SYRIA – Meeting Minutes

LOCATION: Amman, Jordan DATE: 28 April 2014 CHAIR: Logistics Officer PARTICIPANTS: ACF, SDC, Handicap International, IOM, Medair, Save the Children, Premiere Urgence, THW, UNICEF, WFP ACTION POINTS: The Logistics Cluster, via WFP Jordan, will share logistics supplier/transport lists related to the Jordan Refugee Response with interested participants. 2014 LATEST UPDATES/HIGHLIGHTS  Partners were advised that the Turkey to Syria ‘Nusaybin’ crossing may be accessible again in future by humanitarian agencies, after successful aid deliveries took place in March. Initial approval was received from Syrian authorities, however, no approval has yet been received from the Turkish authorities. Currently, humanitarian access via Nusaybin is restricted (as of 25 April). Several agencies (IOM, WFP, UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO) sent humanitarian cargo via this crossing to Qamishly in March. Coordination was provided by the Logistics Cluster/WFP in Turkey; support via common transport was provided by the Logistics Cluster for IOM, UNICEF, and WHO from the Syrian side of the border. The Logistics Cluster also provided temporary storage in Qamishly.

 14 additional trucks will be purchased by the Logistics Cluster to enhance the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC)’s capacity to deliver aid to final destinations. The trucks are expected to arrive in June 2014.

 The most recent Joint Humanitarian Convoys (week of 24 April) are: o Rural Homs (Talbiseh and Mashrfeh): 1,088 m³ of relief items were transported, including WASH, health, shelter and food on behalf of IOM, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. o Idlib (Foaa, Kafraya and Binnish): On behalf of IOM, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO over 500 m³ of relief items were transported, including shelter, health, WASH, and food.  A Joint Statement by Heads of UN Agencies on 23 April called for increased access in Syria by all parties, using all available routes.

SITUATION UPDATE Syria

 The Logistics Cluster is facing difficulties accessing a number of areas such as Deir Ezzour, Raqqa, Rural Aleppo, and some areas in Rural Damascus (Zabadani, Yarmouk, and Ghouta).

Lebanon

 The International Highway, leading to the Lebanon/Syria Al Arida Border Crossing, has been slightly unstable over recent months, affecting cargo transport from Beirut to Tartous/Lattakia via the north of Lebanon. However, the highway is currently open for transport to Syria.

www.logcluster.org/ops/syr12a

SYRIA – Meeting Minutes

 The Beirut to Damascus corridor is operating normally, and Al Masnaa Border crossing is fully operational.

 The Beirut Port is operating normally, with no congestion.

Jordan

 Al Naseeb border crossing is operational. Trucks complete customs at Al Naseeb and subsequently must proceed to onward destinations via Sweidah city. UNHCR and UNICEF regularly use this corridor for cargo transport from Jordan to Syria.

COMMON SERVICES  The Logistics Cluster provides free-to-user common cargo transport inside Syria, to all destinations within the country (security and access permitting). The Logistics Cluster also offers common overland transport from Lebanon and Jordan to Syria.

 Joint Humanitarian Convoys are supported by the Logistics Cluster to difficult-to-access locations throughout Syria. These Convoys are coordinated by OCHA and SARC, with the relevant Government ministries. The locations are prioritized by the different sectors at Inter-Sector Coordination Meetings in Damascus. Over the past month, the Logistics Cluster has supported Joint Humanitarian Convoys to Rural Damascus (Douma, 28 March), Homs (Ghanta and Teirmala, 08 April), and Idleb (Saraqeb, 09 April).

 Emergency Airlifts have been budgeted in the Logistics Cluster’s 2014 plan (average of one per month) to reach the most severely cut-off areas.

 The primary storage hubs for the Logistics Cluster are in Sahnaya (Rural Damascus) and Safita (near Tartous). Space is also available in Qamishly via Mobile Storage Units (MSUs), 32 X 10 m each, for partners’ temporary storage requirements, with a possibility of further expansion if required.

 As part of its Special Operation (SO) for Syria, WFP maintains a large Fuel Depot in Damascus, and also stores fuel in Safita (near Tartous) and Qamishly (northeastern Syria) as a contingency measure. The Depot primarily stores diesel, with a small quantity of petrol stored for light vehicles. As part of the UN's joint winterization project, WFP provided fuel for emergency cooking and heating to Internally Displaced People (IDP) shelters in Damascus, Homs, and Hamah.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT UPDATE  A finalized Fuel Snapshot (covering 2013 and Q1 2014) has recently been shared on the Logistics Cluster website, and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Logistics Cluster services have been updated and are available at the following link http://logcluster.org/ops/syr12a.

 The Logistics Cluster is currently working on an access table for partners in Syria, whereby live information on road access can be shared via a dedicated email group.

www.logcluster.org/ops/syr12a

SYRIA – Meeting Minutes

 Average Prices for Transport and Storage in Syria/Jordan/Lebanon have been shared, and are available upon request.

 Partners were advised that a GIS Officer is present in Amman, Jordan for any mapping needs. Participants can send specific requests to the Logistics Cluster IM Officer. AOB  Save the Children advised the partners that it is using the Aqaba Port as an entry point for Non-Food Items (NFIS) in Jordan, and no issues have been reported so far.

 UNICEF advised partners that they continue to use the Jordan/Syria ‘Naseeb’ border crossing for the overland transport of humanitarian aid. Customs clearance has been uncomplicated for most items, while customs clearance for medicines require longer processing times and have more stringent specifications.

 WFP Jordan is phasing out logistics activities in Jordan as it is transitioning to a voucher system for refugees. Consolidated supplier/transporter lists are available upon request.

Contacts: Syria

Jeppe Andersen Cluster Coordinator (Out of office) [email protected] Irving Prado OIC for Cluster Coordinator [email protected] Mira Baddour Logistics Assistant [email protected] Lebanon Matteo Perrone Logistics Officer [email protected] Hamza Mohmand Information Management Officer [email protected] Celine Bracq Cargo Tracking Officer [email protected] Jordan

Jonas Herzog GIS Officer [email protected]