Liberia: UN undertakes first humanitarian mission to Voinjama in four years

(Monrovia, Monday, 20 October 2003). On Saturday, the United Nations undertook a rapid assessment mission to Voinjama (Lofa County), a LURD controlled city located on Liberia's Northern border with Guinea - the first international mission to that city in four years.
"This rapid assessment represents the critical first step in ensuring a sustained UN engagement in Voinjama and Lofa County," said United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, Abou Moussa. Fifteen staff from UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, WHO, UNMIL (human rights), UNSECCOORD and OCHA flew by UNMIL helicopter to the remote northern city, which they found in need of assistance. This mission represents a central part of the UN's ongoing process of progressively providing humanitarian assistance throughout Liberia. Voinjama is the fourth of five humanitarian hubs from which humanitarian assistance will be delivered.

"Fourteen years of civil war have left Voinjama broken and in need of assistance," commented Dr. Omar Khatib, Head of the World Health Organisation office in Liberia. "The city has little infrastructure to speak of and civilians are forced to scavenge for food in the bush." Dr. Khatib delivered two badly needed medical kits to the clinic in Voinjama - an immediate measure in a programme of longer term United Nations engagement in the city.

The mission found a mostly deserted city with many injured during fighting awaiting treatment in the city's only clinic, which receives an overwhelming 100 patients/day and in bad need of repair, medicine and basic supplies. All houses were in a state of disrepair - with less than 10% of the structures in a habitable condition. Schools are barely functioning, though a small group of teachers continue to work free of charge to provide what little education is possible in a community with almost no remaining infrastructure. Immediate needs include drugs, vaccines, rice seed and agricultural tools, shelter, construction and educational materials.

Members of LURD's High Command renewed their commitment to the Accra accord and reiterated their guarantee for safe humanitarian access to Voinjama. The United Nations will conduct a follow up mission in the near future - a further step towards establishing a permanent United Nations presence in Voinjama.

"Only humanitarian assistance will ensure that the emerging peace, achieved at such a high human cost, will take root in Liberia," said Abou Moussa. "The international community now has a window of opportunity to ensure that peace prevails in Liberia and by extension in the region as a whole. Only one half of Liberia's humanitarian programming was funded in 2003 - a repeat of this in 2004 will jeopardise the humanitarian community's ability to provide lifesaving services in Liberia."

On 19 November, the United Nations will launch the 2004 Consolidated Appeal for Liberia in Ottawa, Canada. This document provides a full list of proposed UN humanitarian programming in Liberia - a critical support as Liberians work to undo the effects of fourteen years of war and move the country towards an enduring peace.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

ROSEMARY MUSUMBA,
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER/SPOKESPERSON
OCHA LIBERIA + (377 47) 53 00 48, EMAIL: rosemary.musumba@undp.org

OR

JOHN N. CLARKE,
MEDIA/INFORMATION OFFICER,
OCHA LIBERIA + (377 47) 530 435 , EMAIL: John.Clarke@undp.org