UNJLC BULLETIN 33 24 - 31 March 2004 FINAL EDITON

CONTENTS

1. UNJLC PHASE OUT 2. SECURITY 3. AIR OPERATIONS 4. SEA PORT OPERATIONS 5. CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION 6. INFRASTRUCTURE 7. LOGISTICS CO-ORDINATION 8. CIVIL-MILITARY CO-ORDINATION 9. FUEL 10. LIBERIA INTERNATIONAL STAFF

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1. UNJLC Phase Out • The United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC) was deployed to Liberia from August 2003 to March 2004. UNJLC has completed its mandate as a Logistics Coordination and Information Platform, and its main body will close down on Wednesday, 31 March 2004. As part of its Exit Strategy, UNJLC will provide a Logistics Planning Team, consisting of an international Logistics Planning Officer and a national Logistics Assistant, located with, and reporting directly to the Humanitarian Coordinator. • The UNJLC Planning Team will continue to chair the weekly Joint Logistics Working Group and the Road Task Force. Furthermore, the Planning Team will assist the UN Agencies in planning their deployment outside of . This will include coordination in efforts to maximise asset and cost sharing among UN Agencies for fuel, communication, and water requirements. • UNJLC’s Exit Strategy also includes the completion of a Liberia Logistics Handbook, a complete compilation of UNJLC studies, sector surveys and reports. The Handbook is divided into the following sections: Air Operations, Infrastructure, Transport, Customs and Immigration, Fuel, and Services and Regulations. This Handbook will be distributed to Heads of Agencies and Logistics Officers while copies will remain with the HOC, HIC and the Planning Team. • The UNJLC website (www.unjlc.org) will continue to host information related to logistics in Liberia. It will be updated by the Planning Team with close support from the UNJLC Core Unit in Rome. • The Planning Team will be located in the Humanitarian Coordinator’s office at the German Embassy in Monrovia. The contact details are as follows: Glumur Baldvinsson: Mobile: + 377 47 534 090 Zubin Cooper: Mobile: + 377 47 518 120 • This is the final edition of the UNJLC Liberia Bulletin. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the UNJLC users and donors for all their support during the time of deployment. We would also like to extend our thanks to WFP Liberia for their administrative support throughout our stay.

2. Security • Most of Liberia continues to be designated at Security Phases IV and V. The following areas were recently downgraded from Phase V to IV: ¾ Margibi and Montserrado Counties ¾ The road from Gbarnga to Ganta, including the town of Ganta ¾ The road from Tappita to Zwedru, including the towns of Tappita and Zwedru • Areas already at security phase IV are: ¾ The road from Monrovia to Buchanan ¾ The road from Monrovia to Gbarnga ¾ The road from Monrovia to Bo Waterside ¾ The road from Monrovia to Tubmanburg

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• All other areas of the country remain at security Phase V.

3. Air Operations • The Commercial Sector in Liberia has decreased significantly since the outbreak of the civil crisis in late 1989. Prior to this, there were at least twenty-five commercial airliners operating out of Liberia to various parts of the world. Presently, there are five commercial airlines operating in Liberia: Ghana Airways, SN Brussels, Weasua Air Transport, Satgur Air Transport and, Belleview. These airlines connect to neighbouring countries, except SN Brussels which flies directly to Europe from Liberia. • Below is information on the carriers operating to Roberts International Airport (RIA): Carrier Destinations Contact Ghana Airways , , Abidjan, KLM Building 56 Broad Street New York, Baltimore, Monrovia Tel: + 377 47 518791, + 377 47 511980 SN Brussels Brussels, Monrovia Eco Bank Plaza, Ashmun & Randall Streets, Tel: + 377 47 510991 + 377 47 512467 Satgur Air Transport Abidjan, Freetown, , Monrovia Randall Street Tel: + 377 47 511084, + 377 47 550937 Weasua Air Transport Freetown, Abidjan, Monrovia KLM Building, 56 Broad Street Tel: + 377 47 516275, + 377 47-531181, + 377 47 554081 + 377 47 515944, + 377 47 550133 Belleview , Abidjan, Accra, Monrovia Broad Street Tel: + 377 47 514584 • In the Humanitarian Sector, the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) is the major user of the airfields in Liberia. UNMIL Air Operations is part of the UN effort to reconstruct a functional infrastructure in Liberia. The goal of UNMIL Air Operations is to rehabilitate the infrastructure of the air service industry in Liberia. The Air Operations Section is responsible for the supervision, implementation, and monitoring of its air operations. As part of its implementation, UNMIL has expanded its operations and established both an Air Operations Section and a Movement Control Centre (MOVCON) at RIA and James Spriggs Payne Airport. The function of the Air Operations Centre is the handling and tasking of aircraft, ensuring compliance and quality assurance, planning and scheduling, flight following and air traffic control. The MOVCON is responsible for passenger and cargo handling. • UNMIL has 2 MI-26’s, 4 MI-8’s, and 4 MI-24 helicopters deployed to RIA. These aircraft are used for transporting troops and cargo to deployment sites. UNMIL recently contracted a DASH-7 for transportation of both passengers and cargo within Liberia, as well as to Abidjan, Conakry, and Freetown. This aircraft has a 42-passenger capacity and is based at RIA. In addition, UNMIL is operating one fixed-wing airplane, a Beechcraft King Air 200, along with six MI-8 helicopters from James Spriggs Payne Airport. • UNMIL Air Operations plans to oversee the rehabilitation and upgrading of all domestic airports in Liberia. Beginning with those at Voinjama, Harper, Greenville, Gbarnga and James Spriggs Payne in Monrovia, the rehabilitation projects shall cover a total of twenty-three airports around the country. Civilian administrators are to be assigned at each airport around Liberia by UNMIL. These administrators are to manage these airports and assist in the capacity building of the local structures. UNMIL’s current efforts in the rehabilitation of the airports are expected to form the basis of a re- invigorated air service industry in Liberia. • UNMIL Air Operations Contacts: ¾ Mr. Carl Markussen: OIC- UNMIL Air Operations/Aviation Section, Tel: + 377 47 532 603, E-mail: [email protected] ¾ Mr. Chris Njenga: OIC- Technical Compliance/ UNMIL Air Operations, Tel: + 377 47 538246, E- mail: [email protected] ¾ Mr. Thomas Vandy: UNMIL Spriggs Payne Aiport Manager, Tel: +377 47 542883 ¾ Mr. Tomislav Ristov: UNMIL Chief Air Operations Centre, Tel: + 377 47 532504, E-mail: [email protected] ¾ Ms. Griffith, MOVCON, Spriggs Payne Airport, Tel: + 377 47 530 602, E-mail: [email protected]

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¾ Mr. Tesfaye Tesgaye, OIC, Airfield Management, Tel: + 377 47 547 041 ¾ Mr. Idrissa Ezeh: UNMIL RIA Manager, Tel: + 377 47 542 885, E-mail: [email protected] ¾ Mr. Christopher Tumbay: Assistant RIA Manager ¾ Mr. Mario Calderon: MOVCON RIA, Tel: + 377 47 532 597, E-mail: [email protected] ¾ Mr. Assamis Comporare: UNMIL Gbranga Airfield Manager ¾ Mr. George Kabia: UNMIL Greenville Airfield Manager • The other actors in the Humanitarian Sector include the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). These agencies are operating from James Spriggs Payne, making it an important humanitarian facility. • ICRC is operating a Beechcraft King Air and flies to Voinjama and Zwedru. Presently, these flights only accommodate ICRC staff. Any requests for consideration of personnel other than those of ICRC should be made to: Head of Delegation, Reto Stocker, Tel: + 377 47 556558 Deputy Head of Delegation, Jordi Raich, Tel: + 377 47 527859 • WFP Air Service operates services between Abidjan, Conakry, Kissidougou, Nzerekore, Guiglo, Tabou, Freetown, Monrovia, and Zwedru. WFP is operating a LET 410. WFP Air Service contacts are as follows: Ivory Coast: Liberia: WFP West Africa Air Service WFP West Africa Air Service WFP Office Ground Floor Rue Jesse Owens WFP Office Angle Boulevard de la Republique United Nations Office Residence Tropique 3 Mamba Point Abidjan Plateau Monrovia Contact: Alain Rakotovao, Emmanuel Jarry, Contact: Victor Cole and Nyenati Bayusie and Raphael Dechambenoît Phone: + 377 47 530 092 Phone: + 225 05 404 990 + 377 47 531 423 Phone: + 225 05 531 544 Fax: + 871 763 467 061 Fax: + 225 20 226 239 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Sierra Leone: : WFP West Africa Air Service WFP West Africa Air Service WFP Office WFP Office 5H, Old Railway Line Coléah Corniche Sud Tengbeh Town Commune de Matam Freetown PO Box 5669 Contact: Stela Pasic and Rosemary Parnell Contact: Bounama Gueye Tel: + 232 76 705 092/+ 232 76 601 607 Tel: + 224 13 40 76 51 Ext 4450 Fax: + 232 22 277 094 Mobile: + 224 13 40 85 67 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: + 874 762 873 026 [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] • UNHCR is presently operating a Beechcraft to fly passengers between Conakry, Freetown, Monrovia and Abidjan on Monday and Friday. A Beechcraft King Air 100 is used by UNHCR. For more information, please contact: Mr. Philippe Levieux, Tel: + 377 47 530 181, E-mail: [email protected]. • RIA and James Spriggs Payne Airport are the two functional and operational airports in Liberia. RIA is Liberia’s main international airport and is located approximately thirty-five miles from the capital of Monrovia. The airport was built by the United States military during the Second World War (WWII) as a logistics base. Following the end of the war, the airport was transformed into a commercial entity for international carriers. Spriggs Payne Airport - named after Liberia’s fourth president - is located approximately 4 miles from downtown Monrovia, in the suburb of Sinkor. The Airport was a major coordination point for all domestic flights from Monrovia to the provincial headquarters and to capitals of the neighboring countries: mainly, , Guinea and Ivory Coast.

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• RIA’s Administration is under the jurisdiction of the Civil Aviation Authority at the Ministry of Transport. James Spriggs Payne Airport is administered by the Liberia Domestic Airport Agency, under the jurisdiction of the Civil Aviation Authority. This agency managed the domestic airports around the country prior to the civil war. • The office of the Director of Civil Aviation is currently situated at James Spriggs Payne Airport. The Agency of Civil Aviation has been involved in reviewing regulations and re-establishing international aviation standards. This includes restoration of the Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication System (AFTN); defining search and rescue procedures; establishing an aviation security programme; and, setting up an air navigation system. The Bureau is responsible for processing over flight clearances, registration of aircraft, air craft licenses, and air services agreements. • The Bureau of Civil Aviation has identified the following goals for 2004-2005: ¾ Establish a communications link with major national airports. ¾ Update the Liberian Civil Aviation Regulations (1962). ¾ Draw up reform policy guidelines to meet the latest air transport industry standards. ¾ Facilitate the return of Roberts Flight International Region (RFIR) Secretariat to RIA. ¾ Rehabilitate James Spriggs Payne and five major airstrips in the country. ¾ Support Roberts International Airport (RIA) to meet ICAO standards. ¾ Re-organise the management of the Liberia Civil Aviation Aircraft Registry. ¾ Resume publication of aviation statistics and establish Civil Aviation library. ¾ Develop the requisite Human Resources. ¾ Participation in international Civil Aviation meetings and conferences. • The Roberts FIR (Flight Information Region) TCA (Terminal Control Area) extends 40NM north of Conakry and 99NM south of Monrovia. The Roberts FIR is a dismemberment of the Dakar FIR. The Dakar FIR was regionally established in January 1975 by Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, who decided to manage their airspace jointly. The FIR was named after Roberts International Airport (also known as Robertsfield), which hosted the headquarters at its creation. The headquarters was transferred to Freetown in June 1990 because of the war in Liberia. It has been based in Conakry since June 1997 as a result of the war in Sierra Leone.

4. Sea Port Operations • Liberia has four main ports: Monrovia, Buchanan, Greenville, and Harper. However, of these four, only Monrovia has the handling facilities necessary for humanitarian and commercial usage. Buchanan, Greenville and Harper ports were being used primarily for the logging trade. • The Freeport of Monrovia, located in the capital of Liberia, is the largest port in the National Port Authority (NPA) network. It was built by the United States military during World War II. The Freeport handles most of the cargoes imported into Liberia. Two Breakwaters (2,350m and 2,200m long) protect the harbour enclosing a basin of 300 hectares of protected water. The general cargo berths (main pier) consist of an open piled, 610m long by 11m wide, marginal wharf with a reinforced concrete deck. The main wharf serves coastal and main line vessels of the 2nd and 3rd generation. • All UN official vehicles are exempted from access fee requirements at the Freeport of Monrovia. For NGOs, the prices for vehicle access passes are the following: US $ 37 for light vehicles and US $ 75 for trucks. The passes are valid for one year. • For commercial vehicles, the prices for vehicle access passes are: US $ 100 for light vehicles and US $ 150 for trucks. The passes are valid for one year. • Contacts for the Ghanaian Security contingent (UNMIL) at the Freeport of Monrovia are as follows: O Commanding Officer – Lt Col James Adoinama: + 377 47 530 657 O Operations Officer – Major Louman Gbetanu: + 377 47 530 654 O Military Intelligence Officer – Capt Errigton Commil: + 377 47 530 649

5. Customs and Immigration • Since August 2003, UNJLC has reviewed and analysed the Customs and Immigration regime in Liberia to assist the Humanitarian Community. In order to provide a common understanding between all parties, UNJLC outlined current Customs and Immigration procedures as they apply to the Humanitarian Community. The second edition of the report, completed in December 2003, was compiled through extensive interaction with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Commissioner of Customs, Commissioner of Immigration, and many of their staff. This Guide is available from the UNJLC website (www.unjlc.org). 31/03/2004 Page 4 of 6

• UNJLC, through discussions with the Commissioner of Immigration, secured the reactivation of United Nations privileges and immunities as they relate to Immigration. UN staff travelling on National Passports is exempt from payment of all charges as well as the requirement to complete official Immigration documentation. Instead, all necessary information is provided to the Bureau of Immigration via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the form of a Note Verbale. • Furthermore, a customs and immigration expert, seconded to UNJLC from DFID, arrived in Monrovia on 13 January 2004 for a three-week mission. The expert met with key Government and Humanitarian bodies in order to analyse future customs and immigration deployments, and activities, and to facilitate discussion on the possible streamlining of procedures and practices. The consultant’s activities included a review of the existing UNJLC Customs and Immigration Guide; identification of the need for further recommendations for the speedy delivery of UN goods; identification of any UN activities that may be hindering the customs regime; providing recommendations for the improvement of customs procedures; providing recommendations for the harmonising of the ‘theory’ and ‘practice’ of customs regulations; advising on adjusting customs regulations in line with those of the World Customs Organisation (WCO); and, a review of auxiliary charges outside of customs issues. The consultant completed his mission and Final Report on 2 February 2004.

6. Infrastructure • UNJLC in collaboration with HIC initiated an assessment of the primary and major secondary roads in Liberia. Information was collected on all damaged bridges, culverts and road stretches along the routes. There was a crucial need for up-to-date data on the surface infrastructure of the country in order to inform the process of maintaining access to humanitarian hubs and Major Supply Routes (MSRs) during the rainy season. This project was requested by the Humanitarian Community. • After the completion of the Assessment Project, UNJLC initiated a Road Task Force to maximise and coordinate a coherent road repair strategy. • The fourth Road Task Force Meeting will be convened on Monday, 29 March at 14:30 PM at the UNDP Conference Room.

7. Logistics Co-ordination • The regular meeting of the Joint Logistics Working Group will be held on Wednesday, 17 March, 2004 at 10 a.m. in the UNDP conference room. • Humanitarian Operations Centre (HOC. The points of contact at the HOC are as follows: o General: Stephen Hiscock, Tel: + 377 47 530 434, E-mail: [email protected] o Logistics Coordination & Movement Control: Steven Eames, Tel: + 377 47 534 468, E-mail: [email protected] o Civil-Military Coordination: Stephen Hiscock, Tel: + 377 47 530 434, E-mail: [email protected] Major Noel Duffy, Tel: + 377 47 532 516, E-mail: [email protected] o LRRRC Liaison: Adella K. Kermah, Tel: + 377 47 544 133, E-mail: [email protected] o NGO Liaison: Franklin Henries, Tel: + 377 47 530365 o Security: Arve Skog, Tel: + 377 47 529 616, E-mail: [email protected] o Humanitarian Information: Varney Kawah, Tel: + 377 47 521 726, E-mail:[email protected] • The HOC is located on the ground floor of the WFP building. • The opening hours are: Mon-Fri: 08:30 – 18:00. Sat: 10:00 – 15:00.

8. Civil-Military Co-ordination • UNMIL Emergency Response Hotlines are: o Duty Officer HQ Sector 1: + 377 47 530 173 o Duty Officer HQ UNMIL : + 377 47 532 313 • UNMIL Force Commander – Lieutenant General Opande, Kenya

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• Sector 1 Commander – Brigadier General Festus Okonkwo, • Civil-Military Co-operation Officer – Noel Duffy: + 377 47 532 516 • UN Civil-Military Co-ordination – Stephen Hiscock: + 377 47 530 434 • WFP Civil-Military Liaison – Albert Fiawosime: + 377 47 530 209

9. Fuel (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene) / Commodity Prices • Liberia has a number of fuel storage plants located around the country. The majority of storage is controlled by the Liberian Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC), a para-statal organisation created by act of Parliament to handle the importation and distribution of fuel. Sites, both operational and non operational, are located in: Monrovia, Ganta, Buchanan, Nezoe, Greenville, and Harper. In addition to Government/LPRC storage, many private logging companies maintain their own storage facilities. • A study on the fuel market and infrastructure in Liberia was commissioned by UNJLC in December 2003 as part of its ongoing remit to assist the Humanitarian Community in Liberia. The aims of the study included determining the impact that the UN Mission, particularly UNMIL, may have on the country’s fuel economy examining the cost of fuel with particular emphasis on the economy of supply to the UN Mission; examining the potential for co-ordination of fuel policy within the humanitarian community; examining critical fuel infrastructure development requirements; and considering any fuel-related impact on the environment. • The exchange rate to the US $ is LD $ 54.

Fuel Prices (per Gallon)

Fuel type Retail Price (US$) Street Price (US$) Diesel 2.20 2.26 Gasoline 2.25 2.36 Kerosene 2.10 N/A

10. UNJLC International Staff • Matthew Dee: [email protected] Mobile: + 377 47 530 187 • Steven Eames: [email protected] Mobile: + 377 47 534 468 • Glumur Baldvinsson: [email protected] Mobile: + 377 47 534 090 • Farzana Rasheed: [email protected] Mobile: + 377 47 531458 • UNJLC Offices are located on the ground floor of the WFP building, UN Drive, Mamba Point, Monrovia. • UNJLC Fax: + 871 763 467 061. • UNJLC Tel: + 871 763 467 060.

ABOUT UNJLC UNJLC is an inter-agency facility reporting, in the current emergency, to the Humanitarian Coordinator for Liberia, and overall to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. Its mandate is to coordinate and optimise the logistics capabilities of humanitarian organisations in large-scale emergencies. UNJLC operates under the custodianship of WFP who are responsible for the administrative and financial management of the Centre. UNJLC is funded from voluntary contributions channelled through WFP. The UNJLC project document for Liberia can be viewed on the UNJLC website (www.unjlc.org).

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