In Liberia, the humanitarian situation continues to improve steadily, facilitated by the progressive strengthening of humanitarian coordination mechanisms and capacities. It was decided that the IDP repatriation process will be halted from 5 October until 19 October to allow IDPs to vote during election time. As of 26 September, a total of 221,828 IDPs had received return assistance from the humanitarian community. The IOM continued to register vulnerable IDPs and to facilitate the trucking of groups back to their communities of origin. Monitoring within return communities is ongoing in order to identify protection issues. Repatriation convoys continue to come from Guinea into Nimba and Lofa Counties and 39,851 returnee refugees have come home through the voluntary repatriation operation.
The Humanitarian Coordination Section advocated the coordination of resources by stakeholders for immediate intervention in response to the Tojallah Town, Grand Gedeh County Cholera outbreak at the beginning of the month. The outbreak left four people dead and eight seriously ill. Negotiations and advocacy were also made to relevant partners for long term approaches to prevent similar occurrences in the area and surrounding villages. ICRC began construction of family latrines and hygiene promotion in the town. Projects to construct community latrines and hand pumps in the same area are under way.
September saw the beginning of the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) which aims to mobilize resources, to coordinate programme implementation, to ensure joint monitoring and evaluation, and finally to report the results. The Humanitarian Coordination Service is responsible for the annual preparation of the consolidated appeal document. The document is launched globally each November to enhance advocacy and resource mobilisation.
The Humanitarian Coordination Section participated in a joint assessment mission to Sapo National Park during the reporting period. Sapo National Park completed evacuation of illegal settlers and miners between 18 to 22 August 2005. During the assessment, a meeting was held chaired by RRR to review the success, failure, challenges and next steps forward in the Team's joint efforts to provide socio-economic services to rehabilitate the communities bordering the National Park. The meeting also stressed the need for a development strategy to promote the sustainable protection of Sapo from illegal inhabitants and to encourage the population to take care of the Park.
Operational challenges facing the new section remain consistent. The staffing issue, however, continues to improve, and September saw the arrival of another international team member to assume the role of Humanitarian Area Coordinator in Tubmanburg, Bomi County. The appalling conditions of the roads, bridges and culverts are hampering refugee and IDP returns as well as the movement of election materials. Essential coordination mechanisms continue to be developed and improved, including Sectoral Working Group Meetings which is helping to strengthen partnership and provide guidance for effective service delivery in the field.