UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES APPEAL FOR $259 MILLION IN EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR IRAQ

UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES APPEAL FOR $259 MILLION

IN EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR IRAQ

Amount Needed to Make Up Shortfall

In Funding for Humanitarian Aid to Iraq in 2003

At this morning’s launch of the revised Inter-agency Humanitarian Appeal for Iraq, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette said that $259 million was needed for United Nations humanitarian assistance to the people of Iraq and for emergency rehabilitation in the country. 

Following the launch of the Flash Appeal for Iraq on 28 March for $2.2 billion, $1.1 billion had been made available from the “oil-for-food” programme, and donors had pledged $870 million within three months.  Today, United Nations agencies were requesting the remainder -- $259 million, or 12 per cent -- for 2003.

According to the executive summary of the Appeal, the revised text presents the net requirements of the United Nations over the next six months for humanitarian assistance and emergency rehabilitation, particularly interventions that would help restore the provision of essential services.  It also reflects adjusted requirements and new priorities that have emerged since the launch of the Flash Appeal.  Assistance under the appeal will complement the activities of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), which bears the primary responsibility for the welfare of the Iraqi people, it states.

Ms. Frechette said that, thankfully, many of the planning assumptions on which the original Flash Appeal had been based had not materialized, in particular, large-scale displacements inside Iraq or to neighbouring countries.  The conflict and its aftermath, however, had resulted in a wide range of urgent of humanitarian needs.  Indeed, the Flash Appeal had been an essential vehicle for early and generous funding, enabling the United Nations to mount a timely and robust response, but much work remained, requiring an infusion of additional resources. (For a transcript of her remarks, please see Press Release DSG/SM/200 of 23 June.)

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Kenzo Oshima, said the revised appeal was the second largest inter-agency appeal, after the one for Afghanistan.  Thanks to generous donor support and more than $1 billion in resources from the oil-for-food programme, the food aid requirements had already been fully funded.  Assistance related to non-anticipated events, such as the widespread looting and emergency repairs to water and sewage systems, however, added to existing needs in such areas as education, mine clearance and programmes in support of the dignified and orderly return of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Ramiro Lopez da Silva, said that, at the onset of the conflict in March, Iraq was already a country in distress, owing to years of sanctions, wars and a repressive Government.  During the active phase of conflict, damage to the infrastructure had been relatively light, but the power vacuum created by the end of the regime and the subsequent lawlessness had rendered the situation challenging.  Coalition military personnel in all areas had proven to be willing and cooperative interlocutors for United Nations agencies, but there was no substitute for civil administration and the establishment of a local presence. 

After the opening remarks, a short videotape was shown on the provision of United Nations assistance to Iraq.  That was followed by a closed session, which was expected to include a question-and-answer segment between representatives of the Authority and Member States and representatives of United Nations Agencies.  A closed working level meeting on the Appeal and transition to reconstruction of Iraq would take place today from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Conference Room 6.

Statements

Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations LOUISE FRÉCHETTE said the revised Humanitarian Appeal for Iraq was requesting an additional $259 million for the remainder of 2003 for United Nations humanitarian assistance to the people of Iraq and emergency rehabilitation in the country.  Thankfully, many of the original planning assumptions, on which the original flash Appeal three months ago was based, had not materialized, in particular large-scale displacements inside Iraq or to neighbouring countries.

Nevertheless, she continued, the conflict and its aftermath had resulted in a wide range of urgent of humanitarian needs.  Many other requirements had only emerged during and after the conflict, in particular the widespread looting and destruction of hundreds of public facilities.  On the other hand, the United Nations was now in a position to support the orderly and dignified return and reintegration of refugees and internally displaced persons.

In retrospect, she said, the Flash Appeal had been an essential vehicle for early and generous funding.  About $870 million -– 40 per cent of the requirements -– had been contributed or pledged within three months.  That donor funding was necessary to complement the “oil-for-food” programme.  Thanks to Security Council resolution 1472 (2003), agencies had had access to about $1.1 billion in emergency supplies and funds from the programme.  Therefore, almost $2 billion in total had been available, and United Nations agencies had been able to play a crucial role in averting a potential crisis.

Those achievements included cross-border shipments of more than 800,000 metric tons of food by the World food Programme since 30 March.  Food rations were now being distributed throughout Iraq.  Millions of litres of fresh water were being delivered every day to hospitals and communities in Baghdad and the south.  United Nations agencies had delivered medical supplies, and had repaired water, sewage and power facilities.  They were clearing mine fields and unexploded ordnance.  They were also distributing school-in-the-box kits to 400,000 primary school children before the end of the school year.

However, there was still much work to be done and more resources needed, she said.  The Coalition Provisional Authority, represented today, had the primary responsibility for the welfare of the Iraqi people.  The assistance provided by the United Nations agencies complemented those of the Authority itself.  The sectoral strategies presented in the revised Appeal had been developed in consultation with the Authority.  United Nations agencies would concentrate on areas where they had a clear comparative advantage.

One of the core objectives, shared with the Authority, was to support and re-establish the reduced Iraqi capacity to provide essential services to the Iraqi people.  Virtually all assistance efforts were provided to and through Iraqi service providers at all levels.  Once Iraqi institutions had regained their ability to care for the civilian population, including the most vulnerable, United Nations humanitarian assistance efforts would come to an end.  She hoped most if not all of that transition process could take place before the end of the year.

She said that in accordance with Security Council resolution 1483 (2003), the oil-for-food programme would be phased out by 21 November, and any remaining responsibilities would be transferred to the Authority.  An action plan was being developed in consultation with the Authority to ensure a smooth transition that would minimize disruptions in the services being provided under the programme.

The Security Council had mandated the United Nations to assist in humanitarian relief, the reconstruction of Iraq and the restoration and establishment of national and local institutions for representative governance.  The Secretary-General’s Special Representative was in the process of shaping how the United Nations would discharge its mandate in the latter two areas.  It was clear, however, that United Nations humanitarian assistance had been tangible and important for the Iraqi people and had provided an excellent basis from which to build in order to fulfil the other parts of its mandate.

She stressed that, while the needs in Iraq were large, humanitarian needs elsewhere were also large.  A number of donors had devoted supplemental resources to Iraq so as not to divert resources from other emergencies.  She appealed to all donors, in responding to the Appeal, to do so in a way which did not compromise their support for other equally important emergencies.

(For a transcript of the Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks, see Press Release DSG/SM/200.)

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, and Emergency Relief Coordinator, KENZO OSHIMA, said the revised Appeal was the second largest inter-agency appeal, after the one for Afghanistan.  It had been encouraging to see several donors allocate supplemental funds for Iraq, and he hoped that would again be the case for the remaining needs.

The revised Appeal described the gross requirements for all sectors which amounted to $2.2 billion, of which 88 per cent had already been resourced, he said.  The gross amount happened to be almost identical to the one presented in the original “flash appeal”.

The largest component of those overall requirements remained the food sector, about 70 per cent of the total, he said.  Thanks to generous donor support and more than $1 billion in resources from the oil-for-food programme, the food aid requirements had already been fully funded.  However, other sectors still needed significant additional resources.  Assistance to the basic health system and nutrition support now accounted for about 30 per cent of outstanding funding needs.

He said some requirements were related to non-anticipated events, such as the wide-spread looting, and included emergency repairs to water and sewage systems, hospitals and other essential facilities.  Assistance would be significantly expanded in education and mine actions.  Those efforts were mutually reinforcing, he said, as the more children could go back to school, the less they would be exposed to mines and unexploded ordnance.  The number of casualties caused by unexploded ordnance in some areas of Iraq was among the highest in the world.

The revised Appeal also presented programmes supporting the dignified and orderly return of refugees and internally displaced persons, he said.  Assessing their needs, ensuring their protection and preparing for an orderly return that avoided new tensions would be among the key challenges in the months ahead.  There was a need to ensure, together with the Authority, that the pace of returns was adjusted to reflect the conditions in the home communities.

It was anticipated that the great majority of humanitarian assistance activities would be phased out by the end of the year, Mr. Oshima continued.  The transition to longer-term reconstruction activities had to be planned now.  The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was working closely with the United Nations Development Group, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.  A key requirement for the phasing out of humanitarian assistance and a successful transition would be strong donor support for the revised Appeal.  One had to ensure that the immediate needs of the Iraqi people were met at the same time as recovery and reconstruction of the country was being planned.

He said the contributions and pledges reflected in the revised Appeal included a total of $158 million that donors had pledged but had not yet allocated.  Now that adjusted requirements and new priorities had been presented, he hoped that donors would find it possible to allocate those pledged funds as soon as possible.  In addition to making those allocations, he appealed to donors to respond swiftly and generously to the outstanding requirement.

RAMIRO LOPES DA SILVA, Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, said that, at the onset of the conflict in March, Iraq was a country in distress, owing to years of sanctions, wars and a repressive Government.  Among the results, more than 1 million Iraqis were thought to have been forcibly displaced.  Despite the benefits of the oil-for-food programme and the improved provision of water, essential services were in decay.  Many of Iraq’s highly skilled professionals had fled the country in search of better opportunities.  During the active phase of conflict, damage to the infrastructure had been relatively light, but the power vacuum created by the end of the regime and the subsequent lawlessness had rendered the situation challenging.

He reviewed the situation in the three northern governates and in the centre and the south.  Populations were marginalized, owing largely to the demobilization of 400,000 ex-military.  Neglect and damage from looting also prevailed, and decision-making and technical capabilities had been drastically reduced.  The north had been largely undisturbed by the war, but important issues, such as spontaneous returns of Kurd populations, as well as regional concerns and the presence of large and well-armed militias still outside the Authority’s framework, could present complex problems in the months ahead.  Across the country, several key matters needed urgent attention. 

The lack of security continued to inhibit recovery, he said.  While the Authority had taken determined steps to address the general lack of law and order, criminals were increasingly organized, and armed resistance continued in large parts of Baghdad and other areas.  Looting and re-looting of rehabilitated infrastructure was creating a deep sense of frustration among the population and the humanitarian community.  The Authority was committed to improving the situation.  Police were being trained, and the number of patrols had increased, but security was still being provided only to some key installations. 

He said that, given the magnitude of the task, agencies recognized that the situation was unlikely to improve quickly.  Among the potentially destabilizing factors were the rising cost of living, the lack of employment opportunities, and illiteracy.  The absence of clear direction hampered the decision-making process and impeded substantial dialogue on priorities.  Coalition military personnel in all areas had proven to be willing and cooperative interlocutors for United Nations agencies, but there was no substitute for civil administration and the establishment of a local presence.  The United Nations had already taken the first step of decentralizing its structures in Iraq. 

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