Press Conference by Emergency Relief Coordinator on Humanitarian Visit to Libya

 

The United Nations would send humanitarian aid teams to the Libyan capital as early as next weekend as part of an agreement signed with Libyan authorities this week with the aim of ensuring safe passage to relief workers and much-needed civilian aid, particularly into areas heavily affected by fighting, the Organization’s senior humanitarian official said at Headquarters today.

“We need humanitarian teams on the ground so that we can get a sense of what is actually happening and to assess needs to enable us to plan and respond effectively,” said Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, as she briefed correspondents on her two-day trip to Libya earlier this week.

Ms. Amos said that while the Organization had not been able to secure a cessation of hostilities between the Government military forces of Muammar al-Qadhafi and opposition groups, the Libyan authorities had agreed to facilitate a United Nations humanitarian presence in Tripoli to coordinate aid delivery and guarantee security for workers and supplies through checkpoints in areas under its control.

The workers were already on the ground in Benghazi, Egypt, Tunisia and Niger, said Ms. Amos, who had met in Tripoli with Government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, heads of the humanitarian community, as well as representatives of humanitarian agencies, Member States and the Relief Committee of the opposition Transitional National Council in Benghazi.

Describing the humanitarian situation in parts of Libya as “acute” and “of utmost concern”, she said that while she could not verify reports of civilian deaths, injuries and displacements, clearly hundreds of people had been killed or wounded during continuous fighting.  The situation in Misrata, a north-western city with an estimated population of 30,000 people, grew more serious every day, she said, adding that the reported use of cluster munitions there was “extremely worrying”.  Many people were without food, electricity, water and other basic supplies.  Thousands had been evacuated, but thousands more, including third-country nationals, refugees and Libyans, were trapped, she said.  “Our humanitarian efforts are focused on reaching those who urgently need our help.”

Asked whether the United Nations needed European Union troops to protect its humanitarian workers, she said that, despite difficulties, the Organization was able to evacuate people and aid through civilian means at the moment.  The International Organization for Migration (IOM) had evacuated a number of people from Misrata on Tuesday, and today, a ship carrying supplies from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) was expected to dock.

She went on to note that EUFOR, the European Union-led military operation, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) had agreed to provide the United Nations with military support should it become necessary for aid delivery.  Citing reports claiming that Libyan officials would stop any attempt to use humanitarian aid to support military efforts, she emphasized: “My priority is getting humanitarian aid in and making sure that the lines between the humanitarian and the military are not blurred.”

In response to a question as to whether the agreement signed in Tripoli would facilitate a United Nations humanitarian presence in Misrata, she said she had raised that issue separately with Libyan officials, who had guaranteed security for United Nations aid workers trying to reach Misrata by road or sea.

Asked why the Libyan Government was now allowing aid shipments and a United Nations humanitarian coordinator, she said she could not “second-guess” its reasons, reiterating that she was focused on getting as much access as possible and verifying reports of civilian deaths, injuries and displacements.

Questioned about what was being done to ensure the safe evacuation of workers from poor countries, she replied that IOM, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were raising money from donors towards that end.

As for future aid shipments, she said the United Nations would be able to reach all areas, including cities other than Tripoli and Misrata, as soon as the security situation allowed and the Organization was able to conduct an effective needs assessment.

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For information media • not an official record