Liberia: UN increasing aid

(New York: 13 August 2003) - In war-ravaged Monrovia today, UN humanitarian agencies continued to scale up their operations in Liberia's capital city.
Severe food, water, and health care shortages still beset the city's roughly 450,000 internally displaced persons (IDPS) as well as the communities who host them. All UN offices in Monrovia are currently occupied by IDPs seeking shelter. UN agencies and their NGO partners are able to deliver potable water to all of the IDP sites that are accessible. UN agencies also conducted assessments of humanitarian needs at some newly accessible IDP sites in Monrovia. The number of sites that could be assessed was, however, constrained by shortages of fuel. Another flight carrying humanitarian personnel and supplies arrived at Roberts Airport today. All heads of UN humanitarian agencies for Liberia are now in the country. Humanitarian agencies expect that a World Food Programme ship laden with emergency food supplies will be able to dock in Monrovia on Friday.

In Monrovia today, the UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ms. Carolyn McAskie, met with the Force Commander of the ECOWAS Peacekeeping contingent in Liberia. She had very constructive discussions with the Force Commander and stressed the need for security for IDPs along the road between Monrovia and Roberts Airport. Ms. McAskie is concluding her mission to Liberia today. Mr. Ross Mountain, the UN Assistant Emergency Relief Coordinator, will arrive in Liberia tomorrow. In the next three weeks, Mr. Mountain will assess the scope of humanitarian needs, review coordination and preparedness structures and undertake immediate measures to address the emergency in Liberia.

Among the specific tasks he is expected to undertake are an inter-agency assessment mission in Monrovia and other accessible parts of Liberia and revise the Humanitarian plan of action as appropriate. Mr. Mountain will also negotiate with all parties to the conflict for humanitarian access and seek to secure commitment for humanitarian principles including the protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel and their assets.

Meanwhile, outside Monrovia, reports of new displacement from around Buchanan, the scene of fighting between government and Movement for a Democratic Liberia (MODEL) rebels, continue to come in. Further, the NGO Doctors Without Borders report that the humanitarian situation in Liberia's Bong County is critical, with some 60,000 IDPs in particular need of assistance. Humanitarian agencies continue to be unable to access more than two-thirds of Liberian territory.