March 28, 2008

Overview

New UN envoy to Afghanistan vows to improve coordination

The new UN special envoy to Afghanistan, Kai Eide, arrived in the Afghan capital, Kabul, today (Friday, March 28) to replace Germany's Tom Koenigs, whose term ended in December 2007. In his brief statement to the media shortly after his arrival at Kabul International Airport, Eide said, "One of the issues that has been highlighted is the need for better coordination," adding, "The Afghan government has asked for that for a very long time and we have to respond in a better way than we have managed so far." Eide told reporters that more money must be spent in the country on what the government wants and the UN mission needed to find "the right balance in dialog with the Afghan authorities." He said he planned to give greater attention to "the political dimension" of the mission, as in the past, emphasis was largely given to security issues. Eide, 59, a former Norwegian diplomat who has in the past worked as the UN special envoy to the Balkans, is known as an effective diplomat with experience in nation-building and dealing with NATO.

Report says donor failure to deliver aid undermines peace in Afghanistan

Aid shortfall is undermining peace in Afghanistan, says a report by a humanitarian aid group. The Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), an umbrella organization representing 97 national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Afghanistan, is saying the prospects for peace in Afghanistan are being undermined due to international donors' failure to deliver on their aid promises. According to ACBAR, since 2001 the international community has pledged US$25 billion to help Afghanistan rebuild. However, only US$15 billion has been delivered, leaving a US$10 billion shortfall in reconstruction aid for a country ravaged by nearly three decades of war and unrest. In its report, ACBAR noted, "Given the links between development and security, the effectiveness of aid also has a major impact on peace and stability," adding that so far aid has been insufficient and in many cases wasteful. According to the report, the US military alone spends some US$100 million a day fighting Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, however, the spending by all donors since 2001 amounts to US$7 million a day. The report estimates that some 40 percent of all aid goes back to donor countries in consultant fees and expatriate pay. It also notes that two-thirds of international assistance to Afghanistan bypasses the Afghan government, undermining the rebuilding of its state institutions. The US, which pledged US$10 billion for the period 2002-2008 has only delivered about half of its pledged aid, while the Asian Development Bank and India have only delivered a third of their pledged aid. The report also highlights weak project management and other inefficiencies in managing aid. A European Commission official questioned ACBAR's figures on aid commitment and distribution. It also said some of the inefficiencies highlighted in the report were already being addressed.

UN condemns killing of seven deminers in northern Afghanistan

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemned the killing of Afghan demining workers in northern Afghanistan earlier this week. In a statement issued in the Afghan capital Kabul on Monday (March 24), the UN secretary-general's Acting Special Representative to Afghanistan Bo Asplund said he was both appalled and saddened by the attack, adding, "Deminers put their lives at risk every day to ensure the safety of Afghanistan's communities." He said, "It is abhorrent that anyone would target individuals working to free the people of Afghanistan from the scourge of landmines." Five Afghan deminers were killed and seven others wounded on Sunday (March 23) when two unknown assailants on a motorbike opened fire on a 12-member team working for the Afghan Technical Consultants, a partner of the UN Mine Action Center for Afghanistan. According to the UN, the attack took place in Chimtal district in the northern province of Balkh. However, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported the northern province of Jawzjan as the scene of the attack. Two employees of another mine company, known as the Mine Detection and Dog Center, were gunned down on Monday in the northern province of Kunduz as they were returning from a cleared-land handover ceremony. The Taliban has reportedly denied involvement in Sunday's attack, saying, "Taliban never kill deminers... Deminers always work for public welfare and Taliban always cooperate with such people." Although most Taliban-led attacks are in the country's south and east, there have been some in the north, as well, where factional rivalries, warlords and criminal elements also have their hands in violence.

France to send more troops to support NATO mission in Afghanistan

France will send more troops to Afghanistan to support the NATO-led military mission there. Speaking before British lawmakers from both houses of the parliament in London on Wednesday (March 26), French President Nicolas Sarkozy said, "Defeat is forbidden, even if victory is difficult," adding that France has proposed a strategy to its NATO allies that would enable the Afghan people and their legitimate government to build peace. He said that if the French proposal is accepted at next week's NATO meeting scheduled for April 2, in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, France will propose reinforcing its military presence in Afghanistan. Sarkozy, however, did not say how many more French troops will be sent to Afghanistan.

Movement

2008: UNHCR will resume voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan on March 1 with the first batch of refugees leaving from Quetta in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province and a second batch from Peshawar in the North West Frontier Province.

2007: UNHCR temporarily suspends the Afghan voluntary repatriation campaign in Pakistan until March 2008 due to seasonal slowdown. (IRIN, Nov-2). Pakistan has reportedly extended the deadline to close Jalozai camp until March 2008. (IRIN, Sep-4). The UNHCR has asked Pakistan to temporarily suspend closure of Jalozai refugee camp in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) that was originally scheduled to be closed on August 31. UNHCR said due to the fast approaching Muslim holy month of Ramadan and winter season, conditions were not conducive for the return of some 100,000 camp residents. UNHCR said any forceful return of these refugees could lead to secondary displacement.

Pakistan is to close all Afghan refugee camps by December 2009 and to repatriate all refugees living in the country. UNHCR says it has repatriated over 306,000 Afghan refugees from Pakistan so far this year under its voluntary repatriation campaign. (UNHCR, Aug-10)

4.2 million refugees have returned to Afghanistan, and 500,000 IDPs returned home since early 2002. Close to 3 million of the refugees returned from Pakistan. 2.6 million Afghans remain in Pakistan, including one million in 74 long-term camps. About 1.5 million Afghans returned from Iran. Taking into account unassisted returns, perhaps 600,000 to 700,000 Afghans remain in Iran—up to 30,000 are in seven camps.

Iran deported some 85,000 unregistered refugees to Afghanistan during April 21 - May 14, 2007. Iranian officials say they plan to initially send back 500,000 of over a million illegal refugees in the country. Earlier this week, Iran said it has reached an agreement with the Afghan government to slow down the pace of expulsions for illegal Afghans living in the country.

Some 200,000 Afghan refugees in Pakistan have returned to their homes under the UN-assisted voluntary Afghan refugee repatriation program since it resumed on March 1, 2007, following a seasonal winter suspension. Pakistani authorities said voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan that are without proof of registration (PoR) ended in April, and refugees remaining in the country without PoR are now considered illegal and subject to government action. Repatriation campaign for Afghan refugees with PoR.

2006: UNHCR expects to assist 550,000 returnees—400,000 from Pakistan and 150,000 from Iran. However, so far this year only some 60,000 Afghan refugees have repatriated from Pakistan. Unassisted returns are a factor from Pakistan and have been a major contributor to returns from Iran. The tripartite arrangement among UNHCR-Afghanistan-Pakistan is good through 2006. The UNHCR-Afghanistan-Iran Joint Program has been extended into 2007. Repatriation from Pakistan, halted for the winter, recommenced on March 1. UNHCR assisted nearly 9,000 refugees in returning from Pakistan and over 500 from Iran during March. In April 2006, Pakistan closed two long-term camps in NWFP, and two in Baluchistan Province with 250,000 long-term residents. Refugees in Baluchistan can either return to Afghanistan or relocate to Mohammad Kheil camp near Quetta. Refugees in NWFP are moving to Afghanistan or one of ten camps in NWFP—refugees are pushing for a one-year delay.

2005 plans called for 400,000 Afghan refugees to return home from Pakistan and 200,000 from Iran, down from an earlier 350,000 estimated from Iran. 453,000 returned from Pakistan. 67,000 from Iran were assisted and over 210,000 returned on their own to Iran for a total of nearly 280,000, and a combined Pakistan and Iran total of 733,000—close to the original projection.

2004 plans were for one million to return. Actual returnees were around 850,000, with 385,000 from Pakistan and 460,000 from Iran, including 80,000 spontaneous returns. Pakistan closed camps in South Waziristan and all new camps, with remaining new refugees going to Mohamed Kheil camp in Baluchistan Province.

Emphasis in 2003 was on repatriation from old camps and cities in Pakistan to rural areas in Afghanistan. 70% of returnees from Pakistan were from cities and 30% from camps. Over a third returned to Kabul, another 10% went to other central provinces, and just over 20% returned to each of the north and east. The Southern region received 6% and the Western region 4%. The 2003 peak months were June and July.

In 2002 over 2.3 million Afghan refugees returned with 2 million assisted by UNHCR. UNHCR repatriated 1.53 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan, including 125,000 from Baluchistan and 1.4 million from the North West Frontier Province. 82% were from urban areas; only 3% were from new camps. 265,000 refugees were assisted in returning from Iran; and 10,000 refugees from the central Asian republics.

Afghanistan Relief Efforts: United Nations Coordination Regions

Central Region

Location	Central Region
Coordination
Population
IDP Movement
Food	A rapid food needs assessment by USAID’s Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) suggests that due to failed wheat crops, unfavorable weather and higher food prices, Ghor province would need in the short-term (December-April) some 14,231 metric tons of food assistance to feed its vulnerable population. (ReliefWeb, Oct-18) According to local officials, thousands of students attending 40 schools in Ghazni province have not received WFP food assistance for over a month due to insecurity. FAO on July 5 said that 6.5 million Afghans suffer from chronic food insecurity. (IRIN, July-8)
Health	UN agencies and the local provincial government raise funds to build a new maternity wing in the Bamiyan main hospital. The new facility is expected to provide essential healthcare for expectant mothers in central Bamiyan province and to reduce the risk of both maternal and child mortality. (UNAMA, July-17).
NFIs -Shelter	IOM, UNICEF, UNOCHA, & OXFAM
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Security	Over a dozen suspected Taliban militants were killed in a joint Afghan-US security operation in Deh Rawood district in Uruzgan province on March 21. (KT, Mar-23) On March 10, Afghan police killed 10 Taliban fighters in a clash in Dehrawud district in south-central Uruzgan (also spelled Oruzgan) province. Two policemen were also wounded in the clash. (TNI, AP, Mar-11) Two Dutch and two Afghan soldiers died in separate friendly fire incidents on January 12 in Dehrawud district of Uruzgan province. (Reuters, Jan-13)
Comments

East Central Region

Location	East Central Region
Coordination	UNHCR
Population
IDP Movement	UN; Government encouraging refugees to return to home provinces to limit burden on Kabul—government land distribution program only in province of origin;
Food	WFP has begun distributing wheat to some 650,000 beneficiaries affected by high food prices in Kabul and the surrounding areas. (Reliefweb, Mar-6, 2008) IRC, Action Contra la Faim; WFP
Health	At least 100 pneumonia patients, primarily children, have died in the past month in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said February 14. In the same period, over 170,000 patients with pneumonia and other acute respiratory infections have been treated at health centers across the country. The country remains under the national public health emergency declared on January 8, with 30,000 health workers requested to not take leave for the duration of the emergency period. (IRIN, Feb-14) UNICEF, CARITAS, MSF, IFRC, IRC, ICRC
Non-Food Items - Shelter	UNHCR, ACTED, MSF, IRC, ICRC, IOM
Security	A suicide car-bomb attack aimed at a convoy of US troops near the airport in Kabul on March 13 killed eight civilians and wounded as many as 35 others. (IHT, ABC, Mar-13)
Water & Sanitation	An agreement has been signed between the UNHCR and the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) to provide safe drinking water for Afghan returnees from Pakistan and Iran, as well as IDPs. (UNHCR, Sep. 24) ICRC
Comments	The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is seeking US$13 million in emergency funds to help hundreds of thousands of Afghan children lacking proper food, water, medicines, education and other essential services. (AFP, VOA, Feb-12) According to the UN World Food Program (WFP), the US, Canada and Denmark have pledged US$31 million to a joint UN and Afghan government appeal for food aid to 2.55 million vulnerable Afghans. "The US has confirmed (its) contribution of 30,000 metric tons (MT) of wheat worth US$19 million, Canada has confirmed US$10.1 million and Denmark has confirmed US$2 million," WFP country representative Rick Corsino said. (IRIN)

Eastern Region

Location	Eastern Region
Coordination	UNHCR, International Islamic Relief Organization;
Population
IDP Movement	UNHCR
Food	IRC NATO-led ISAF PRT transported water pipes for a nearly seven-mile-long planned water supply project in Baghlan province. (NATO, Aug-23)
Health	Provincial officials in southern Khost, Kandahar and eastern Nangarhar provinces have confirmed hundreds of diarrhea cases due to water contamination from floods. (IRIN, July-11)
Non-Food Items - Shelter	CWS, UNICEF
Security	A suicide car bomber targeted a NATO convoy in Khost on Saturday (March 15), wounding one soldier and killing two Afghan civilians. (Reuters, Mar-15) Provincial officials said six civilians were killed in a US-led coalition raid in Muqibel village in Khost. The US military said that coalition forces were searching for a wanted militant and troops fired back after being shot at, killing several militants, including the wanted man. The military said that the deaths of the civilians were “regrettable.” (CNN, Reuters, BBC, Mar. 19) Four Taliban militants were killed in clashes with Afghan and foreign forces in Korengal valley in eastern Kunar province on March 9. (TNI, AP, Mar-11) One Afghan policeman was killed and at least five others wounded when a suicide bomber targeted a government building in Tani district in Khost province on Tuesday (March 4). (AP, Reuters, Mar. 4) On Monday (March 3), at least three NATO and two Afghan soldiers were wounded when a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden truck into a government compound that also housed some NATO troops in Yaqoubi district of Khost. Two of the wounded NATO soldiers and two Afghans civilians later died. (KT, ABC, BBC, Mar-3)
Water & Sanitation	CARITAS; ICRC, UNICEF
Comments

Northeastern Region

Location	Northeastern Region
Coordination
Population	9,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast
Movement IDPs
Food	On December 27, heavy snowfall had blocked access to at least 10 districts in Badakhshan province, leaving some 200,000 people in need of food assistance. (IRIN, Dec-27)
Health	WHO, Merlin, UNICEF, MSF; ICRC
Non-Food Items (NFIs) -Shelter	UNICEF, ACTED, Refugees Int’l, Mercy Corps
Security	Taliban insurgents ambushed and killed two Afghan policemen and abducted a police commander in Nuristan province. (BBC, Oct-7) Twelve people, including five government employees and seven policemen, were killed on September 23 when unidentified gunmen opened fire on their vehicle as it traveled through northeastern Badakhshan province. (CNN, Sep-24)
Water & Sanitation
Comments	The MoPH has asked the NATO-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Badakhshan for air support to enable medical teams to service otherwise inaccessible areas. (IRIN, Feb-14) At least 13 people were killed in an avalanche in Baharak district in northeastern Badakhshan province on December 11. Fifteen others were rescued. (IRIN, Dec-12)

Northern Region

Location	Northern Region
Coordination	UNHCR, IOM
Population	9,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast; 60,000 IDPs from North elsewhere in country.
Movement IDPs	IOM
Food
Health	MSF, ICRC, UNICEF At least 20 children have died in several districts of northern Balkh and central Daikundi provinces over the past five weeks due to water contamination from floods. (IRIN, July-12)
NFIs –Shelter	IOM, ACTED, Mercy Corps
Security	Three German soldiers were wounded, two critically, after a roadside bomb struck their vehicle overnight in Kunduz province. (ABC, AFP, Mar-27) Five Afghan deminers working for the UN-funded mine clearance program were killed and seven others wounded when two unidentified assailants on motorbikes opened fire on their vehicle in Chimtal district in Balkh province on Sunday (March 23). (UNNS, KT, AFP, Mar-24) Two Afghan deminers working for the Mine Detection and Dog Center were gunned down in Balkh on Monday (March 24). (KT, AFP, Mar-24) A bomb wounded four people near a shrine in Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday (March 21). (The News, Mar-21) More than 65 people, including six members of Afghanistan’s lower house of the parliament and 59 schoolchildren, were killed and more than 100 others wounded in a suicide bomb attack near a sugar factory in northern Baghlan province on November 6. (ABC, BBC, Reuters, Nov 6-8) Four people, including a district police chief, his brother and two other policemen, were killed in a roadside bomb blast in northern Baghlan province on September 24. (The News, Sep-25)
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF, ICRC, DACAAR
Comments	ISAF PRT helps flood-affected families in Khamyab and Qarqin districts in Jowzjan province at the request of provincial authorities. (Frontier Post, Aug-12)

Southern Region

Location	Southern Region
Coordination	UNHCR
Population	IFRC says that flash floods and avalanches in early March have affected 2,200 families in Helmand/Sangreen Grishk, Musa Qala, and Nowzad districts; and 400 families in Uruzgan/Dehraud district. (IFRC, Mar-23).
Movement of IDPs	Intense military operations against Afghan insurgents in southern Helmand province, especially in Musa Qala district, have caused hundreds of families to flee their homes to neighboring districts and the provincial capital, Lashkargah. (IRIN, Dec-6) UNOCHA reports that over 2,500 families have left their homes in different districts of Helmand, Uruzgan and Kandahar provinces over the past two months, according to provincial officials. Many of the displaced say they are leaving because of forced recruitment attempts by the Taliban and air strikes by international forces. Many have sought shelter in Kandahar city. (UNOCHA, Sep-27) In Uruzgan province, 880 families affected by conflict in Chora district have been settled in Tirin Kot and Dehrawud districts with the help of UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP and UNICEF. (ReliefWeb, July-30) About 2,000 people, mostly women and children, have fled their homes in several parts of Helmand province due to heavy fighting between Taliban insurgents and NATO-led forces. (IRIN, July-9)
Food	WFP says it could not deliver 50 tons of mixed food to Geeti district in Daykundi province due to security concerns. WFP plans to deliver food as soon as safe passage is guaranteed. (IRIN, Nov-14) The World Food Program (WFP) delivered 500 metric tons of food to the provincial capital Lashkargah, in southern Helmand province for some 4,500 families affected by fighting in Musa Qala, Sangin, Kajakiand Nawzad districts. (ReliefWeb, Sep-3) WFP also distributed 300 tons of food to some 37,000 beneficiaries in Kandahar and Helmand under food-for-work and literacy programs. (ReliefWeb, Sep-3) UNICEF; Mercy Corps; CARITAS; WFP
Health	A UNICEF-led Polio vaccination campaign was suspended in Musa Qala due to military operations. The campaign was also suspended in parts of five other districts. (ReliefWeb, Dec-20) Afghan and US-led coalition forces treated some 700 Afghans during a two-day outreach operation in Kandahar on December 7 and 8. (Reliefweb, Dec-12)
NFIs - Shelter	UNHCR, Mercy Corps The Netherlands will provide US$713,000 (470,000 euros) for repair of war-damaged homes for 400 families in Deh Rawood and 150 families in Tirin Kot. (Reliefweb, Feb-28)
Security	Eight people, mostly civilians, were killed and at least 17 others wounded in a car bomb attack in a farmers’ market in Gereshk district in Helmand province on Wednesday (March 26). (BBC, MSNBC, Mar-26) Three Taliban militants were killed in a clash with Afghan and US-led coalition forces in Shahjoy district in Zabul province on Saturday (March 22). (KT, Mar-22) Two soldiers from US-led coalition forces were killed when their vehicle was struck by a landmine in Kandahar province on Saturday (March 22). (KT, Mar-23) Two police officers were killed and three others, as well as a civilian, were wounded by a suicide bomber in Arghandab district, located north of Kandahar city on Friday (March 21). (The News, Mar-21) A NATO soldier was killed by a bomb attack in the south on Thursday (March 20). The location and nationality of the soldier were not released. (Reuters, The News, Mar-21) At least 30 people, including civilians, were killed in a NATO-led airstrike in Sangin district in Helmand province on Monday (March 17). The Taliban has claimed that all those killed were civilians and added that more than 60 others had been wounded. However, an unnamed NATO spokesperson said that 12 insurgents were killed in the strike. (Reuters, AFP, Mar. 18)
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	The Afghan government has approved 19 reconstruction projects valued at US$1.4 million (72 million AFA) for Kandahar province. Projects are to be completed within nine months and are expected to benefit some 29,000 households in the region. (ReliefWeb, Mar-14).

Southern Region IDP camps

Location	Zhare Dasht - South of Kandahar – 6 camps
Type	IDP Camp
Coordination	UNHCR
Camp Capacity	30,000; expandable to 60,000
Population	125,000 IDPs in south; 48,500 at Zhare Dasht
Movement IDP
Food	WFP
Health	UNICEF, MSF
NFIs – Shelter
Security
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	Support for Spin Boldak camps terminated in 2004.

Western Region

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Location	Western Region
Coordination	UNHCR; ICMC
Population	According to the IFRC, flash floods and avalanches in early March affected some 200 families in Herat city; 918 families in Gulran district; 35 families in Cheshte Sharif district; 150 families in Shindand district, 6,500 families in Badghis/Jawand and Murghab districts, and 20 families in Gour district. (IFRC, Mar-23) 12,000 IDPs, mostly in Maslakh camp
Movement IDPs	IOM
Food	IRC, CARITAS, UNICEF, World Vision, IOM, Action Contre la Faim; WFP WFP has delivered 553 metric tons of food assistance to 12,800 winter-affected families in the western region. (UNAMA, Feb-19) The UN Food and Agriculture Organization, in cooperation with the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, has donated 20 tons of concentrated animal feed to winter-affected farmers in Herat. (UNAMA, Feb-19)
Health	Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), with the help of US-led coalition forces, carried out a Medical Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) in Shewan, western Farah province on August 30 and treated more than 811 people, including 576 women and children. (USG, Sep-2)
Non-Food Items (NFIs) – Shelter	The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have delivered food and non-food items, including over 15,000 sweaters, as well as blankets, tarpaulin, plastic sheets and plastic mats, to Herat and Farah provinces. About 2,500 IDP families living in Shaidei and Maslakh camps near Herat have received food and non-food items as well. (UNAMA, Feb-19)