United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs

OCHA OFFICE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA

DPR KOREA: SITUATION BULLETIN

June & July 2002 FAO WFP CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENT MISSION No. 06/02i - CEREALS PIPELINE WILL BREAK IN OCTOBER -

Despite improved harvests this year, DPRK urgently needs fresh pledges of external assistance to help plug a food gap threatening millions of its most § FAO/WFP CROP AND FOOD vulnerable citizens ahead of the main harvests in September/October. The SUPPLY ASSESSMENT Special Report of the FAO WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission to MISSION DPRK, dated 29 July, stated that "food aid shipments must be increased to prevent the poorest sections of the population from facing extreme hardship in the § 109,600 MTs SHORTFALL IN coming months". "The safety net being provided by targeted food assistance FOOD AID cannot be removed at this stage without a sharp rise in malnutrition."

§ AUSTRALIA TO BOOST AID The DPRK has suffered widespread food shortages for many years, which is TO DPRK aggravated by the adverse effects of a shortage of arable land and agricultural inputs, poor soils, severe economic problems and infrastructural deficiencies. § HEALTH AND NUTRITION Improved yields due to relatively good weather saw production of winter/spring UPDATES wheat, barley and potatoes reach 441,000 MTs of cereal equivalent, two-and-a- half times last year's drought-affected output of 172,000 MTs and 34 per cent § CAMPUS FUER CHRISTUS higher than the previous four years average of 328,000 MTs, the report said. SUPPORT FOR GOAT MILK PRODUCTION As a result, FAO and WFP are forecasting total domestic production in the 2001/02 marketing year (November-October) at 3.66 million MTs of cereal § TRAINING KOREANS equivalent, 42 per cent up on the estimated 2000/01 out turn of 2.57 million MTs. ABROAD - UNICEF Rations channeled to over 15 million non-farm consumers, through the government-run Public Distribution System, have risen by 48 per cent this year to § FOCUS ON WFP LOCAL 292 grams per person per day. More food is also available in markets in most FOOD PRODUCTION parts of the country. (Continued on page 2)

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Masood Hyder Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator Tel: +8502-3817-571 Fax: +8502-3817-603 E-Mail: [email protected]

Brendan McDonald Humanitarian Affairs Officer OCHA Pyongyang Tel: +8502-3817-298 Fax: +8502-3817-639 E-Mail: [email protected]

Electronic copies of this Bulletin (Adobe Gerald Bourke/WFP Acrobat PDF format) can be obtained by e-mailing [email protected]. DPR Korea children at a government-run orphanage in City, Kangwon Contributions for the August Bulletin Province on 31 July. Institutionalised orphans are considered to be among the should be sent to OCHA no later than 3 most vulnerable groups in the country to malnutrition. The United Nations World September 2002 Food Programme, which provides them with daily rations of enriched blended foods and cereals, is grappling with an unprecedented resourcing shortfall.

United Nations, Munsudong, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Humanitarian Situation Bulletin June & July 2002 Page 2

FAO WFP CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENT “Further reductions in its programme will be inevitable unless MISSION (continued from page 1) urgent action is taken within the donor community to mobilize additional resources." WFP, which is assisting those who Nonetheless, because the country's domestic production cannot meet their basic food needs on their own, requires remains well below minimum consumption requirements, additional pledges totaling 127,518 MTs to be able to its capacity to import commercially is limited and pledges of implement its programme for the remainder of the calendar aid by the international community have been slow in year. coming this year, the DPRK faces an uncovered food deficit of 382,000 MTs for July-October, according to the The FAO/WFP report cautioned that low temperatures and report. inadequate water supplies may have affected the main rice and maize crops, and noted that the size of these harvests WFP and FAO expressed serious concern at the would be largely determined by the amount of rain received "continuing significant disparities in access to food, the in July-August, the peak precipitation period. A decaying worst affected being urban populations in general, those irrigation system and lack of fertilizers continue to be major living in food-deficit areas of the north and northeast and constraints to increased production. "The outlook beyond this certain particularly vulnerable groups such as children, season remains unfavourable, given the significant shortfalls pregnant and lactating women, and the elderly". in essential inputs and the continuing deterioration of agricultural machinery." The report noted recent reports that The report noted that these disparities have been the government had decided to introduce changes in pricing exacerbated by the downturn in food aid contributions. "In and wage structures. "The UN system in the DPRK is May, WFP was unable to commence essential lean season currently collecting information on the scope of the changes distributions to the elderly and caregivers in institutions, and analyzing their potential implications". and was forced to curtail distributions to secondary school children in the six most food-insecure provinces." More The full report is available on the FAO website at: than one million of WFP's 6.4 million beneficiaries were http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/faoinfo/economic/giews/english/alertes directly affected. /sptoc.htm

HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMMES

OCHA Mission to the DPRK FOOD AID Mr. Kenzo Oshima, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, visited DPRK from 30 July to 3 August. Mr.John Powell, WFP Food Aid Update Regional Director WFP and Mr.Richard Bridle, UNICEF Representative DPRK, accompanied him on the mission. In Pipeline shortages, which have seriously affected WFP’s addition to meetings with officials of relevant ministries and activities since the second quarter of 2002, continue to cause the Flood Disaster Rehabilitation Committee, he also visited concern for the rest of the year. To fully implement the 2002 the eastern part of the country to observe first-hand EMOP for the remainder of the calendar year, WFP requires conditions outside the capital. additional pledges totalling 109,600 MTs of food, mostly cereals (103,600 MTs). Given this shortfall, WFP is refining During the visit, agreement with the DPRK government was its cereal distribution plans to ensure that the basic food reached on installation of satellite communication for the UN needs of the most vulnerable can be met for as long as and development of a Memorandum of Understanding with possible. the UN on the medical evacuation of their staff and families. The government also reaffirmed the conducting of the Cereal distributions from existing stocks and confirmed Nutrition Survey this year. The ERC and Mr.John Powell forthcoming shipments (91,000 MTs from the United States later travelled to Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo where they met and 11,850 MTs from Australia) will be prioritised for with donor representatives to discuss the humanitarian distribution to the heavily urbanized food-deficit eastern situation in DPRK. provinces. Orphanages, paediatric hospitals, and Local Food Production factories in all provinces will be covered More information on the outcomes of the visit will be included until December. in the August Bulletin. Distributions to core beneficiary groups on the east-coast will be covered for the year, but the cereal pipeline will break in Australia to Boost Aid to DPRK September-October for the west coast provinces. Distributions suspended since May to secondary school Australia will boost aid to DPRK, providing A$6 million children and the elderly (lean season) will be resumed from under next year's Budget. Foreign Minister Alexander August; lean season cereal distributions (May-September) to Downer announced the extra funding would come out of caregivers in child institutions will not be resumed. WFP the A$40 million WFP allocation. The funding will allow for cereal allocations to support food-for-work activities for the the purchase of an extra 11,400 MTs of wheat for DPRK. In autumn season will be reduced. addition, an extra A$500,000 would be allocated to WFP to buy sugar and A$500,000 to UNICEF to buy vitamins and Confirmed contributions were received from the governments minerals. of Denmark, Canada, and New Zealand for mixed non-cereal commodities. Some of the cash contributions will be combined to purchase vitamin-mineral pre-mixes for locally produced blended food for young children. Humanitarian Situation Bulletin June & July 2002 Page 3

WFP Local Food Production - June to July 2002 § 1,251 MTs of vegetable oil (EU) arrived at Namyang, Local Food Production in July remained high with 5,500 MTs with an additional 754 MTs of vegetable oil at of blended foods produced. Monthly production is now 90% by rail from Dalian, China. higher than the January-February 2002 average. (see production graph below) § 428 MTs of sugar (EU) arrived at Sinuiju, with an additional 172 MTs of sugar at Namyang by rail from Dalian, China. 7000 § 4,876 MTs of wheat flour (CFGB) arrived at Sinuiju, 6000 with an additional 2,130 MTs of wheat flour at Namyang by rail from Dalian, China. The Canadian 5000 Food Grains Bank through FALU contributed this 7,006 MTs consignment. 4000 Food Aid Liaison Unit

3000 Caritas Hong Kong signed an agreement on 13 June with FDRC for the provision of 1,800 MTs of white rice for 2000 children in baby homes and nurseries in Ryanggang, North, and South Hamgyong provinces. The rice, which will last for approximately 33 days, is valued at US$296,100. A 1000 contribution of US$60,000 towards this project have been secured by Canadian Food Grains Bank for the provision of 0 365MTs of rice to institutions targeted in four cities of South Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Hamgyong province.

The US contribution of wheat will be allocated to the LFP 7.2 MTs of therapeutic milk (F100) arrived on 3 June in units, but production of CMB and biscuits will slow down as Pyongyang Sopo railway station. The ACT/Diakonie factories start receiving wheat instead of wheat flour. The donation is intended for provincial paediatric hospitals and local milling capacity is not enough to process the requested paediatric wards in county hospitals of six counties in quantities of wheat. The LFP unit will also adapt the CSM . The total goods value is approximately machines so they can accept both maize and wheat flour. 20,000 Euro.

WFP signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ADRA, a FALU Support to WFP Local Food Production resident NGO, for a donation of full cream milk for the RMB factories. WFP supports the ADRA bakery with 100% of its Diakonie Germany and Canadian Food Grains Bank have commodity inputs for providing bread to child institutions. placed orders for 44.8 MTs of vitamin and mineral premix. This contribution will be for WFP Local Food Production. Public Distribution Centre Update The factory produces fortified blended foods. Total value of this donations is approximately $US 280,000. The first batch Distributions of daily food rations by the government through of 1,597 MTs wheat flour (75x20'containers) arrived by train the Public Distribution Centres (PDCs) in July were reduced in Sinuju (DPRK) on 26 June. This shipment is part of the to 300 grams/person/day from the 350 grams/person/day Canadian Food Grains Bank provision of 7,000 MTs wheat rations in June, but were double the rations distributed in flour to be allocated to WFP's Local Food Production July of last year (150 grams). factories.

Food-For-Work GAA' s School Feeding Programme in South Hwanghae produced in June and July a total 867 MTs of biscuits for By the end of July, 60 proposals had been received by WFP 104,200 school-aged children in seven counties. The output from the government for the autumn season 2002. Project of biscuits was doubled in June and July in order to use proposals were received for tree plantation, nurseries, and stocks that were at risk of damage, due to the sudden stream excavation and embankment activities. Nearly all of increase of rice weevils in the mill store in . the proposed projects are in highly vulnerable and moderately vulnerable counties. HEALTH AND NUTRITION A lack of sufficient pledges for cereal will mean that the FFW autumn season projects will be limited and focused largely in Essential medicines - UNICEF and WHO the eastern, industrialized food deficit provinces. Ensuring the availability of the most essential medicines at Food Aid - 15,213 MTs Arrives in July all health facilities is one of the priorities for UNICEF co- operation this year. Deliveries of "very vital" medicines and § 4,770 MTs (USA) of mixed commodities – 2,410 MTs essential health equipment were made to five provinces and rice, 2,360 beans - arrived on the Mike Oleary at two cities (see below). With funding received this year, port. twelve of the most important medicines ("very vital") can now be provided to all health facilities on a regular basis, until § 832 MTs (USA) of mixed commodities – 575 MTs March next year. New funding received for medicines over vegetable oil, 257 MTs peas - arrived on the MV An the remainder of this year will be used to provide additional Ping at Nampo port. "vital" medicines for women's health care. Humanitarian Situation Bulletin June & July 2002 Page 4

HEALTH AND NUTRITION Nutrition Survey Discussions on the national nutrition survey, expected to June and July Deliveries of UNICEF medicines to Provinces take place in October, are now well under way. Two UNICEF (in cooperation with MoPH) consultants visited the DPRK between 20 and 27 July to provide assistance to the Central Bureau of Statistics and the Date Province Trucks Institute of Child Nutrition - the two Government institutions 2 June South Hwanghae 2 responsible for implementation of the survey in collaboration 8 June North Hwanghae 2 with UNICEF and WFP. 12 June Nampo city 2 15 June Kangwon 2 Discussions included sampling methods, data collection, 20 June Ryanggang 2 data processing and logistics. Follow-up discussions and 21 June Pyongyang 2 training for these institutions are planned. The survey will be 13 July South Hwanghae 2 carried out to international standards and with international 16 July North Hwanghae 2 agency participation. The last nutrition survey carried out 29 July South Hamgyong 2 with international participation was in 1998.

AmeriCares Sends Medical Relief Shipments to DPRK Progress In Salt Iodisation A review of all seven DPRK salt refineries in July showed An AmeriCares airlift has delivered 14,000 pounds of that all are iodising salt and that over 8,000 MTs has been medical supplies worth US$3 million to DPRK in the latest in produced this salt season. Production is therefore on track to a series of twice-a-year shipments started in 1997. just exceed last year's production of 20,000 MTs but to fall short of the 2003 target of 30,000 MTs. Aimee Gilbert of New York City, AmeriCares director of humanitarian programs, accompanied the shipment to Salt refining capacity is the constraint to increased iodisation oversee the distribution and reported: "We continue to be and this will need factory rehabilitation and new concerned by the profound levels of malnutrition found in the machinery/equipment. UNICEF is currently in contact with pediatric hospitals and orphanages with which we work. We UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development remain committed to helping those suffering and in need" Organisation) to invite them as a partner in the national effort to achieve universal salt iodisation by 2005. The Flood Damage Rehabilitation Committee dispensed the relief items to patients and residents at three hospitals and Immunisation Programme (EPI) two orphanages. Institutions that received support included the Pyongyang Medical University Hospital, the South The Global Alliance on Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI) Pyongan Pediatric Hospital and the North Hwanghae approved the DPRK's application for support. Support will be Pediatric Hospital. given as cash funding and injection equipment for immunisation services and, in 2003, hepatitis B vaccine, Nutritional supplements to the children's centers in Soriwon which will be added to the current immunisation schedule. and City. In the shipment were antibiotics, Upgrading of the national immunisation information system vitamins, gastro-intestinal medicine, antidiarrheals and infant and further improvements to the immunisation cold chain formula. system are requirements of the global funding. UNICEF is now recruiting a technical assistant (cold chain) to support ORS Production the Ministry of Health's national programme.

Diarrhoea is one of the two main causes of childhood illness Planning for the October and November polio national and death in the DPRK and field visits confirmed that the immunisation days is now under way. UNICEF has identified numbers of diarrhoea cases have steadily increased, as funding for the polio vaccines, and public awareness posters usual for this time of the year, over the past three months. In are being printed. As usual, on these two 'child health days, response, the local ORS factory has stepped up production vitamin A supplements and deworming will be given to of life-saving rehydration salts. almost 2.5 million children.

Since the beginning of the year, almost one million sachets Improving the management of childhood illnesses WHO, have been produced locally, significantly higher than last UNICEF and the Ministry of Health agreed to work together year but still well below the total annual requirements of the to support the implementation of the IMCI strategy country -- UNICEF continues to import the balance required. (Integrated Management of Children's Illness). A medium- A training course, 29-31 July, at Pyongyang University term programme is now being considered for upgrading of Hospital focused on the two main causes of child mortality treatment guidelines and protocols and for re-training of all and morbidity -- diarrhoea management and respiratory health staff through the country. infections. Mid-term review of the Government-UNICEF Programme In collaboration with a non-resident partner Diakonie of Cooperation Emergency Aid, upgrading of the operations at the Pyongyang Pharmaceutical Factory continued. Training on This year, the Government and UNICEF is jointly carrying 'Good Manufacturing Practices' or GMP, was organised on out a mid-term review of the current three-year UNICEF- 23-25 July for 35 participants, lead by trainers who had Government Programme of Cooperation as well as recently studied at the Thai Government's Pharmaceutical developing a strategy for cooperation for the next five years. factory. UNICEF staff attended the training course. The review process is well under way. Key components of all current programmes are being reviewed during the course of this year, as well as a number of very important crosscutting themes. Humanitarian Situation Bulletin June & July 2002 Page 5

Between June 11 and 18, a team of four staff from the distributed in China. According to experience obtained, UNICEF regional office and headquarters visited the DPRK An.sinensis has not been considered as a strong vector for to contribute to this process. Focusing on how to further malaria transmission because of its feeding mainly on improve UNICEF's response to the humanitarian crisis and animals. However, if the density of An.sinensis is extremely how UNICEF can make the best contribution to the country's high and when there is a lack of domestic animals, the risk of 'preparation for development', they reviewed the health- vivax malaria epidemic or outbreak will increase, and this nutrition programme, the water and sanitation programme as seems to be the case in DPRK. well as the communications programme. Another Anopheles species, An. anthropophagus was found Food Aid Liaison Unit - CARITAS during the recent survey. The population and density of An. anthropophagus is lower than that of An.sinensis. But, the Equipment and medical supply of the Caritas project SOA indoor human-biting rate is extremely high compared with 23/2001.11 arrived in Pyongyang on 2 June. The outdoor human-biting rate in An. anthropophagus. Further consignment, which is handled by WHO, has been stored at studies are needed to evaluate the significance of An. the Ministry of Public Health central warehouse, comprises Anthropophagus for malaria transmission in DPRK. ri-hospital kits and bicycles. This consignment will be distributed to 95 ri hospitals in . The survey suggests that vector control will be an important The value of this donation is approximately US$ 109,000. part of malaria control in DPR Korea. The vector control strategy to reduce the chance of human biting by vector will UNFPA Reproductive Health Survey be recommended for malaria control in endemic areas with major vector of An.sinensis. A combined measure using Dr. Jayanti Tuladhar, CST (Country Support Team) insecticide treated screen or curtain, as door or window consultant from Bangkok, contacted training-workshop on cover, with insecticide-impregnated bed-nets is an economic RH Survey in June. During the workshop 20 senior level and effective method to reduce the chance of human biting participants were familiarized with survey objectives, process by mosquito, and probably is the most important measure for of developing questionnaires, pre-testing of questionnaires vector control. WHO will continue to support the malaria and sampling procedures. The sample size is 5000 women control program both for drugs, improved diagnostic facilities, of reproductive age and 1000 men (husband) in UNFPA vector control as well as training and technical assistance supported programme areas. UNFPA The Population Centre will jointly carry out the survey with World Population Day Ministry of Public Health and Pyongyang Maternity Hospital. The fieldwork (data collection) has already started and will be On the occasion of World Population Day (July 11), which completed in September. Preliminary results will be available had a theme this year of "Poverty, Population and by November and the final report of the survey will be ready Development", a photograph exhibition was organized by at the end of December 2002. The Health Education Institute in , South Hamgyong Province, on July 9 to 12. Photographs showed WHO Malaria Control Measures are Giving Positive UNFPA’s activities in Reproductive Health, world Results population status by region, the status of Reproductive Health and Family Planning in DPRK, various Preliminary WHO assessments suggest a substantially lower contraceptive methods and poverty, population and number of malaria cases this year compared to 2001. This development related issues. Over 1200 persons attended suggests that the control measurers and availability of anti- the exhibition. malarial drugs provided with assistance of WHO and IFRC is having a significant impact. In July, a study of the vector The Grand People’s Study House (GPSH) similarly transmitting malaria in DPRK was done by a WHO conducted a successful and very popular photograph & entomologist. According to the preliminary field poster contest exhibition. Photograph and posters were entomological survey, Anopheles sinensis, the mosquito displayed at the entrance hall to enable all entering readers species indicated to be the main vector for transmission of to see the exhibition. GPSH published a special issue of malaria in DPRK was been found in all selected villages 1000 copies of a newsletter on topic "Poverty, population showing high densities. Indoor and outdoor human biting and development" and Kim Bo Hyong University issued a rate of An.sinensis were approximately the same. newsletter ‘Rural Population and Reproductive Health’ An.sinensis is also the major malaria vector and widely targeted specifically at the rural population.

REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES

Concern. Evaluation for implementation of the irrigation ENVIRONMENT system on tree nurseries is ongoing. This is being carried out with the assistance of a consultant jointly working for Triangle G.H. is undertaking a pilot project of tree nursery both Triangle G.H. and Concern. rehabilitation in Taedong County funded by the OCHA NGO Funding Mechanism, which is supported by SIDA. This In early September delegates from the tree nursery farms project consists of the installation of an irrigation system and will travel to Dandong and Shenyang in China for training. provision of equipment for the nursery. The project manager Mr Shin, FDRC representative from the Ministry of Land will be in charge of a feasibility study in the specific area of Management and Environment Protection has had to reduce reforestation and environmental protection, for both Triangle the number of participants due to difficulties in arranging the and Concern Worldwide. necessary documents for the participants. Humanitarian Situation Bulletin June & July 2002 Page 6

REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES

Four staff from the Health Education Institute of the AGRICULTURE Ministry of Health and the Grand People's Study House attended a three-week course in Thailand on 'Behavioural Campus fuer Christus. As part of Campus fuer Christus' Change Communication Strategies'. Two staff of the ongoing support to increased goat milk production two new Ministry of Health's Central Medical Warehouse completed milk processing units were installed on two co-operative a training course at the central medical stores of the farms in June. Both of the units have a capacity of up to Cambodian Ministry of Health. 2000lt fresh milk per day. Two staff from the Ministry of Health attended the 11th Technicians on the two co-operative farms in North annual course on 'Breast Feeding: Practice and Policy' Hwanghae and received training held at the Institute of Child Health in London. Breast for several weeks in milk processing. Most of the goat milk feeding practices have been identified as one of the major will be transformed into yoghurt, with the remainder being problems contributing to child malnutrition in the DPRK. turned into cheese. Bacteria for both, yoghurt and cheese UNICEF has recently initiated a renewed effort to improve production has been imported from Switzerland. In order the situation. The two staff of the Ministry of Health will to multiply bacteria in DPR Korea, which assist the farms form the core of a breast-feeding group with in-country with the sustainability of milk processing, four Koreans training and improved information materials planned over visited Switzerland in June for training in bacteria the next year. multiplication.

In addition to the milk processing units, three co-operative EDUCATION - UNICEF farms have been provided each with 50 25l-stainless steal milk churns. Three of the co-operatives also got a 2.5 MT Basic school materials -- pencils, erasers, rulers, play truck for collection of fresh milk and distribution of milk materials and new textbooks -- are now being distributed to products. All of the five goat co-operatives farms Campus branch schools, orphanages, boarding schools in all is working with have been visited for extension, training in provinces as well as to primary schools in the four north, goat breeding, goat keeping, and fodder production. A co- northeastern and eastern provinces of Ryanggang, North operative farm in South Hamgyong Province also received Hamgyong, South Hamgyong and Kangwon. New funding assistance in fodder plant seed production. is being used by UNICEF to provide additional basic materials, which all primary schools in these four priority At the end of May, seven Koreans travelled to Switzerland provinces will receive this year for a four-month practical training course in goat farming. The training included practical work on farms in the Alps and education at professional schools. .

Deutsche Welthungerhilfe/German Agro Action ELDERLY AT INCREASED RISK

The winter wheat variety of “Jing Dong 8" in the seed multiplication project in South Hwanghae had an average yield of 4.3 MTs/ha. Out of a total harvest of about 1.250 MTs of 260 ha, 800 MTs where cleaned and recognized as winter wheat seed and without coating distributed to other cooperatives in the area. For the following crop of buckwheat and soja beans, imported and certified seeds where distributed for about 60 ha only, while the remaining 200 ha where planted with maize.

Italian Development Cooperation. In July, it was announced that Italian government would contribute US$150,000 towards the Appeal for Control of Rice Water Weevil Epidemic in DPRK

TRAINING KOREANS ABROAD - UNICEF

Four staff from the Central Bureau of Statistics attended a Gerald Bourke/WFP one-month training course on advanced statistical analysis and survey methodology at the RIAP University, Sydney. Hyon Dong Hwa, 65, a retired machine-tool factory worker in Kimchaek city, , on This was a follow-up to their basic training course at RIAP 13 June. A meagre food ration from the North Korean at the end of last year. Two staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended a three-week training course on government and the resource-strapped UN World Food Development Assistance Cooperation at RIAP, Sydney. Programme's suspension in May of aid to nearly Both training courses at RIAP were funded through an 400,000 elderly North Koreans means he is now having AusAID grant to UNICEF. to scavenge for edible grasses to supplement his diet. Humanitarian Situation Bulletin June & July 2002 Page 7

WATER AND SANITATION Concern Worldwide

UNICEF has undertaken detailed assessments of the water The Health Education Institute (HEI) with the support of and sanitation situation in three counties in South Concern Worldwide undertook two one-day workshops for Hamgyong, North Hamgyong and Kangwon. Technical staff working in the health promotion sector in Pukchang. assistance (staff seconded from the Norwegian Refugee Participants included doctors, nurses, health promoters and Council) was given to the Ministry of City Management for teachers from both urban and rural communities. Flipcharts the exercise. Best strategies for boosting water supply to were distributed to assist them in promoting better hygiene village and town populations in the three counties were practices. A brief survey of the participants indicated that: agreed and implementation is already underway in two of them. Strategies for improving sanitation were agreed and § Approximately 40 to 50% of those being treated in designs for school sanitation systems, with a focus on the clinics suffered from water related diseases. This can needs of girls, are now being prepared. rise to 60 to 70% during the rainy seasons. § Absenteeism from schools varied from 4 to 18% with Deutsche Welthungerhilfe/German Agro Action. on average 4% being due to water related illnesses. § Education staff spend approximately between 1 to 3 GAA carried out training for water and sanitation technicians hours a week teaching health related issues. from the county- and cooperative counterpart level. Subjects covered included: water catchments, sedimentation, water, Rural and urban water systems design for the Concern and distribution tanks. By the end of July, 28 out of 78 water ECHO funded project was received towards the end of June. catchments have been completed. The entire construction The urban water system design has been reviewed and material and project equipment for water supply systems has revised by the Ministry of City Management (MoCM) in been ordered or is already on the way and partially delivered. Pyongyang. Relevant health data and water analysis results have still not been made available. Quality of the project work is being Water quality data and health statistics that were requested affected by the low knowledge of technicians and the from the local institutions at the beginning of the project have cooperative workers involved in the project. still not been received by Concern.

FOCUS ON WFP LOCAL PRODUCTION OF BLENDED FOODS

LFP Production Increases in 2002 2002 - Local Food Production Partners WFP: Food commodity inputs and funding for factory The WFP – UNICEF joint production of blended foods maintenance. at the 18 factory locations has expanded tremendously UNICEF: Vitamins and Minerals. over the past six months. From a monthly average of FDRC: Labour, electrical power and transport. 2,600 MTs produced in the last quarter of 2001, DONORS: Canada, Canadian Food Grains Bank, production has reached an all time record high of 5,786 Caritas, Diakonie, EU, Finland, Italy, ROK, MTs in May 2002. Production for the year 2002 is now U.S.A. for a total to date this year of 40,847 expected to exceed 50,000 MTs and will be distributed MTs of food commodity inputs to over three million children and pregnant and nursing mothers. Products Beneficiary

Rationale for Support to Local Food Production Biscuits Primary school children and orphans Corn Soy Milk Nursery children and orphans WFP assisted local food production activities has grown Cereal Milk Blend Nursery children and orphans from one factory, installed in Pyongyang in early 1999, to 11 Rice Milk Blend Severely malnourished children operational facilities in four locations. WFP support for local Noodles Pregnant and nursing women food production is as a result of the increased scarcity of food, and the limited availability of animal products in DPRK, which has reduced the quality of the food basket available to the local population. A serious consequence of this restricted diet is the limited intake of vitamins and minerals (micronutrients).

Vulnerable groups, which include; infants, school children, pregnant and nursing women and severely malnourished babies, are at risk of micro-nutrient deficiencies. This may lead to life-lasting impairments.

Local Food Production Objectives

§ Make micronutrients available to vulnerable groups through the production and distribution of fortified foods. § Process food commodities suitable for fortification and for targeting to intended vulnerable groups. § Utilise local factory infrastructure, labour, and Local Food Production/WFP electricity to produce value-added fortified foods. Humanitarian Situation Bulletin June & July 2002 Page 8

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The purpose of the study tour is primarily to acquaint DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION themselves with methods and procedures of enhanced development cooperation and resource mobilization, as well The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and as to learn from their experiences with the Common Country the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Assessment (CCA) and United Nations Development has formulated a project document for a Capacity Building Assistance Framework (UNDAF) processes. for Enhanced Development Cooperation project.

The primary objective of this project is to support the DISARMAMENT INITIATIVES Government in mainstreaming the UNDP initiated Round Table Process as a national effort to mobilise Official Another ongoing UNDP project is the Capacity Building for Development Assistance and to enhance national capacity Disarmament Initiatives Project, which is funded by the in all aspects of resource mobilisation and aid coordination. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). The mechanism for such coordination will include developing specific arrangements with the National The project aims at supporting a peaceful development on Coordinating Committee and line Ministries for a common the Korean Peninsula, by providing support to the approach to selection, design, formulation, implementation researchers of the Disarmament and Peace Institute (DPI), and monitoring of strategic intervention and other officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of DPR programmes/projects. Korea, in broadening their knowledge in the field of disarmament and peace initiatives and at enhancing their One element of the project is the need to hold thematic and ability to formulate policy proposals. sectoral studies and consultations based on reliable data for better interaction with donors and more systematic Currently, two researchers from the DPI of the DPR Korea horizontal exchange of information. In this context, two MFA are attending the Conference on Disarmament (CD). senior DPR Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) officials The researchers are also conducting research at the United are visiting the United Nations in Geneva, as well as three Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). selected south-east Asian countries, namely Vietnam, Lao Additional international exchanges and capacity building PDR and Thailand. activities have been programmed into the project.

VISITORS

§ UNICEF DPRK received a visit, 22-29 June, from one of its most consistent supporters, the German National Committee for UNICEF. Mr Reinhard Schlagintweit, Chairman of the National Committee, and Mr Stefan Findel, a major donor to UNICEF funds, visited projects in Pyongyang and at Nampo, Wonsan and in Kosan county, Kangwon province. The German National Committee for UNICEF has since announced a further donation of US$200,000 for programmes in the DPRK. § The new UNFPA Country Director for DPR Korea and UNFPA Representative in China, based in Beijing, Ms. Siri Tellier paid her first visit to DPRK from 29 May to 3 June 2002. Ms. Tellier had appointments and meetings with senior government officials, UN Agency representatives, implementing partners as well as the donor community. § Mr. Kenzo Oshima, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, visited DPRK from 30 July to 3 August. He was accompanied on the mission by Mr.John Powell, Regional Director WFP and Mr.Richard Bridle, UNICEF Representative DPRK.

Change of Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator in DPR Korea. On the 14th of August Mr. Masood Hyder formally took up his appointment as UN Resident Coordinator in DPR Korea, following the departure of Mr. David Morton for WFP Headquarters in Rome. The Inter-Agency Forum would like to thank David for his support and dedication to humanitarian and development coordination in DPR Korea, and wish him well in his new position. David Morton served in DPR Korea from July 1998 until August 2002.

The OCHA Office in DPRK produces this Bulletin on the basis of information supplied by contributing organisations and public sources. Norway and Sweden are funding the OCHA Office in 2002.

More information on DPRK can be found on http://www.reliefweb.int

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