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Côte d'Ivoire + 3 more

Guinea Humanitarian Situation Report No. 1


January - February 2003
I HUMANITARIAN HIGHLIGHTS

Cote d'Ivoire

The Humanitarian Envoy of the Secretary General, Ms. Carolyn McAskie, visited Guinea from 3-5 February as part of her tour assessing the humanitarian and economic effects of the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire on the sub-region. During the visit, the Humanitarian Envoy held meetings with the Government of Guinea, the UNS, the NGO- and Donor - communities, as well as with ECOWAS Ambassadors. Together with Heads of Agencies, the Humanitarian Envoy traveled to the N'Zerekore region where she met with local authorities and visited entry points at the Guinea - Liberia border to meet with refugees that had just arrived.

The UNS Guinea finalized its Emergency Response Plan to the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, outlining a plan of action in relation to the humanitarian spillover on Guinea from that conflict. The plan has been approved by the Guinean Government and discussed with donors for funding considerations. Discussions are underway with partners to finalize an implementation plan for the Emergency Response Plan.

To date, the Croix Rouge Guineenne and Government authorities have registered more than 82,000 persons arriving at various border entry-points in the country, displaced by the conflict in Cote d'Ivoire. These civilians are divided into Guinean evacuees, prima facie refugees and foreign nationals/migrants in transit. Most persons have arrived at border points along the Guinea - CDI and Guinean-Liberian border, while some 3,000 Guinean evacuees arrived via Government sponsored air and maritime transport in Conakry.

Refugees

The Government has approved the re-location of the Liberian refugees from the Kounkan-camp to camps in Albadaria. The current population in the Kouankan-camp is 33,422 refugees. This fixed facility was originally built to house 9,000, and was extended in 2001 to house 13,500 refugees.

The UNHCR continues to transfer Ivorian and Liberian refugees to the camps of Nonah and Laine respectively. Discussions concerning the extension of the Laine camp are ongoing due to pressing needs for accommodating a rapidly increasing refugee population.

Foreign nationals in transit

The Malian Government has arranged the transport of some 1,000 Malian nationals stranded by the entry-point of Diecke at the Guinean - Liberian border. An acute funding crisis in IOM Guinea has seriously affected the movement of Guinean evacuees and foreign nationals in transit who have arrived in Guinea due to the conflict in Cote d'Ivoire.

II POLITICAL AND SECURITY DEVELOPMENTS

1 National

1.a Political

The presence of large groups of stranded foreign nationals in transit at entry-points in Diecke and Thuo along the Guinea - Liberia border caused local authorities to close again these entry-points, citing security concerns. Although the Guinea - Liberia border has been officially closed for the past two years, certain entry-points have been kept de facto open for humanitarian purposes. A recent increased of influx at these entry-points coincided with an acute funding crisis for IOM Guinea, thus leaving no option for the UN to facilitate the transport of foreign nationals in transit and Guinean evacuees. This situation has caused the accumulation of civilians at volatile border locations compounded by the fact that these people where left without means and in urgent need of basic assistance. The UNS is consulting with Guinean authorities and donors to find a sustainable solution to this obstacle, as it is expected that many more people will need to enter Guinea from Liberia.

The Guinean Electricity Company is currently facing severe difficulties in supplying electricity and water to the population of Conakry as well as to populations in the rural areas. Despite promises by the Minister of Energy and Hydraulique to correct this situation, the power service is still alternatively provided 6 hours per zone every 3 to 4 days, generally between midnight and 06.00. The tension is growing among the population, particularly as informal sources predict that nothing can be done until the onset of the rainy season in June.

1.b Security updates

Conakry: Generally calm. Several demonstrations have occurred in the outskirts of the capital due to the drastic decline in provision of water and electricity over the past six weeks. The authorities allegedly forestalled a general strike scheduled for 10 February.

Forest Guinea: The situation remains calm. However, due to the fluid security situation in both Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire, humanitarian staff operating in the border areas are asked to exert prudence in their interventions.

Upper - Guinea: Students in Kankan launched street-protests against the authorities.

1.c Culture of Peace

During her visit, the Humanitarian Envoy met with the Mano River Union Women's Network to discuss aspects of the Culture of Peace programs being promoted by this group. OCHA Guinea is in the process of developing a community-based program to replicate the non-aggression pact that prevailed in Nzerekore during the September 2000 attacks. This program will use traditional leaders (both men and women) whose cross-border extended networks could help in deterring possible violence in border areas between Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire. The draft project document is being reviewed prior to submission to the donors-community.

2 Sub-regional

2.a Political

Recent developments in Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia are being watched closely, while the preparations for an increased humanitarian influx continue between the UNS, NGO partners and the Government of Guinea.

2.b Security updates - NTR

III HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES

1 Refugees

1.a Influx

From the 19th of September 2002 until February 1, 2003, the Croix Rouge Guineenne registered some 82,000 persons arriving in Guinea due to the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire. Of these, 53,500 were Guinean evacuees, 16,953 were Ivorian and Liberian prima facie refugees, and 12,193 were foreign nationals in transit. The UNS and NGO partners are offering basic assistance in reception centres at the main entry-points, as well as at transit centres located further inland. UNHCR has transferred some 3,500 Liberian and 3,148 Ivorian refugees to the camps of Laine and Nonah. It should be noted that the discrepancy between the number of Ivorians registered at entry points and those transferred to the Nonah camp is caused by the large number of Ivorians either merely transiting via Guinea to return to Abidjan from Conakry or residing with host-families along the border.


Refugee influx as per 19 February 2003 - Data provided by UNHCR Guinea
N'ZEREKORE
KISSIDOUGOU
Periode
Kouankan
Kola
Nonah
Laine
Sub-Total
Kountaya
Boreah
Télikoro
Sub-Total
Total
LBR
SLE
LBR
SLE
LBR
ICO
LBR
LBR
ICO
SLE
LBR
SLE
LBR
SLE
LBR
SLE
LBR
SLE
Report Dec 02
19,849
73
821
14
18
2,188
7,793
28,481
2,188
87
2,171
425
682
13
1,531
48
4,384
486
35,626
January 03
6
735
1,713
1,719
735
185
209
8
394
8
2,856
February
225
294
294
225
217
3
217
3
739
March
-
-
-
-
-
-
April
-
-
-
-
-
-
May
-
-
-
-
-
-
June
-
-
-
-
-
-
July
-
-
-
-
-
-
August
-
-
-
-
-
-
September
-
-
-
-
-
-
October
-
-
-
-
-
-
November
-
-
-
-
-
-
December
-
-
-
-
-
S/Total
19,849
73
827
14
18
3,148
9,800*
30,494
3,148
87
2,356
425
682
13
1,957
59
4,995
497
39,221
TOTAL
33,729
5,492
*According to NGO partners operating in the field this figure is now 11,000 - 12,000.



2.b Refugee Repatriation


Refugee repatriation per 19 February 2003 - Data provided by UNHCR Guinea
Period
Camp of Origin
Total
Sembakounya
Kountaya
Boreah
Telikoro
Others
Report Dec 02
1,600
10,199
4,077
4,855
933
21,664
January 03
383
901
644
358
23
2,309
Until 19 February 03
153
346
454
425
38
1,416
Total
2,136
11,446
5,175
5,638
994
25,389

The UNHCR Guinea is aiming at repatriating some 34,000 Sierra Leonean refugees by the end of June 2003. The opening in March 2003 of a new route in the Languette, connecting Guinea and Sierra Leone with a footbridge is expected to expedite the repatriation process.

2.c Refugee Care and maintenance

Relocation of Liberian refugees from the Kuankan camp to Albadaria

The Guinean Government has authorized the relocation of Liberian refugees from the Kounkan refugee-camp to camps in the Albadaria area.

Since August 2002 the UNS Guinea has been working with the Government examining the options for relocating Liberian refugees currently residing in the camp. The decision for this action was based on informal reports of increased strain placed on the refugees, mainly caused by the deterioration of the security and safety conditions of this camp as well as general overcrowding. Presently, the camp is hosting some 33,000 refugees while originally built for 9,000, and being extended to hold 13,500 in 2001.

The UNHCR reports that the budget and operational plans are in place, and that a starting date will be agreed upon shortly. To help facilitating a smooth implementation of the relocation process, UNHCR has also launched a sensitization campaign in the Kouankan camp. UNHCR foresees to complete the relocation operation by the end of June 2003.

Laine refugee camp

Discussions between the UNS and the Guinean Government concerning the extension of the Laine refugee camp, holding Liberian refugees are ongoing. While initially built to house 6,000 persons, the Laine camp is now holding 11,000 - 12,000 persons, according to humanitarian partners operating in the field. Additionally, there is a concern that certain areas of the camp located between the hills will be flooded with the onset of the rainy season next months, placing further stress on the refugees residing there.

2.d Refugee Protection: NSTR

3 IDPs

3.a IDP Movements: NSTR

3.b IDP Assistance: NSTR

4 Host communities

The UNS Emergency Response Plan to the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire is planning for some 88,000 persons to be affected as host-communities by the influx of refugees and Guinean nationals from the ongoing crisis. Multi-sector interventions by several UN agencies have been proposed under the 2003 CAP to alleviate the already heavy burden placed upon these communities for so many years. They include emergency school feeding, food for seeds protection programs, emergency supplies of seeds, immunization campaigns, child mortality reduction programs, programs to prevent child malnutrition and the promotion of culture-of-peace programs.

5 Health

5.a At the end of January the Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of yellow fever in the prefecture of Macenta, with cases also reported in the Youmou prefecture. Together with the WHO and NGO partners a vaccination campaign was launched in the Macenta prefecture, and may subsequently be extended to the rest of the Forest Guinea region. By mid-February, some 581,000 persons out of a total population of 605,000 had been vaccinated against yellow fever in the Macenta prefecture.

5.b HIV/AIDS - NTR

IV COORDINATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING

1 Strategic level

Emergency response plan

Following the inception of the CDI crisis, OCHA established an inter-agency working group to assess the situation and prepare a response that specifically addresses new needs emerging from this situation. As a result of the proceedings of the working group, an Inter-Agency Emergency Response Plan for the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire was finalized, and later approved by the Government of Guinea prior to submission to the donor-community on January 23. The plan consolidates agency agreements on planning figures, target populations, nature and type of interventions, existing resources and capacities as well as outlining complementarities among involved actors. The main projected beneficiaries are Guinean evacuees, host-communities, refugees and foreign nationals in transit. To foster the implementation of the plan, OCHA is now heading a UN/NGO working group to provide practical and operational responses deriving from the Emergency Response Plan and meetings were held accordingly.

The OCHA Field office in N'Zerekore has continued its coordination efforts with humanitarian partners and local Government authorities in the area. This includes the coordination of the establishment of ad-hoc reception facilities at the Baala and Dieke entry points along the Guinea - Liberia border, where there were sudden surges in influxes of mainly foreign nationals in transit and Guinean evacuees. These operations involved UNICEF, WFP, MSF-CH, Premiere Urgence and ACF. Furthermore, the field-office has participated in various joint missions to border-points and reception facilities along both the Guinea - Liberia and the Guinea - Cote d'Ivoire borders to evaluate the situations there.

The OCHA Field-office has established an information-sharing mechanism outlining recent activities of humanitarian partners operating in the Guinea Forestière region. The newsletter is distributed monthly among the involved organizations.

To raise urgent fund for the transport of Guinean nationals and foreign nationals in transit, the UNS and IOM approached bi-laterally with donors concerning the need for finding a sustainable solution to the swift transportation of these groups upon arriving at entry-points.

2 Sectoral level

In consultation with OCHA and the UN agencies, the Humanitarian Coordinator is proposing to redesign the strategic framework for humanitarian coordination in Guinea. This approach, currently at the draft level, will seek to reinforce the work of the existing five sectoral groups through recommendations emanating from the Comite National de Suivi de l'Action Humanitaire (CNSAH) composed of the Government, the UNS, donors and technical Ministries.

3 Capacity building

OCHA continues to provide support to the Service National d'Action Humanitaire (SENAH) at both national and regional levels. The OCHA Field-office has conducted field-missions with the Bureau Regional d'Action Humanitaire in N'Zerekore.

4 Information management

The Information Manager has been permanently transferred to the OCHA Regional Support Office for West Africa in Abidjan.

5 Transition from relief to development

The influx of Guinean nationals from CDI requires that further attention and resources be developed to ensure proper integration of these civilians into host communities. OCHA will reactivate consultations held with UNDP, the World Bank, the EU and the IMF that spanned from October to December 2001 on the subject of transition and will revisit a concept paper prepared for this purpose in November 2001.

V FUNDING UPDATE

1 CAP 2003 funding

As of 18 February 2003, the Guinea Consolidated Appeals 2003 (US$ 54,083,515) has received funding of US$ 86,356 according to Relief Web. The amount is equivalent to 0,2% of the total requirements and was received by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The lack of funding is critical, with extra costs being added on humanitarian operations due to the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire. Aside from the incumbent appeal, the UNS Guinea has an additional plea for US$ 3,140,665 to cover added expenses related to the Cote d'Ivoire crisis.

Financial Tracking

For further reporting, agencies and donors may use the financial tracking system found on www.reliefweb.int. The latest Financial Tables can at any time be viewed on-line at www.reliefweb.int/fts

VI OTHER ISSUES

VII RELATED DOCUMENTS AND LINKS

Maps

Maps of Guinea and humanitarian activities in the country are available online at www.reliefweb.int.

Previous Humanitarian Situation Reports for Guinea

Previous Humanitarian Situation Reports for Guinea can be downloaded from www.reliefweb.int, or ordered electronically from OCHA (please use below contact information).

Early warning and conflict prevention

Havard University CPI: http://www.preventconflict.org/portal/economics/portalhome.php

http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/Africa.asp

Carnegie Publications on-line: http://wwics.si.edu/subsites/ccpdc/frpub.htm

West Africa Network for Peace-building: http://www.wanep.org

Please note that parts of the information above has been kindly provided by the Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN). In order to receive daily Guinea updates via email, users may subscribe to IRIN on www.reliefweb.int/IRIN

To be included on or taken off the distribution list for the monthly Humanitarian Situation Reports for Guinea, or to contribute to next month's report, kindly contact OCHA on sune.gudnitz@undp.org

With the exception of public UN sources, reproduction or redistribution of the above text, in whole, part or in any form, requires the prior consent of the original source.

Disclaimer: UN OCHA does not necessarily share the opinions expressed in this documents. Inclusion of links to sites outside the United Nations website www.un.org does not imply endorsement of the contents of those sites.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact the information officers at OCHA Guinea:

Ms. Madeleine Maka Kaba
E-mail: madeleine.maka@undp.org
Tel: (012) 66 30 86

Mr. Sune Hjelmervik Gudnitz
E-mail : sune.gudnitz@undp.org
Tel: (012) 66 30 37

Disclaimer

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To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.