Location of operation: IRAQ
Amount of decision: 31,750,000 euro
Decision reference number: ECHO/IRQ/210/2003/06000
Explanatory Memorandum
1 - Rationale, needs and target population:
1.1. - Rationale:
The humanitarian situation in Iraq was already very precarious before the war(1). The latter which started on 20 March 2003 and ended with the collapse of the Iraqi regime three weeks later, together with the serious continuing security problems that Iraq is facing, have severely impacted on the short term possibilities of recovery and are resulting in additional hardship for the people of Iraq.
The lack of security is recognized as the main factor hampering improvement in the humanitarian situation in Iraq as it undermines the resumption of normal social services. The UN and other humanitarian organizations have been the target of direct suicide attacks in the last few months which have led to their partial withdrawal from the country:
- United Nations (UN): On 19 August, an attack on the UN Head Quarters in Baghdad resulted in the death of 22 people, including UN special Representative Sergio Viera de Mello. On 6 November the UN confirmed that all their international staff has left Baghdad for security reasons.
- ICRC: A car bomb attack at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) headquarters in Baghdad last 27 October prompted the organisation to reduce its foreign staff and forced the remaining employees into temporary accommodation. The blast, which killed 12 people, including two ICRC staff, was the first suicide attack on the neutral Swiss-based humanitarian organisation in its 140-year history. On 7 November the ICRC announced the closure of both their Baghdad and Basra offices, given "the extremely dangerous and volatile situation" in the country. The ICRC had been operating in Iraq for 23 years, through the Iran-Iraq war, the Gulf war in 1991 and the US-led attack earlier this year.
- NGOs: NGOs have also been the object of attacks, including the killing of an international humanitarian worker from Mines Advisory Group (MAG) last 4 September. As of 17 October there were 80 International NGOs operating in Iraq (23 receiving ECHO funding). Most of them had still a full presence (50) or were partially in Iraq and Amman (17) while the rest were operating from abroad. As a result of the security situation, several ECHO partners have requested the suspension or even the cancellation of their operations. Among the ones remaining in the country, though still able to continue with their activities, most are however facing increased security limitations affecting notably the monitoring, which have often led to the need to adapt the objectives of the contracts and to delays in the implementation of the activities.
In this context it is basically the civilian population, and notably the most vulnerable groups, including Internally Displaced People (IDPs), that continues to suffer the consequences. Taking into account the needs of those people, and while recognizing the security constraints to operate in Iraq, the humanitarian intervention to be provided through this decision will contribute to strengthen the capacity of delivery of some of the basic essential services, and contribute to the restoration of some vital ones in the health, water & sanitation and education sectors. The support foreseen in this decision to mine related activities as well as to the reinforcement of the security and coordination capacity of the humanitarian organisations working in Iraq is to be considered as a necessary means towards achieving the goals above.
This decision is also adopted in the transition context following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1511 last 16 October, which invited the Iraqi Governing Council to present not later than 15 December 2003 a programme for the elaboration of a Constitution and for the holding of democratic elections, as well as the Madrid Donor's Conference in October which announced pledges of over $33 billion for Iraq, although a substantial part of that in the forms of loans.
Particular attention will thus be given to the link between emergency, rehabilitation and development assistance through a support which is in line with the UN/World Bank needs assessments in the respective sectors and which will include a mix of hardware and software components.
Notes
(1) Under 5 Mortality Rate in the Centre and South of Iraq was 131/1000 live births (UNICEF Child and Maternal Mortality Study, 1999); 15,9% of children under five were underweight (Weight for age - UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2000)
