Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP): Humanitarian Appeal 2005 for Chad

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The deteriorating political and security situation in Sudan has resulted in a large-scale influx of refugees into Chad from Darfur. The refugee influx has impacted the demographic, environmental, political and security situation in Chad.

During the last sixteen (16) months, some 200,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in Darfur have arrived in eastern Chad. In September 2004, with the assistance of the United Nations Agencies (UN) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), 185,000 people were registered and settled into 11 camps. These refugees join 30,000 refugees originating from the Central African Republic (CAR), who have been residing in the areas of Grand Sido and Nya Pendé in the south of the country.

In the absence of reliable data (the last census was in 1993), the overall impact of this influx on the local population is difficult to fully evaluate. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has therefore, proposed to conduct a census of the local population in the affected zones.

In the already fragile environment of eastern Chad, the arrival of an additional 200,000 people has resulted in growing tensions between the refugees and the local population as the two groups increasingly compete for scarce water, food and land. Access to basic services is also limited as are livelihood opportunities for young people. These factors combine with regional instability, cross-border trafficking of weapons and the poor rainfall during 2004, to endanger economic and political stability in eastern Chad as well as the country as a whole.

Unless the conflict in western Sudan is resolved, new waves of refugees must be anticipated. This additional demographic pressure would exacerbate the already precarious security and humanitarian situation, including increased food insecurity.

Within this context, humanitarian priorities in Chad during 2005 include:

• To ensure essential needs of the refugee population are addressed;
• To ensure essential needs of the local population affected by the influx of refugees are addressed;
• To increase the international community's awareness of the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Chad.

The priority sectors identified for humanitarian action in 2005 are:

• Water;
• The environment;
• Agriculture, animal rearing and food security;
• Protection and the respect of Human Rights;
• Supporting basic services, health and education.

The strategy and supporting projects to address these priority needs were elaborated during sector workshops held in Chad during September 2004. These workshops brought together various humanitarian actors as well as local government representatives. An inter-agency and governmental mission carried out in September in the areas of Wadi-Fira, Ouaddaï and Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti (BET) further elaborated and confirmed conclusions from the workshops.

The Consolidated Appeal (CAP) for Chad in 2005 totals US$ 182,691,840 to implement 64 projects proposed by eleven (11) UN Agencies and nine (9) NGOs, which will work in close collaboration with local authorities.

2. 2004 IN REVIEW

2.1 The Context and Its Humanitarian Consequences

Escalating violence in western Sudan, beginning in April 2003 has profoundly impacted the whole region. On 7 May 2004, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Humans Rights (OHCHR) presented a report to the Security Council revealing violations of Human Rights, consisting of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The report indicated evidence of abuses committed by the Sudanese Government and the Janjaweed militia including forced displacements, assassination of civilians and rape. The violence in Darfur including attacks by the Janjaweed in the border areas between Sudan and Chad, has driven thousands of people from their homes into eastern Chad.

Exacerbating external pressures, the situation in Chad during 2004 has been characterized by various periods of instability. A failed coup took place on 16 May and ten days later, the Chadian Parliament voted to amend the constitution to allow President Idriss Deby stand for a third term. Much needed improvements to infrastructure and in the health and education sectors may be compromised as anticipated oil revenues and income from the pipeline project, which will carry oil from Chad to the coast of Cameroon, is diverted to cover costs associated with the refugee crisis.

The UN estimates that approximately 200,000 people have fled into eastern Chad as a result of the Darfur crisis. Although the flow has tampered considerably, refugees continued to arrive. The resulting demographic pressure on an already fragile environment is destabilising the economic and social situation for the local population.

In Wadi-Fira, Ouaddaï and BET large numbers of refugees are living in camps along side a local population confronted with severe deficiencies in health, water and sanitation systems. During the May to October rainy season, many communication channels were closed and a large portion of the territory was inaccessible, which in turn increased health risks for both vulnerable local and refugee populations. For example, outbreaks of Hepatitis E occurred in the south-east of the country where 35 people died and a total of 31,077 cases were recorded.

To overcome logical constraints and reach beneficiaries, humanitarian organizations needed to establish alternative transportation routes and add air capacity, which has translated into higher programming cost. To effectively respond, UNHCR organised 39 flights originating from Europe, Tanzania, and Pakistan, to deliver non-food items (NFI) during the period from January to August 2004. Three planes are currently providing transport for personnel as well as humanitarian assistance. In addition, the French Army based in Chad has made aeronautical resources available for humanitarian operations.

Establishing alternate land routes was also necessary to reach distribution points. On September 9th, the first World Food Program (WFP) convoy of food aid, originating from Libya arrived in Bahiai in north-eastern Chad. Leaving the port of Benghazi on the Mediterranean on 16 August, this convoy crossed 2,800 km of desert over a 25-day period.

In addition to enormous logistic challenges, Chad is plagued by both internal and external security problems. Internally, the country has experienced some thirty years of political-military instability, which has cultivated a host of problems including: proliferation of light weapons; increasing levels of banditry and criminality; armed rebellion; and risks associated with land mines and unexploded ordnances (UXO). External threats including cross-border raids by the Janjaweed militia and growing tensions between refugee and host communities are fuelling additional insecurity.

There have also been a number of incidents in which local community frustration was directed at the humanitarian community including a violent incident in July 2004 in which two aid workers were injured. To address immediate security concerns, UNHCR signed an agreement with the Chadian Government to deploy 180 police including 20 women, into refugee camps. In addition, France, which maintains a permanent military presence in the country, has sent 200 soldiers to support security efforts in the east of the country.

To effectively respond to humanitarian needs in Chad, the UN system must address the challenges associated with the hostile physical environment and poor infrastructure. Insecurity, which includes criminality affecting the whole country as well as insecurity stemming from the Darfur crisis, must also be tackled.

Despite significant access and security constraints, living conditions for the refugees who have been relocated from border areas to camps have improved considerably. According to UNHCR statistics, the majority of the refugees had received basic shelter materials and camp indicators were approaching minimum standards in water and sanitation and mortality rates are improving. For example as of 26 September 2004, each refugee was provided with an average of 12.06 litres of water per day; one latrine was available for every 88 persons and morality was at .4 per 10,000.

2.2 Financial Aspects

The Chad 2004 CAP initially requested US$ 30.1 million. UN Agencies and international NGO programming was aimed at supplementing humanitarian assistance provided by the Chadian Government in the sectors of agriculture, education, health, water and sanitation, protection and co-ordination.

As the situation continued to deteriorate, CAP requirements were revised to enable organisations to better address the needs of a growing number of refugees as well as to offset higher than anticipated costs associated with providing assistance in an environment fraught with logistical and structural problems. The revised 2004 CAP totalled US$ 166 million, of which US$ 129,430 603 or 78.2% of the appeal had been funded as of 22 October 2004.

2.3 Lessons Learned

Close and constructive dialogue with local authorities is essential to ensure effective support and developing local capacities to coordinate field operations. Given the growing number of humanitarian partners and the complexity of the situation, a common information system managed through a database was needed. Information sharing and agreeing common strategies within the humanitarian community was essential in prioritising needs and avoiding duplication of efforts.

Despite the underlying insecurity in the area, the UN was able to provide a relatively secure environment for staff as well as for the other actors, due to strict adherence to security regulations. New developments must however, be carefully monitored to ensure programme implementation is balanced against necessary safety precautions.

The population increase in eastern Chad led to growing competition for access to scare natural resources such as wood, water and land. This competition generated tensions between refugees and host communities and in some cases has resulted in acts violence targeted at refugees.

At the same time, the human, technical and financial resources which flowed into the underdeveloped area of eastern Chad were initially targeted at addressing the basic needs of a growing number of refugees. Initially, the local population, which had accommodated and shared scarce resources with refugees, were largely uncovered by this assistance, further fuelling tensions. It is therefore, essential that programmes within the 2005 CAP address needs of vulnerable groups of refugee as well as local populations to ensure a balanced, effective operation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Table I - Total Funding Requirements by Organisation and by Sector

2. 2004 IN REVIEW

2.1 The Context and Its Humanitarian Consequences
2.2 Financial Aspects
2.3 Lessons Learned

3. THE 2005 COMMON HUMANITARIAN ACTION PLAN

3.1 The Context and Its Humanitarian Consequences

• 3.1.A The Context
• 3.1.B. Humanitarian consequences

3.2 Scenarios
3.3 Strategic priorities for humanitarian response

3.4 Response Plans

• 3.4.A Agriculture and Economic Recovery and Infrastructure
• 3.4.B Coordination and Support Services
• 3.4.C Environment
• 3.4.D Education
• 3.4.E Family Shelter and Non Food Items
• 3.4.F Food
• 3.4.G Health
• 3.4.H Mine Action
• 3.4.I Protection / Human Rights / Rule of Law
• 3.4.J Multi-Sector (Refugee Assistance)
• 3.4.K Safety and Security of Staff and Operations
• 3.4.L Water and Sanitation

4. STRATEGIC MONITORING PLAN
5. CRITERIA FOR PRIORITISATION OF PROJECTS

Table II. - List of projects by organisation
Table III. - List of projects by sector

ANNEX I. RESPONSE TO CAP 2004
ANNEX II. ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS OF THE CONSOLIDATED APPEAL

THE PROJECT FILES CAN BE FOUND IN THE VOLUME "PROJECTS"

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