RESTRICTED: Not for External Distribution SYRIA AND REGIONAL EMOP FORTNIGHTLY INTERNAL SITUATION REPORT 28 February – 13 March 2014 Index: HIGHLIGHTS SYRIA LEBANON JORDAN TURKEY IRAQ EGYPT REGIONAL RESPONSE IN NUMBERS 28 FEBRUARY – 13 MARCH 2014 SYRIA AND REGIONAL EMOP – FORTNIGHTLY INTERNAL SITUAION REPORT RESTRICTED: Not for External Distribution HIGHLIGHTS Syria: The Government of Syria approved use of Nusaybeen crossing point for delivery of humanitarian assistance through Turkey, verbally on 4 March and formally on the 13 March. In anticipation of more regular land access to Al-Hasakeh, WFP plans to immediately dispatch food rations for 50,000 people. Lebanon: March distributions began and are currently on-going and so far, 617,750 beneficiaries have been assisted either through e-cards or food parcels. This is 87% of the operational planned figure. Jordan: The GoJ Minister of Interior has announced with UNHCR that Azraq Camp will open on 30 April though this date could be advanced if there were to be major arrivals in the meantime given that the space in Za’atri is now filling rapidly with an average of 530 people arriving every day. WFP plans to open the camp with vouchers but has sufficient food stock on hand in case of market delays. Turkey: WFP has invested approximately US$240.1 million into the Turkish economy since October 2012, not only through its e-food card programme but also through extensive procurement in support of WFP global operations. Iraq: 27 airlifts to provide assistance to the conflict-affected population from Erbil to Quamishli in North-eastern Syria completed. Egypt: The preferred service provider for the joint UNHCR/WFP OneCard system has been selected and will be publicized shortly. WFP and UNHCR are forming a joint group of experts who will commence negotiations with the newly selected partner on specific details of the expected services. These negotiations are planned to be finalized by April when the contract will be prepared and the OneCard platform piloted in Damietta in June. 2 28 FEBRUARY – 13 MARCH 2014 SYRIA AND REGIONAL EMOP – FORTNIGHTLY INTERNAL SITUAION REPORT RESTRICTED: Not for External Distribution SYRIA HIGHLIGHTS The Government of Syria approved use of Nusaybeen crossing point for delivery of humanitarian assistance through Turkey, verbally on 4 March and formally on the 13 March. In anticipation of more regular land access to Al-Hasakeh, WFP plans to immediately dispatch food rations for 50,000 people. Food dispatch rate significantly improved in March due to an enhanced supply chain with all March commodities in prior to the start of the cycle. As of 15 March, WFP fulfilled 54 percent of the plan in comparison to 36 percent at the same time last month. Affected populations in Ar-Raqqa will receive WFP food rations for the first time since November 2013 due to access opening on 8 March which allowed the delivery of 6,700 food rations in support of 38,000 people. Besieged populations in rural Idleb and Homs will receive food assistance delivered as part of inter-agency convoys deployed on 1 and 6 March. A total 10 attempts to reach besieged populations in Moadamiyeh and Adraa Alomaliyeh through inter-agency convoys were put on hold by continued deferrals and re-visitations from both parties to the conflict. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS i. Security & Political Developments Following the endorsement of the UN Security Council resolution 2139 on 22 February, consultations are underway for the elaboration of an implementation plan. A number of meetings among UN Agencies, cooperating partners and government counterparts took place throughout the week in Damascus. The opening of Nusaybeen crossing point at the border with Turkey was discussed to improve deliveries to the north-eastern governorates. Additionally, a work plan is being prepared for the delivery of regular program assistance to five priority cut-off and hard-to-reach locations including Aleppo, rural Aleppo, Rural Damascus, Dar’a and the north-eastern governorates. On 11 March 2014, three suicide bombers attacked Hadia Hotel, in Qamishly city. Hadia Hotel, occupied by the Kurdish militia (YPG) is located 800 meters from WFP office and Maryland Hotel (recommended by UN Advisory). All WFP staff are safe and additional security precautions are in place to ensure staff safety. A new Save the Children report decries devastating health crisis in Syria. An alarming 60 percent of hospitals and health-care facilities have been destroyed, medical supplies have dried up and nearly half of the doctors have fled the country as a result of the three year conflict. According to the report, approximately 4.3 million children within Syria struggle to gain access to medical assistance. Truce deal collapsed in Yarmouk as clashes erupted and blocked aid to thousands still living in the camp on 2 March 3 28 FEBRUARY – 13 MARCH 2014 SYRIA AND REGIONAL EMOP – FORTNIGHTLY INTERNAL SITUAION REPORT RESTRICTED: Not for External Distribution ii. Evolving Needs and Humanitarian situation Available information from SARC report escalating humanitarian needs in Aleppo. Over the past two weeks, heavy shelling and attacks on rural and eastern Aleppo city have continued unabated with increasingly damaging consequences for the civilian population. According to latest available information, over 98,500 people have been newly displaced over the reporting period mainly from Moyasar, Marjeh, Shaar, Bistan Al-Kaser, Fardoos, Hanano and Al-Hadarya (eastern Aleppo city), towards western Aleppo city and the Turkish border. Dire humanitarian conditions were reported in the eastern neighbourhoods of Aleppo city as all food and other humanitarian deliveries have stopped since September 2013 and people are struggling to access basic services and commodities. In the western districts, the influx of IDPs from the eastern side continues though at a controlled pace owing to the frequent closures of the Boustan Al-Qaser crossing point. Local committees have reported a shortage in safe living spaces for IDPs, some of whom have resorted to squat in parks and other public areas. In Qamishly (Al-Hasakeh) continued displacements from the besieged villages of Nobbul and Zahraa in rural Aleppo are being reported. Crossing the Turkish border through precarious means, an average 150-200 people are entering the governorate each week and waiting for days at Qamishly airport for a flight for Damascus. Over the reporting period, 110 new arrivals were reported from airport authorities. WFP was unable to assist these families with locally procured ready-to-eat rations owing to delayed clearance and administrative procedures. Discussions with relevant authorities are however in place to accelerate release of these commodities for distribution. iii. Market Analysis The easing of road blockages in the north-eastern governorates improved availability of supplies in Al-Hasakeh and Deir-ez-Zor markets which registered a slight drop in prices over the reporting period. However, instability in the area continued to disrupt the proper functioning of markets, particularly in Ar-Raqqa where high inflation severely limited access of poor households to basic goods. In Al-Hasakeh and Deir-ez-Zor most commodities registered a decline in prices compared to the last week of February. In Al-Hasakeh, the price of rice decreased by 14 percent, lentils by 9 percent and cooking oil by 11 percent. Similarly in Deir-ez-Zor city and Al-Mayadeen, the price of rice dropped by 33 percent, lentils by 11 and 13 percent respectively, cooking oil by 27 and 30 percent while sugar by 16 percent. In Al-Hasakeh, intensifying informal trade with Kurdish groups in Iraq contributed to reducing the price of fuel in the governorate. Over the reporting period, the price of a 25kg butane cylinder decreased by 20 percent from SYP 4,200 to SYP 3,500 while in the rest of the north-east prices for this commodity have increased by up to 150 percent in Ar-Raqqa. Lack of enforcement of government policies resulted in rising prices of subsidized bread both in Ar-Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor. In Deir-ez-Zor the price of 1.5kg of bread spiked to 67 percent compared to the last week of February, in Ar-Raqqa city by 100 percent and in Tal Abyad market upwards by 40 percent. Deteriorating security, particularly in Dar’a, Aleppo and parts of Rural Damascus also contributed to rising bread prices over the past two weeks. 4 28 FEBRUARY – 13 MARCH 2014 SYRIA AND REGIONAL EMOP – FORTNIGHTLY INTERNAL SITUAION REPORT RESTRICTED: Not for External Distribution OPERATIONS i. Food Dispatch update for March cycle A total 458,204 family food rations were dispatched by 15 March to assist a targeted 2.3 million across the country. Negotiations through partners, allowed WFP food to reach Ar-Raqqa, closed to all access since November 2013. A first cargo of 4,000 family food rations was dispatched on 8 March. An additional 3,600 rations, intended for Deir-ez-Zor, where diverted to Ar-Raqqa on 11 March following a relapse in the security situation in this governorate. Deir-ez-Zor was last accessed on 27 February, when WFP dispatched 5,400 rations for 27,000 people. Following government approval, preparations are underway to deliver 10,000 family food rations to Al-Hasakeh through Turkey once Nusaybeen corridor opens. In anticipation of more regular land access into the governorate, WFP suspended airlifts from Iraq on 11 March in order to focus on the inter-agency airlift of materials (for further details please refer to Logistics Cluster section). The total airlifted rations were 16,170 food rations, 14,761 bags of wheat flour and 14,206 bags of rice meeting approximately 11 percent of the governorate’s planned food assistance. A total of 5 inter-agency airlifts from Damascus to Qamishly delivered 53 mt of Nutributter® and 15 mt of yeast alongside other humanitarian supplies from 12-15 March (for further details please refer to the Logistics Cluster section).