1 Syria SO No. 200477 Logistics & Telecommunications Augmentation and Coordination to Support Humanitarian Operations in Syria B/R No.: 05 BUDGET REVISION FOR SOs FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE DED & COO Initials In Date Out Date Reason For Delay ORIGINATOR Country Office or ................. ................ ………….. ………….. Regional Bureau on behalf of Country Office CLEARANCE Regional Director ................. ................ ……………. …………… Project Budget & Programming Officer, RMBP ................. ................ …………… …………… Chief, RMBP ................ ................ …………….. ………….. Chief, OSLT ................. ................ ……………. …………… Director, OSL ………….. …………… …………….. …………… Director, RMB ………….. …………… …………… …………… Director, OST (ICT operations only) ................. ................ …………… ………….. APPROVAL Deputy Executive Director and COO …………… …………… …………….. …………… PROJECT Previous Budget Revision New Budget CD&A (ODOC) US$ 21,175,153 US$ 4,552,153 US$ 25,727,306 DSC US$ 7,725,541 US$ 18,234 US$ 7,743,775 ISC US$ 2,023,049 US$ 319,927 US$ 2,342,976 Total WFP cost (US$) US$ 30,923,743 US$ 4,890,313 US$ 35,814,056 TYPE OF REVISION Additional DSC Additional CD&A Extension in time Other NATURE OF REVISION: This budget revision seeks a US $4,890,313 increase in Capacity Development and Augmentation and DSC to support the continuation and scale-up of the Logistics and Emergency Telecommunications Cluster’s activities. Specifically, this BR will provide the following: • The augmentation of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent’s (SARC) inter-agency truck fleet, through the donation of trucks, radios, armored vehicles, personal protective equipment, first aid kits, and mobile storage units; • Training of SARC personnel in fleet management software to optimize truck usage; • Capacity building of partners in warehouse management and supply chain optimization; • Airlifts of humanitarian relief supplies from Damascus or Lattakia to Qamishly; and • ETC assessment surveys in Syria and surrounding countries, and the establishment of an inter-agency radio room in Dohuk, Northern Iraq. BR 5 activities will commence 15 June and conclude at the SO end date of 31 December 2014, as established under BR 3. 1 2 BACKGROUND: 1. The violence in Syria has escalated since March 2011, spreading throughout the country and severely affecting all fourteen governorates, especially the main cities of Homs, Hama, Idleb, Dara’a, Deir-ez-Zoir, Albu Kamal, Qamishly, Hasakeh, and Aleppo as well as the capital, Damascus. People living in the affected areas are suffering from the disruptive impact of the prolonged civil war on the economy and local livelihoods. Millions of people have been displaced within Syria, and many more have fled to neighboring countries. Access to basic services like food, water, medicine, shelter, electricity, and fuel have been compromised by the devastating effect of the war. Vulnerability levels are expected to further increase this year with reports of drought conditions in various parts of the country which will most likely lead to a decline in food production and availability. 2. To date, the United Nations estimates that over 160,000 people have died due to the conflict. The UN notes that approximately 10.9 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, and 6.5 million Syrians are internally displaced. Currently, there are over 2.8 million Syrian refugees in surrounding Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq, and Egypt (Map attached - Annex I). A recent study by UNDP and the Syrian Center for Policy Research notes that more than half of the population live in extreme poverty. 3. On 6 May 2014, UN OCHA listed 262 locations throughout Syria’s 14 governorates as “hard to reach” for the humanitarian community, leaving approximately 3.5 million people in need with only limited or no access to humanitarian assistance (Map attached - Annex II). These locations include areas experiencing active on-going fighting or areas under siege. The highest concentrations of places with limited access are clustered in rural Damascus, Quneitra, Dar’a, southwest Hama, and the region between Idleb and Hama governorates. The country’s northeast, including northern Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zor, and Al-Hasakeh is largely constrained by serious access challenges, as access routes are controlled by armed opposition groups that prevent the flow of commercial or humanitarian supplies. However, the volatile security situation means access is a persistent challenge, especially in contested zones and areas under siege. Despite several appeals by the humanitarian community, parties to the conflict continue to obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid. Several locations have not been served for 12 months or more. 4. Access to the three northeastern governorates has been inconsistent since August 2013. In April 2014, the deteriorating security resulted in the suspension of WFP food assistance deliveries in Al Raqqah and Deir-ez-Zoir governorates. In late April, heavy fighting suspended negotiations between the UN and rebel groups, which aimed to secure access to beneficiaries in rural Aleppo. 5. Uncharacteristically low levels of rainfall in recent months threaten to worsen the country’s already acute food crisis, especially in agricultural areas of Aleppo, Homs, Idleb, Dar’a, and Hama governorates, which are all epicenters of the conflict. According to joint WFP-FAO assessments in 2013, the civil war has already cut back agricultural output by at least 40 percent. WFP estimates that the drought will likely further decrease Syria’s annual wheat production to between 1.7 and 2 million MT, about half of pre-conflict levels.1 A looming drought can push millions more into food insecurity, and securing access remains a major challenge. 6. The onset of warm weather, continual displacement, and deteriorating water and sanitation conditions--including expected water shortages associated with oncoming drought--are increasing the potential risk of serious disease outbreaks. Increased needs for WASH and health interventions are likely. 7. Furthermore, the conflict is hindering the effective importation and movement of goods as well as the continuation of normal levels of trade within Syria. This has particular implications for ETC activities requiring the importation of IT equipment. Humanitarian emergency responders rely on such technology equipment and services for all aspects of their operations from reporting, coordinating, and communicating, to ensuring the safety and security of staff in the field. Achievements to Date: 8. In its role as the lead agency of the Logistics and Emergency Telecommunication Clusters, WFP launched the Special Operation in July 2012 to augment security, logistics and emergency telecommunication activities to support the relief efforts of the humanitarian community. The project has been extended through 4 budget revisions to include additional requirements and an expanded scope. The budget was last revised on 7 February 2014 (BR 4). 9. To date, the following accomplishments have been achieved against each of the project components: 1 USAID. “Syria-Complex Emergency: Fact Sheet #14, Fiscal Year 2014.” 8 May 2014. 2 3 • Convoys: 23 Joint Humanitarian Convoys have been supported by the Syria Logistics Cluster to the most difficult-to-access areas in Syria so far this year. The Cluster’s support to joint humanitarian convoys has provided the humanitarian community with concrete logistics means with which to access hotspot locations and deliver critical humanitarian supplies to besieged populations. The success of these convoys has been increasingly used as an important lever to advocate for unimpeded access to areas not permissible to the humanitarian community. This resulted in a number of access gains during the first half of 2014. Some examples include: A convoy to Douma (Rural Damascus) on 29 March - which was the first time this location was reached since October 2012. In February, Bloudan (also Rural Damascus) was accessed in February for the first time in over a year. • Airlifts: In order to reach Hasakeh governorate, which remains inaccessible via road from Damascus, in 2014 the Cluster organized 11 emergency airlifts transporting over 1,000 m³ of urgent aid items to Qamishly from Damascus. With increased storage needs of partners in Qamishly, the Cluster has erected eight Mobile Storage Units (MSUs) there (over 2,000 m² capacity), and continues to maintain its primary storage hubs in Safita (near Tartous) and Rural Damascus. • Logistics Training: Logistics trainings for warehouse management have been conducted in Damascus and Lattakia, with participation by UN agencies, INGOs, and local NGOs. • Common Transport: Since its activation in January 2013, the Syria Logistics Cluster has transported over 37,000 m³ of relief items to locations in Syria on behalf of 17 humanitarian organizations. The organizations served include UN agencies, NGOs, and INGOs. (ACF, AKF, DRC, FAO, GOPA, IMC, IOM, Mercy Corps, Premiere Urgence, SARC, Secours Islamique France, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNFPA, UNRWA, UNDP, and WHO). • Common Storage: Temporary storage is provided at the Logistics Cluster’s storage facilities in Safita (near Tartous), Sahnaya and Kisweh (Rural Damascus), and Qamishly. • Fuel Depots: The Logistics Cluster has established depots for WFP fuel in Kisweh, Rural Damascus; Safita, and Qamishly. Fuel is provided to other organizations on a cost recovery basis. • 2014 Winterization Campaign: In early 2014, a total of 75,170 litres were distributed