Humanitarian situation in Angola: Reporting period 29 Jan - 4 Feb 2001

Highlights

• Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees visits Angola
• Partners plan to close transit centres in Ganda, Benguela Province
• Health sector requires attention in Bailundo, Huambo Province
• New IDPs from Mussende continue to arrive in Malanje Province
• Malnutrition levels stabilise in Uíge and Negage, Uíge Province

General Humanitarian Situation and Assistance

Assistant High Commissioner Visits Angola

The UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner, Mr. Soren Jessen-Petersen, visited Angola from 27 to 29 January as part of an eight-day tour of southern Africa to review UNHCR's programmes for refugees and internally displaced persons in the region. In Angola, Mr. Jessen-Petersen reviewed UNHCR's programme for IDPs, which aims to address the immediate and acute survival and protection needs of approximately 200,000 IDPs in Uíge, Zaire and Luanda Provinces. As part of the mission, the Assistant High Commissioner met with representatives of the Government of the Republic of Angola, the diplomatic community, UN Agencies and NGOs and visited UNHCR-supported refugee and IDP sites in Viana.

Benguela Province: On 31 January, an inter-agency mission including representatives from OCHA, WFP, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Horizonte and ADRA Angola visited Ganda to assess humanitarian conditions and discuss the closure of two transit centres where 96 families are living in sub-standard conditions. Humanitarian partners and Government representatives have agreed to resettle these families in suitable areas during the coming month. According to MINARS, 203 families arrived in Ganda from insecure areas in the Province during January. In addition, 1,568 families (5,165 persons) may require emergency food distributions.

Huambo Province: The Catholic Mission in Bailundo has reported that urgent assistance is needed to meet the needs of the most vulnerable populations in Bailundo, particularly in the health sector. The Mission also recommended that seed distributions take place before the next agricultural campaign.

OXFAM is continuing construction of boreholes at the Lepi resettlement site and expects to complete the project by mid-February. The boreholes will ensure sufficient access to water for approximately 1,000 families at the site.

Huíla Province: During the week, the Ministry of Health (MINSA) released a report on developments in the health sector during 2000. According to the report, the provincial health network consists of five provincial hospitals, two municipal hospitals, 18 health centres and 152 health posts. The report indicates that the health budget for the year exceeded Kz 90 million.

Malanje Province: Displaced persons from Mussende (Kuanza Sul Province) continue to arrive in Cacuso and Cangandala. Humanitarian partners plan to conduct a mission to Mussende in the near future to identify the causes of displacement.

As of mid-February, up to 2,000 persons had returned to Cambaxe from Malanje. Humanitarian partners have expressed concern regarding reports of insecurity and mines in the Cambaxe area. The population has received no assistance in Cambaxe.

Preliminary results from nutritional surveys conducted in Lombe and Cangandala during the last week of January indicate that the nutrition situation is under control in areas accessible to humanitarian actors. However, the arrival of newly displaced persons and recent admissions to Therapeutic Feeding Centres (TFC) and Supplementary Feeding Centres (SFC) in Cangandala, Malanje and Lombe have led to slightly higher rates of global and acute malnutrition than recorded last December. Maternal and under-five mortality rates remain high.

Humanitarian partners remain concerned over the lack of demining capacity in the Province, which is likely to have a negative impact on resettlement activities.

Moxico Province:** The Humanitarian Situation in Angola Report (22 - 28 January) stated that, "On 23 January, the Ministry of Health and Médecins sans Frontières - Belgium (MSF-B) conducted a nutrition survey in Sacassange including 603 recently arrived IDPs from Luchazes. Out of 131 children screened, six were sent to the Supplementary Feeding Centre (SFC) and three to the Therapeutic Feeding Centre (TFC). As a result of the high malnutrition rate, calculated at seven percent, humanitarian partners recommend that food distributions take place immediately." The exercise should have been referred to as a nutrition screening rather than a survey.

Uíge Province: The malnutrition levels reported at TFCs and SFCs in Uíge and Negage have stabilised. In Negage, a slight decrease in attendance has been observed, from 96 to 79 children at the end of January. Attendance at the SFC has decreased by approximately eight percent. Reduction in attendance may be attributed to seasonal fluctuations and to the results of the first harvest.

Humanitarian partners remain concerned about the lack of demining capacity within the Province and with the poor conditions of the road between Uíge and Negage, which continue to hamper the delivery of assistance to vulnerable populations in Negage.

Security

Benguela Province: Surface routes between coastal cities remain insecure.

Bié Province: Insecurity has been reported in the areas of N'Harea, Andulo, Cunhinga, Camacupa, Cuemba, Chinguar and Kuito.

Malanje Province: On 30 January, insecurity was reported close to Dumba Cambango. On 2 February, an attack was carried out against Cambaxe, located 24 km from Malanje. At least six people were killed during the attack.

Uíge Province: On the night of 1 February, armed groups entered the suburb of Candombe Novo in Uíige district. Following the attack, the suburbs of Candombe Velho, Popular and Pedreira were shelled. The attack resulted in five deaths, 57wounded and five abducted girls. In addition, houses were broken into and robbed.

Reports indicate that the area of Mucaba remains insecure.

* The Humanitarian Situation in Angola Report (22 - 28 January) stated that, "On 23 January, the Ministry of Health and Médecins sans Frontières - Belgium (MSF-B) conducted a nutrition survey in Sacassange including 603 recently arrived IDPs from Luchazes. Out of 131 children screened, six were sent to the Supplementary Feeding Centre (SFC) and three to the Therapeutic Feeding Centre (TFC). As a result of the high malnutrition rate, calculated at seven percent, humanitarian partners recommend that food distributions take place immediately." The exercise should have been referred to as a nutrition screening rather than a survey.

NA=C7=D5ES UNIDAS ESCRITÓRIO PARA A COORDENA=C7=C3O D0S ASSUNTOS HUMANITÁRIOS ( OCHA )
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OCHA - Angola
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