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Georgia

Situation Report No. 1 on the Situation in Georgia 12 Aug 2008

Attachments

The following information is based on reports from the UN Country Team in Tbilisi and humanitarian partners.

1.0 Situation Overview

1.1 During the night of 11 August and the morning of 12 August, sporadic air strikes were reported throughout Georgia. Areas affected included Gori town and the outskirts of Tbilisi. At the same time, there were isolated reports of fighting by ground troops.

1.2 On 12 August, the Russian President announced the cessation of all Russian military operations in Georgia. The same evening, international media sources reported that the Governments of Georgia and Russia had jointly agreed to a six-point plan put forward by France on behalf the EU to end the conflict.

2.0 Humanitarian Overview

2.1 There are conflicting figures regarding casualties. South Ossetia's de facto authorities and Russian reports place the number of civilians killed in South Ossetia at circa 2,000 people, while Georgian casualty figures are currently reported at circa 150 people (including civilians). These figures have not yet been verified by UN agencies.

2.2 Almost 100,000 people are estimated to have been uprooted by the conflict (UNHCR). This figure includes 12,000 people displaced within South Ossetia, 30,000 people that have crossed into North Ossetia, and 56,000 people reported to have been displaced from the town of Gori, near South Ossetia. A number of other locations have not yet been assessed.

2.3 Local officials in Gori have advised agencies that 80% of the population (56,000) had fled over the past few days. An estimated 80% of the pre-existing caseload (people long-term displaced before 6 August 2008) of 6,000 IDPs registered in Gori are also assumed to have left the town. The majority of people displaced from Gori are reported to be staying with relatives elsewhere in Georgia.

2.4 The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has reported massive destruction in the town of Tskhinvali and notified humanitarian agencies that water and shelter are the two priority sectors, as the town has been without water for nearly three weeks.

2.5 Line ministries and UN agencies are delivering assistance to all 3,500 IDPs formally identified and registered so far in Tbilisi, Tianeti and Kakheti regions. 1,700 IDPs are reported to be accommodated in camps in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Gardabani and Dusheti, with Kaheti region (250 people), the transit centre in Mtskheta (500 people) and three collective centres in Tbilisi (510 people). The main immediate problems quoted by the Government of Georgia in dealing with IDPs are registration (currently undertaken in Tbilisi, but not elsewhere), and transportation.

3.0 International Response

3.1 COORDINATION

UN Lead Agency: UN Resident Coordinator

Participants: Government, UNDP, FAO, UNIECF, UNHCR, WFP, WHO, UNDSS, UNOMIG, ACF/ACH, ADRA, CARE, CRS, DRC, Eurasia Partnership Foundation, Every Child, IRD, MSF- France, NRC, Oxfam GB, Save the Children, UMCOR, World Vision (International Organisations): ICRC, IFRC, OSCE, World Bank, EC, SDC, USAID, German Embassy, Netherlands Embassy, SIDA.

- The Government of Georgia has appointed the Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs, Mr Alexandre Kvitashvili, as Coordinator for humanitarian assistance. GoG focal points for different sectors of intervention will be identified shortly.

- UNDP is supporting the creation of an inter-ministerial coordination structure.

- Humanitarian Coordination Group meetings (UN, IOs, NGOs and donor representatives) are being held on a daily basis and involve government representatives. More than 30 organisations are in attendance.

- Humanitarian actors are coordinating their interventions within the following coordination groups: food (chaired by WFP), protection (UNHCR), water & sanitation (UNICEF), shelter & NFIs (UNHCR), logistics (WFP) and Health & Nutrition (USAID). The cluster approach will not be formalized for the time being.

- UN Security Management Team meetings are being held on a daily basis.

3.2 SHELTER AND NON FOOD ITEMS

UN Lead Agency: UNHCR

Participants: CARE, Counterpart, DRC, IRD, NRC, Oxfam GB, SDC, Save the Children, World Vision, USAID,

Humanitarian Needs:
- Assessments ongoing

Humanitarian Response:
- UNHCR has collated information from several humanitarian agencies on existing NFIs stocks in country and available stocks which could be brought into the country on short notice, if required.

- UNHCR will receive stocks for 30,000 people, including blankets, jerry cans, kitchen sets and some light weight tents for individual shelter

- Markets in Tbilisi are not fully functioning at this stage: local procurement of mattresses and hygiene kits for 3,000 persons has, so far, not been successful (UNHCR).

- UNHCR has delivered shelter (8 big tents, 200 beds) and NFIs (hygiene kits) to the transit centre in Mtskheta (240 people capacity).

- NFI's for 300 people have been made available by World Vision

3.3 FOOD

UN Lead Agency: WFP
Participants: ACF/ACH, CARE, Save the Children, World Vision, USAID.

Humanitarian Needs
- Assessments ongoing

Humanitarian Response
- The Food Aid working group will share information on the assessment of newly established IDP centers, including numbers of residents and food rations distributed with the MRA.

- Today WFP continued supplying food assistance to 1,300 IDPs concentrated in 3 shelters in Tbilisi with six tons of wheat flour, vegetable oil, sugar, beans and salt.

- Since August 9th, a total of 4,500 beneficiaries were provided with food assistance, including 3,256 by UN agencies.

- A food aid coordination meeting was held today with participation of WVI, Care, NRC, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, WFP as well as the representative from the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation and the Ombudsman's Office, that will be coordinating humanitarian assistance provided by the private sector.

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