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Lebanon + 1 more

WFP operational update: Lebanon Crisis 05 - 08 Sept 2006

Attachments


Information (1):

Beneficiaries/Food status/ Date
30 August
4 September
8 September
23 July – 8 September
(Cumulative)
Total EMOP Caseload
550,000
550,000
550,000
550,000
Total caseload reached cumulative (estimate)
714,000
714,000
714,000
714,000
Total dispatched (mt)
119
227
402
4,962
Lebanon
International Staff deployed (WFP/UNJLC)
74
75
75
75
SRSA Staff deployed
19
5
5
5
Local Staff deployed
68
65
65
65
Syria
International Staff deployed (WFP/UNJLC)
11
8
8
8
Local Staff deployed
19
20
19
19
Jerusalem/Larnaca
Jerusalem - Staff deployed
1
1
1
1
Larnaca - Staff deployed (WFP/UNJLC/HAS)
13
10
8
8
Project Number (2)
Value (US$)
Confirmed RMS (US$)
Regional EMOP – 10537.0
20,973,637
10,790,290
SO Logistics support – 10534.0
37,289,056
17,791,659
SO Inter-Agency ICT Support – 10535.0
875,125
729,917
SO UNJLC – 10536.0
1,331,326
722,852
BIL Government of Lebanon – 105400.0
3,111,052
3,111,052

HIGHLIGHTS

The cessation of hostilities continues to hold between Lebanon and Israel. The UN Secretary General (SG), Kofi Annan, stated that a strong deployment of Lebanese and UNIFIL troops could be in place as early as mid-September.

On 8 September, UNHCR confirmed that a fire took place on 7 September in its warehouse in Beirut. This fire caused serious losses for its emergency supplies

The main positive development during the reporting period was the lifting of the economic blockade during 7 and 8 September.

Arriving on 6 September, WFP's Executive Director (ED), James T. Morris, carried out a two-day trip to Lebanon to visit the WFP team and to express solidarity and support to the Government of Lebanon.

The food security assessment, comprised of a WFP team from Nutrition, Food Market Analysis and ODAN Regional Bureaux and supported by the WFP Lebanon Office Programme Unit, was completed during the reporting period. The report is expected early this week.

SECURITY AND ACCESS

The cessation of hostilities continues to hold between Lebanon and Israel. The UN Secretary General (SG), Kofi Annan, stated that a strong deployment of Lebanese and UNIFIL troops could be in place as early as mid-September thus enabling the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to further withdraw from Lebanon. It was also reported that the Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, announced on 9 September that the Syrian President, Bashar El-Assad, had agreed to the deployment of unarmed UNIFIL troops across the Syrian and Lebanese border.

The main positive development during the reporting period was the lifting of the economic blockade during 7 and 8 September. On 7 September, the air blockade was lifted, thus permitting commercial flights to proceed into the Lebanese international airport. The naval and land blockade was lifted on 8 September, with several vessels already arriving at Beirut port. This action is expected to significantly improve economic recovery in Lebanon.

On 5 September, it was reported that a senior Lebanese police officer, Lieutenant Colonel Samir Shehad, was critically injured in a blast in Rmaile, a village near the Saida. Lieutenant Colonel Shehad had been involved in the arrest last year of four Lebanese generals that had been detained and accused of taking part in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri.

On 8 September, UNHCR confirmed that a fire took place on 7 September in its warehouse in Beirut. This fire caused serious losses for its emergency supplies, with an initial estimate indicating that approximately US$ 700,000 worth of blankets, mattresses, tents and other relief supplies was lost. Since these supplies were not insured, this loss will impact UNHCR's operations in Lebanon where these much needed items were to assist Lebanese returning to their places of origin.

The issue of Unexploded Ordinances and Mines (UXOs, Cluster Bombs, Submunitions) continues to raise concerns especially in the south of Lebanon. It was reported that more than 430 cluster bomb sites have been identified and marked, while over 110 unexploded bombs and almost 14,000 cluster submunitions were destroyed by the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre (UNMACC), UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). In addition, 10 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Teams are currently in place to assist with de-mining. Daily mine awareness workshops have continued during this period for UN and NGO staff.

Footnotes:

(1) All statistics presented in the sitrep will be as of close of business of the preceding day. This facilitates more accurate reporting as information is collated from a wide range of locations.

(2) New funding requirements have already been adjusted to zero for all operations within the Flash Appeal revision process and budgets will be adjusted after the ongoing assessments scope and revise WFP's general and funding requirements.

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