Highlights
The security situation continues to be of concern in the East
May general food distributions the Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad are on-going
WFP needs to pre-position over 30,000 mt of food by end June to ensure sufficient stocks are available in the camps to cover needs of the refugees and IDPs over the rainy season
Considering the long lead time of food deliveries to Chad it is important that donors confirm contributions for WFP operations as soon as possible to ensure that purchases are completed in the coming months and food arrives in Chad by the end of the year.
Security
The security situation is calm throughout the country but tense and of concern in the East. There are continued reports of inter-ethnic attacks, military movements and increased crime committed by armed civilians.
Public services, which have been on strike since the 02 May for an initial period of 2 weeks have decided to extend the strike for another 2 weeks until the end of the month.
The Government of Chad has signed an agreement with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on the demobilization of child soldiers from its national army.
On 07 May, two tornados hit the village of Bébidja in the Logone Oriental Region. The village was completely destroyed and some 15 people were killed and 145 wounded. On 10-12 May, WFP conducted a rapid assessment to identify needs for assistance. It has been assessed that food aid is required from May 2007 to December 2007. Non food items such as tents, mats, and mosquito nets are also required.
Target Population – Sudanese Refugees
General food distributions for the Sudanese refugees for the month of May have been completed in nine of the 12 refugee camps. A total of 3,900 mt of food is being distributed to some 228,000 beneficiaries. In Djabal and Goz Amir refugee camps, general food distributions due to start on 08 May were delayed for two days. Refugees refused to accept maize meal on the grounds that it has no value in the local market. The commodity was changed to wheat.
IRC expressed its concern over water availability in Oure Cassoni refugee camp. Water resources in the camp are low and if rains do not start soon it is likely that there will not be enough water to cover requirements till September 2007.
On 09 May, UNHCR organised training on protection of refugees in Bahai. The main objective of the training was to raise awareness of civilians and military authorities on refugee rights and the status of refugee camps.
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
Some 1,000 newly displaced persons were reported around Guereda by the local authorities. The IDPs are located in Marone village between Mile and Kounoungou refugee camps.
WFP is extending its assistance for the IDPs in eastern Chad to ensure an additional 3 months of food aid from October through December. However the ration may be reduced depending on the outcomes of a rapid crop assessment of the IDP agricultural activities planned in June 2007. This assessment will help WFP to identify the level of self-reliance of the IDPs and their food needs.
Assistance to the Local Population
On 02 May, a meeting was held in Iriba between local authorities and UNHCR, UNICEF and WFP to identify additionnal schools to be covered by the Essential School Feeding Package programme. It was decided to include three new schools (Bakaore, Ourba, and Gaoudji schools). In 2007 a total of 50 schools are planned to be supported with the Essential School Feeding Package programme. Already 43 schools (including the 3 new schools in Iriba) have been agreed upon. An additionnal 7 schools remain to be identified.
Assistance for the local population is also planned through short term asset creating activities should security conditions and partner availability permit it. WFP is making provision to assist some 150,000 Chadians for up to 80 days with 1,800 kcal rations.
Health and Nutrition
In the past week, ACTED conducted a nutritional screening for children under five in the Oure Cassouni refugee camp in Bahai. Findings indicate 6.05 % global acute malnutrition and 0.27 % severe acute malnutraition rates. In comparison last year results, the global malnutrition rate has increased from 5.3 % in 2006 to 6.05% in 2007.
Due to the difficult security situation, nutrition activities in Guereda area are conducted only in two refugee camps: Kounoungou and Mile. For the month of May, WFP provided IMC with some 12 mt of food to meet the needs of 1,400 beneficiaries of mother and child healthacre and therapeutic feeding programmes.
Logistics
WFP Chad needs to pre-position over 30,000 mt of various food commodities by end June to ensure that enough food is in place to cover needs of the refugees and IPDs over the rainy season when roads become impassable and access to most camps is not possible.
WFP Chad is expecting some 14,000 mt of food commodities to arrive through the Libyan corridor in the coming months. To date, about 7,000 mt of cereals have been dispatched from Khufra to Abéché. The additional 7,000 mt is expected to be dispatched by end of May.
Another 7,000 mt of food commodities are expected to arrive in Chad before the rainy season through the Douala corridor. Due to late arrivals in the Douala port and limited transport capacity in Cameroon, arrivals to Chad may be delayed.
Pre-positioning of 5-months food requirements in the refugee camps and the IDP sites is on-going. To date, some 1,400 mt of commodities have been dispatched to the refugee camps and 650 mt transferred to ICRC in Goz Beida for distribution to IDPs. Another 800 mt of food commodities are due to be dispatched to Goz Bagar, Goudiang, and Allacha IDP sites on 16 May.
WFP Humanitarian Air Services
From 03-15 May 2007, the humanitarian air service (WFP-HAS) transported a total of 317 passengers on the Abeche-eastern strips routing (UN 23W), and 477 passengers on the Ndjamena-Abeche routing (UN 21/24W). A total of 2,983 kg of light cargo was transported during that period.
Resourcing & Pipeline
To date, the Emergency Operation (EMOP 10559.0) has received US$ 49.8 million, representing 58 % of the total requirement.
Immediate availability of funds is required for the last three months of the year given the extremely long lead times of food deliveries to Chad. It is important that donors confirm contributions for the EMOP as soon as possible to ensure that purchases are completed in the coming months and food arrives in Chad by the end of the year.
WFP still needs to repay its US$ 5 million IRA loan that was made early 2007 to ensure early purchase and timely arrival of food commodities for pre-positioning for the rainy season.
The Special Operation (SO 10560.0) is currently resourced at 22%. Given the poor state of the roads, this service is critical to enable humanitarian partners to assist Sudanese refugees and IDPs. Additional resources are urgently needed to ensure continuity of the air service.
