in the "How Can I Help" section at [www.usaid.gov/iraq].

USAID encourages cash donations because they: allow aid professionals to procure the exact items needed (often in the affected region); reduce the burden on scarce resources (such as staff time, warehouse space, etc); can be transferred very quickly and without transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-stricken region; ensure culturally, dietary, and environmentally appropriate assistance.

General information on making donations and volunteering can be found at:

• USAID: www.usaid.gov/iraq -> "How Can I Help?"
• The Center for International Disaster Information: www.cidi.org or 703-276-1914
• InterAction: www.interaction.org -> "Guide to Appropriate Giving"
• Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community can be found at www.reliefweb.org.

* Factsheets can be obtained from the USAID web site at http://www.usaid.gov/iraq

MAP - USG Humanitarian Assistance and Reconstruction activities in Iraq

(pdf* format - 146 KB)