HIGHLIGHTS
- Mid-Year Review of 2007 CHAP officially launched
Government and UN launch Mid-Year of CHAP 2007
The Mid Year Review of the 2007 Common Humanitarian Action Plan for Liberia (CHAP) was launched in Monrovia on 6 November 2007. During the launch, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Walter Gwenigale appealed to donors to provide the US$ 64 million needed to address remaining humanitarian needs in the country. The Humanitarian Coordinator for Liberia, Mr. Jordan Ryan, reiterated that though the country is on the path to recovery and development, it was still 'not out of the woods yet' with respect to addressing outstanding humanitarian needs. The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mr. James Logan appealed for support in crop protection and lauded the current donor-funded support to seed multiplication.
The Mid-Year Review revealed that the strategic priorities in humanitarian assistance for Liberia remained the same; i.e. to provide basic social services to vulnerable populations, provide support to communities to become secure, productive and sustainable, and strengthen the capacity of civil society and local authorities to support the recovery process. The CHAP, launched in February 2007 by the Government, UN and NGOs sought to raise US$ 117 million for humanitarian assistance in Liberia. The Mid-Year Review in July 2007 revised the CHAP requirements to US$ 110 million. To date, US$ 46 million has been raised for humanitarian projects in the 2007 CHAP.
Nationwide development consultations link humanitarian issues with the development agenda
As part of the process to develop a Poverty Reduction Strategy for Liberia, the Government of Liberia with support from the UN is holding a series of consultations on the development agenda of each county. The general consensus on the development agenda of the counties that held the consultations places road rehabilitation/construction, improvement in health care service delivery and increase in access to education at the top of the list. These grassroots priorities indicate the current challenges that the country faces in transitioning from relief/recovery to development.
Liberia has some of the world's lowest indicators in terms of health and also low literacy rate compared to other countries in the region. Only a small segment of the country has paved roads, and road travel poses a difficulty, especially during the rainy season. Recent humanitarian assistance to the country has concentrated on health, water and sanitation, protection and food security. Yet, the provision of these services has been hampered to some degree by lack of access to needy or vulnerable communities.
UNHCR supports rule of law
On 2 November, UNHCR-Liberia donated a total of 28 motorbikes, six bicycles, four computers and accessories to eight institutions and organizations involved in strengthening the rule of law and who have functions related to the administration of justice in Liberia. Those benefiting from the donation included the Office of the Chief Justice, Liberia National Police, Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), Ministries of Education, Gender & Development and Health & Social Welfare and Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The Liberia justice system lacks adequate logistics and personnel needed to effectively dispense justice.
FAO trains rural women in agro-processing
In collaboration with the Ministry of Gender and Development, FAO is conducting a one-month skills training programme for 30 rural women in agro-processing and micro enterprise management. The women, drawn from all the counties, will learn both the theory and practice of agro-processing techniques and will receive business management training, focusing on basic enterprise principles and the application of effective managerial skills for small business management. At the end of the training, the graduates will become master trainers to replicate the training in their communities.
In the coming week, FAO plans to distribute vegetable seeds to 5,000 farmers in urban and peri-urban areas. This distribution will help support food production and income generation in order to enhance productive and earning capacities through the sale of surplus agricultural products.