US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT1122

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 001122 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID/W 
STATE FOR PRM/ANE, EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, IO AND SA/PAB 
NSC FOR EABRAMS, SMCCORMICK, STAHIR-KHELI, JDWORKEN 
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:WCHAMBERLIN 
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, PREL, ASEC, AMGT, OTRA, IZ, WFP 
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01: USAID/PRM HUMANITARIAN/RECONSTRUCTION 
SITUATION REPORT #4, 27 MARCH 2003 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  On 26 March, the Regional Coordinator for UNICEF/Iraq 
convened a water/sanitation meeting in collaboration with 
the HOC USACE.  The limited effectiveness of treatment 
plants combined with the shortage of technical capability in 
Iraq for repairs and management means that water and sewage 
are major humanitarian concerns. A small DART assessment 
team went to Umm Qasr on 27 March to survey health 
facilities, water, and food.  The USAID Reconstruction Team 
and the DART are coordinating on emergency water delivery 
for Umm Qasr, Basra, and other southern Iraq locations.  The 
docking of the U.K. ship, the Sir Galahad, at Umm Qasr is 
now expected to occur on 28 March.  The Kuwaiti Red Crescent 
Society went to Umm Qasr on 27 March to reexamine their 
relief distribution plans after the difficulties encountered 
in the commodity distributions on 26 March.  The Kuwait 
Ministry of Health intends to establish a field hospital at 
the UNIKOM compound near Umm Qasr.  End Summary. 
 
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HEALTH 
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3.  On 26 March, the Regional Coordinator for the United 
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)/Iraq convened a 
water/sanitation meeting in collaboration with the 
Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) and the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers (USACE).  The meeting was attended by DART 
health officers and several NGOs, including the 
International Medical Corps, GOAL, Caritas, and the 
International Federation of the Red Cross. UNICEF and USACE 
presented capabilities for restoration of water to southern 
Iraq, including assessments, the water pipe from Kuwait, 
water tank trucks, chlorine tablets, and jerry cans. 
According to UNICEF, water and sewage treatment plants 
normally have only 30 to 40 percent effectiveness, and there 
is a shortage of technical capability in the country for 
repairs and management.  Water and sewage could be an 
important issue in the event of damage during conflict in 
Baghdad. 
 
4.  On 26 March, the UNICEF Coordinator for UNICEF/Iraq also 
met with members of the Health Fusion Cell and the DART to 
discuss the status of health, water, and education in Iraq; 
existing local capacities; and planning for the post- 
conflict Ministry of Health. 
 
5.  A small DART assessment team went to Umm Qasr on 27 
March to survey health facilities, water, and food. 
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HUMANITARIAN OPERATION CENTER (HOC) DAILY BRIEFING 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
6.  There has been a 24-hour delay in the docking of the Sir 
Galahad at the port of Umm Qasr.  Poor weather conditions 
have slowed the demining process.  The ship is now expected 
to dock on 28 March with 231 metric tons (MT) of relief 
supplies including food, medicine, plastic sheeting, 
blankets, jerry cans, and water. 
 
7.  A representative of the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society 
stated that efforts would be made on 27 March to reexamine 
the relief distribution plans for Umm Qasr and Safwan after 
the difficulties encountered in the commodity distributions 
in both towns on 26 March.  Although seven trucks of 
food, water, and medical supplies were distributed in Umm 
Qasr and five trucks in Safwan, the unorganized nature of 
the distribution led to crowd-control problems.  It is 
expected that additional distributions will take place on 28 
March if a more organized system can be developed. 
 
8.  The Kuwait Ministry of Health intends to establish a 
field hospital at the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observer 
Missions (UNIKOM) compound near Umm Qasr.  The hospital is 
expected to have 40 beds, four ambulances, and stock 
approximately 12 tons of medical supplies and equipment. 
Medical services to be provided will include an intensive 
care unit, surgery, pediatric care, obstetrics, radiology, 
and a medical laboratory. 
 
9.  Although the extension of the water pipeline from Kuwait 
is not expected to be completed until 30 March, tankers 
could begin to truck water from the border to Umm Qasr as 
early as 27 March, if an agreement could be reached with 
UNICEF.  A fleet of 30 to 40 trucks, carrying an average of 
24,000 liters, is expected to provide the potable water 
until the completion of the three-kilometer pipeline. 
 
10.  Four of the seven oil well fires have now been 
extinguished in southern Iraq. 
 
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USAID - RECONSTRUCTION 
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11.  It is expected that the port of Umm Qasr will be 
declared "permissive" within the next 48 hours.  If true, 
USAID's ports contract manager will proceed to the port with 
a military escort to begin USAID's preliminary port 
assessment and prepare the way for the arrival of the SSA 
port management contractor. 
 
12.  The USAID Reconstruction Team and the DART are 
coordinating on emergency water delivery for Umm Qasr, 
Basra, and other southern Iraq locations.  The DART can 
deliver water tankers, while USAID, with the mobilization of 
its logistics contract, can reportedly procure as much as 
900,000 liters of bottled water in Kuwait for shipment to 
points in southern Iraq within 24 hours if needed, security 
permitting.  The USAID Reconstruction Team will consult the 
DART assessment and other information prior to proceeding. 
USAID's emergency water response capacity is expected to be 
a major benefit in the near-term capacity to deliver 
services. 
 
13. The USAID Reconstruction Team is helping the Office of 
Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) identify 
Jordanian interpreters for use in southern Iraq through the 
assistance of FBIS and the USAID Mission in Jordan. 
 
JONES