US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT1080

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 KUWAIT 001080 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID/W 
STATE FOR PRM/ANE, EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, IO AND SA/PAB 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN, HMANN, ZKHALILZAD, QUANRUD AND BRYZA 
USAID FOR USAID/A, DCHA/AA, DCHA/RMT, DCHA/FFP 
USAID FOR DCHA/OTI, DCHA/DG, ANE/AA 
USAID FOR USAID/AA:NATSIOS 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA:WGARVELINK, BMCCONNELL, KFARNSWORTH 
USAID FOR ANE/AA:WCHAMBERLAIN 
ROME FOR FODAG 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH 
DOHA FOR MSHIRLEY 
ANKARA FOR AMB WRPEARSON, ECON AJSIROTIC AND DART 
AMMAN FOR USAID AND DART 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREF, MOPS, PREL, ASEC, AMGT, OTRA, IZ, WFP 
SUBJECT:  USAID HUMANITARIAN/RECONSTRUCTION SITUATION REPORT 
#2 25 MARCH 2003 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  The DART is expecting the delivery of relief supplies to 
the warehouse in Kuwait within the week.  On 23 March, a WFP 
plane arrived at Kuwait International Airport with 40 MT of 
high-energy biscuits, and on 24 March, two shipments of 
wheat donated by the Australian Government departed Muscat 
en route to the Port of Umm Qasr, where they will dock when 
the port is deemed secure.  The DART plans to conduct a 
reconnaissance mission to assess port security supported by 
Civil Affairs (CA).  On 24 March, two CA liaison officers 
joined the DART to assist in connecting DART staff with 
forward operational units and facilitate information 
sharing.  The Health Fusion Cell has been assembled to 
discuss relief, reconstruction, and the planning for support 
to the post-regime Iraqi Ministry of Health.  Approximately 
5,000 people crossed into Kurdish held areas in the North 
during March, but there have been few if any crossings since 
the Iraqis closed and mined the border.  On 24 March, DART 
Abuse Prevention Officers met with CA officers assigned to 
the DART, who will facilitate APU communication with CA 
battalions in the field.  Also on 24 March, DART OTI staff 
briefed ORHA coordinators and on the proposed procedure for 
the local grant program.  During the 23 March HOC briefing, 
significant informal information was passed to UNSECOORD to 
help with the accurate assessment the operational security 
posture in Kuwait. 
 
2.  On March 24, the first DART/USAID Iraq joint 
collaboration meeting was held.  Between 19 and 23 March, a 
USAID Reconstruction Team representative and military 
officials in Doha held a coordination meeting to plan 
subsequent USCENTCOM movements.  On 24 March, PAOs from DART 
and USAID mission met with the OHRA Public Affairs team in 
preparation for media coverage of the OHRA Director's entry 
into Baghdad.  USAID Mission will brief ORHA, CFLCC, and 
USCENTCOM on USAID policies and procedures for field 
operations including procurement and contract management. 
End Summary. 
 
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LOGISTICS 
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3.  Over the next week, seventeen 40-foot containers of 
relief supplies are scheduled to be delivered to the DART 
warehouse in Kuwait.  Cargo in the containers consists of 
hygiene kits, plastic sheeting, and wool blankets. 
 
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FOOD 
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4.  On 23 March, a World Food Program (WFP) plane arrived at 
Kuwait International Airport with 40 Metric Tons (MT) of 
high-energy biscuits.  This arrival marked the second of 
four planes that will carry a total of 160 MT of food, 
enough to feed 50,000 beneficiaries for three months.  These 
commodities will be targeted for emergency supplemental 
feeding countrywide in Iraq. 
 
5.  On 24 March, two shipments of wheat donated by the 
Australian Government departed Muscat.  The shipments are 
expected to arrive at the Port of Umm Qasr when it is deemed 
secure.  However, there are no milling facilities at the 
port.  The closest are in and around Basra.  If the mills in 
Basra are operational, they could be used once trucking 
becomes available.  In the interim, the wheat could be 
stored in a silo or distributed whole.  The issue of 
financing the associated costs beyond shipping has yet to be 
resolved.  DART is planning a reconnaissance mission to the 
port in the coming days. 
 
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HEALTH 
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6.  The Health Fusion Cell, comprised of the DART Health 
Team, Civil Affairs health and public health units, USAID 
Reconstruction Team, and other donors, has been assembled to 
discuss relief, reconstruction, and the planning for support 
to the post-regime Iraqi Ministry of Health.  Members of the 
Health Fusion Cell are meeting daily with NGOs to discuss 
assessments, capabilities, and planning. The second meeting 
was held on 24 March, and included observers from the 
International Committee of the Red Cross and representatives 
from the Iraqi Refugee Aid Council and their and partner the 
American Refugee Committee, the International Medical Corps, 
Samaritan's Purse, Mercy Corps International (MCI), the 
International Development and Relief Board, and Physicians 
for Human Rights.  The DART Health Team discussed the 
availability of, and anticipated need for, further 
assessments in health and the capabilities of the DART Rapid 
Assessment form.  The DART anticipates the application of 
the rapid assessment forms once the security situation 
allows entrance into the southern region.  The DART is 
currently receiving proposals for emergency health 
interventions. 
 
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POPULATION DISPLACEMENTS 
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7.  On 24 March, Team North received a briefing from MCI on 
the situation in northern Iraq.  According to MCI, people 
are returning home, and the shops are open.  However, the 
general feeling is that the situation remains volatile. 
Despite recent media reports of 400,000 internally displaced 
persons in northern Iraq, Team North reported that 5,000 
people crossed into Kurdish-held areas in the North during 
March.  There have been no reports of refugees crossing into 
Turkey. 
 
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ABUSE PREVENTION UNIT (APU) 
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8.  On 24 March, DART Abuse Prevention Officers met with CA 
officers assigned to the DART, who will facilitate APU 
communication with CA battalions in the field.  The APU also 
plans to brief all new CA arrivals and will distribute the 
Abuse Prevention Field Guide to all CA battalions that are 
already forward. 
 
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OFFICE OF TRANSITION INITIATIVES (OTI) 
-------------------------------------- 
 
8.  On 24 March, DART OTI staff briefed the Office of 
Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) 
coordinators on the proposed procedure for the local grant 
program, which was well received and matched closely with 
ORHA plans for quick impact grants.  On 25 March, the DART 
OTI team will meet with USAID Reconstruction staff to 
examine possibility of DART OTI assistance to the USAID 
mission in initiating early water and sanitation activities 
at the community level until the USAID contractor is 
mobilized. 
 
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HUMANITARIAN OPERATION CENTER (HOC) 
----------------------------------- 
 
9.  Approximately 60 people attended the HOC briefing on 22 
March.  During the briefing, significant informal 
information was passed to United Nations Security 
Coordinator (UNSECOORD) to help them accurately assess the 
operational security posture in Kuwait.  On 22 March, 
journalists were allowed into Umm Qasr under heavy military 
escort and protection.  Graphics and geographic coordinates 
of seven burning oil wells were briefed.  Civil Affairs 
teams are assessing the burning wells and arranging for 
contractors to extinguish them.  Dark clouds of smoke 
obscure the Kuwait City skyline when the winds are calm. 
The HOC and the International Council of Voluntary Agencies 
are setting up a schedule to provide personal nuclear, 
biological, and chemical protection training to those 
interested. 
 
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MILITARY LIAISON UNIT 
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10.  On 24 March, the first meeting at the Humanitarian 
Assistance Coordination Center (HACC) was held.  A main 
topic of discussion was the security assessment trip to Umm 
Qasr.  The Civil Affairs (CA) personnel have been very 
supportive of the DART's attempts to move forward to assess 
the port.  During the meeting, it was requested that the 
HACC work with the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) command 
and the HOC to develop a protocol for the passage and 
coordination of IO/NGO/UN personnel in the I MEF AOR. 
However, as there do not seem to be large numbers of 
displaced persons at this time, the need for a humanitarian 
response appears minimal at present.  However, there are 
significant security considerations that need attention. 
 
11.  Also on 24 March, two CA liaison officers temporarily 
joined the DART.  They will assist in connecting DART staff 
with forward operational units and facilitate the 
information collected by forward CA teams using the new 
United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian 
Affairs (UN OCHA) rapid assessment forms.  The CA liaison 
officers will facilitate operational activities when DART 
staff move into Iraq to begin needs-based assessments. 
 
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USAID - RECONSTRUCTION 
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12.  The head of the USAID Reconstruction Team and the DART 
Team Leader convened the first DART/USAID Iraq joint 
collaboration meeting on 24 March to discuss mutual program 
priorities, introduce new staff, requirement for, and 
coordination of, reporting to Washington, press guidance, 
assessment sharing, and other matters of joint concern. 
Between 19 to 23 March, a USAID representative and military 
officials in Doha held a coordination meeting to plan 
subsequent USCENTCOM movements. 
 
13.  Between 19 and 23 March, a USAID Reconstruction Team 
representative and military officials in Doha held a 
coordination meeting to plan subsequent U.S. Central Command 
(USCENTCOM) movements.  The USAID Reconstruction Team also 
plans Mission personnel to meet with elements of Coalition 
Forces Land Component Command(CFLCC) to explain USAID 
program processes including contracting, administration, and 
other functions. 
 
14.  Plans are being made within ORHA for the eventual move 
of ORHA elements, including reconstruction, to Baghdad. 
Current plans call for a phased move of 20 reconstruction 
people, followed by approximately 30 others. 
 
15.  On 24 March, Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) from DART 
and USAID mission met with the OHRA Public Affairs team to 
begin planning for a media event featuring OHRA Director 
Garner on his entry into Baghdad.  The focus of the meeting 
was to define message content, event profile, and 
prospective audiences. 
 
16.  USAID Mission will brief ORHA, CFLCC, and USCENTCOM on 
USAID policies and procedures for field operations including 
procurement and contract management.  USAID Mission, ORHA, 
USCENTCOM, and CFLCC will also hold a two-day planning 
meeting this week to ensure coordination on meeting 
reconstruction goals.  Additionally, USAID Mission, ORHA, 
CFLCC, and ORHA (HA) will meet to establish USAID 
requirements for the establishment of a HOC-like office in 
Baghdad. 
 
 
JONES