CÔTE D’IVOIRE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION DECLINES, AS POLITICAL IMPASSE CONTINUES

CÔTE D’IVOIRE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION DECLINES, AS POLITICAL IMPASSE CONTINUES

NEW YORK, 7 March (OCHA) -- The humanitarian situation in Côte d'Ivoire is worsening, as the political impasse in that country continues, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported today.  The food security situation is critical as families hosting the majority of internally displaced personsare expected to run out of food in many parts of the country by the end of March.  The United Nations is working to stop the spread of communicable diseases, a constant threat, as great numbers of people have been on the move or are in rebel-controlled areas where public services are no longer functioning and are, therefore, without health care.  The safety of civilians caught in armed conflict also remains a serious concern.

The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that in the western areas near Man and Danané, large numbers of people have been displaced by continued fighting in that area, and are in need of emergency food aid.  The WFP reports that people continue to leave the south-western border town of Grabo due to insecurity, despite its having been retaken by government forces in mid-February.  The WFP has also lost warehouse stock to rebel groups in both the north and the west, and is concerned about the security of its remaining warehouses in those areas.

In the health sector, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have received reports of serious measles outbreaks among children in western Côte d'Ivoire and in the bordering Liberian county of Nimba.  The UNICEF is preparing immunization campaigns for children six months to 14 years of age to stave off epidemics.  The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) continues treating thousands of people affected by the conflict through mobile clinics, provision of medical supplies, sanitation interventions, and food and non-food items to extremely vulnerable groups,such as the elderly, indigent, or institutionalized.

As part of the United Nations’ concerns about the safety of civilians caught in Côte d'Ivoire's armed conflict, a team of United Nations human rights and political affairs officials is now on the ground assessing the possibility of setting up a board of inquiry to investigate violations of human rights and international humanitarian law that have occurred during the civil turmoil in Côte d'Ivoire.  For the first time since fighting began in the area in late November 2002, another inter-agency mission was able to visit the towns of Man, Danané, and Zouan Hounien from 21 to 24 February.  The mission reported widespread looting of private homes, public service infrastructure, including hospitals, and businesses.  Though markets are open, hard cash is not circulating and poverty is increasing.  The protection of civilians, especially internally displaced persons and third country nationals, along with the delivery of urgent food aid and medical supplies, will be among the priorities of a follow-up United Nations inter-agency mission to the Man area this week.Bureau de la Coordination des Affaires Humanitaires

Regional Support Office for West Africa  - Bureau Regional d’Appui pour l’Afrique de l’Ouest

PRESS RELEASE

US 15.9 million can avert a massive humanitarian crisis in Cote d’Ivoire and the sub-region

UN agencies and other humanitarian actors, estimate that about 3.9 million persons need assistance and support in terms of shelter, water and sanitation, food, health, education and protection IN Côte d'Ivoire AND THE SUB-REGION during the next three months.

On 21 November 2002, humanitarian agencies in Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivoire launched a Flash Appeal to mobilize US$ 15.9 million to cover from November 2002 to January 2003, the immediate pressing humanitarian needs and to avert a large-scale humanitarian crisis in Côte d’Ivoire and three priority (neighbouring?) countries, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana.

Within Côte d’ Ivoire, just about US$ 7 million are being sought to provide humanitarian assistance to for over 3.4 million beneficiaries targeted for humanitarian assistance out of a total population of 15.3 million people (about 20% of the totaloverall population). In Burkina Faso US$ 1.1 million is needed for some 143,600 vulnerable people,  being targeted, while in Ghana just over US$ 819,500 is needed for about 187,000 people. In addition, US$ 818,800 is being sought for about 95,000 evacuees, transiting populations, asylum seekers and host communities targeted for assistance in Mali. A total of US$ 6 million is needed for relevant regional response capacities.  (This is confusing.  How does it add up to the 15.9 million above?)

The working scenario for this flash appeal assumesthat a  remains a military stalemate will prevail, with the insurgents holding part of the north, while the Government controls the southern portion of the country. national territory. With an interposition force to be deployed shortly as part of within the context of the peace settlement process initiated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), humanitarian organizations are closely monitoring developments and the strain the current crisis is placing on the Ivorian society. This will enable relief organizations to ensure that their operations remain relevant and efficient for those made destitute, homeless or otherwise vulnerable. The number of status quo is expected to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities and multiply the number of people requiring some sort of relief assistance during the next 90 days is expected to increase. .

[Nature of problem:  IDPs, economic disruption, etc.  Then—what the aid community has done so far.  “In the past weeks the aid community in CDI has”…done what to gear up?  Set up new presence in Yamoussoukro, etc….]

The ability of the humanitarian community including national and international actors to address current emergency needs and more importantly to target relief aid so as to avert a massive humanitarian crisis depends on the swift and equitable allocation of resources for the interventions outlined in the appeal and for other initiatives undertaken to complement efforts included in this Inter-Agency Appeal. This sub-regional crisis, stemming from the situation in c

Cote d’iIvoire, represents a unique opportunity for for the implementation of the concept of cconflict prevention as part of an integral component of an integrated response to a humanitarian emergency that has the potential to for become ing a regional humanitarian tragedy of unmanageable proportions.

For further information please contact:

Mrs. Besida Tonwe

Head of OCHA Regional Support Office for West Africa

Tel: (225) 22405170

Cell phone: (225) 07013663

Ms. Rosa Malango

Humanitarian Affairs Officer, OCHA Regional Support Office for West Africa

Tel: (225) 22405171

Cell phone: (225) 07013664