UNHCR SPECIAL FUNDING APPEAL FOR UNHCR’S SUPPLEMENTARY PROGRAMME TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN ANGOLA (IN THE PROVINCES OF UIGE, ZAIRE & LUANDA) June - December 2000 UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES July 2000 For additional copies, please contact: UNHCR Donor Relations & Resource Mobilisation Service 94, rue de Montbrillant CH-1202 Geneva Tel.: (41 22) 739 7730 Fax.: (41 22) 739 7351 Email.: buss @unhcr.ch TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. BACKGROUND / INTRODUCTION 1 2. OBJECTIVES 3 2.1. Principal goals 2.2. Assumptions, Constraints and Opportunities 4 3. BENEFICIARIES 5 4. THE ROLE OF UNHCR, THE GOVERNMENT AND OTHER AGENCIES IN ANGOLA 5 4.1. The role of UNHCR and the Government 4.2. Collaboration with UN agencies, ICRC and NGOs 6 5. MANAGEMENT AND OVERALL CO-ORDINATION 7 6. OPERATIONAL STRATEGY 8 6.1. Protection goals and strategy 6.2. Material assistance goals and strategy 6.3. Implementation strategy 9 7. ACTIVITIES AND ASSISTANCE 9 7.1. Protection, Monitoring and Co-ordination 7.2. Legal Assistance / Protection 10 8. FUNDING 13 9. FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS / BUDGET 14 10. MAP 15 1. BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION Following the collapse of the Lusaka Peace process in mid-1998, Angola descended once again into widespread armed conflict between the Government and UNITA. By the end of 1999, some 3.7 million Angolans (one third of a national population of 12.6 million), of whom 1.5 were internally displaced persons, were verified to be in need of humanitarian assistance. Massed in congested camp-like conditions and ravaged by disease and hunger, Angola’s displaced people in particular have become the victims of some of the most appalling, life-threatening conditions witnessed anywhere in the world today. International attention on the plight of the Angolan displaced persons peaked in January 2000 when the Special Session on Africa of the UN Security Council called for stronger and more effective humanitarian measures. Among others, the involvement of UNHCR in addressing the plight of the IDPs was specifically raised. The Angolan Government itself also requested to UNHCR to assist the internally displaced persons. Following consultations within the UN system, the UN Emergency Relief co-ordinator, a.i., led an inter-agency mission on IDPs to Angola in March 2000. The mission included senior representatives of UNHCR, UNICEF and WFP. Among others, the mission underlined the urgency of enhancing various aspects of the humanitarian assistance being provided to the IDPs in Angola, recommended strengthening the co-ordination of the UN’s humanitarian response under the UN Resident/Humanitarian Co-ordinator, and encouraged UNHCR to become actively involved in Angola within this collaborative approach. In light of the humanitarian crisis and UNHCR’s specific expertise in the protection and assistance of (internally) displaced persons, the High Commissioner affirmed UNHCR’s commitment to engage in the operation. UNHCR’s involvement with IDPs in Angola meets a number of criteria set out in its global policy on internally displaced persons. Firstly, the Government of Angola requested this involvement. Secondly, the UN Secretary-General has endorsed the involvement as part of the UN system-wide initiative. Thirdly, the IDPs are in a refugee-like situation. Finally, there are clear linkages between the internal displacement in Angola and the Angolan refugee problem in the neighbouring countries. The IDPs have been forced to flee their homes for the same reasons as refugees and form part of the same population that has been driven into exile. Both groups originate from and will eventually return to the same areas. UNHCR’s decision to be involved was taken with full cognisance of the constraints regarding access and security, availability of resources and, most importantly, prospects for durable solutions. In addition, account was taken of the complementary roles and activities of other actors, including, in particular, UN sister agencies, ICRC, other international organisations and NGOs. In view of all these factors, the High Commissioner decided that UNHCR’s involvement with IDPs in Angola should be of a limited nature and related to its specific humanitarian and protection expertise. ______________________________________________________________________________________ UNHCR SPECIAL APPEAL FOR IDPs IN ANGOLA 1 In April 2000, the High Commissioner deployed to Angola a Rapid Assessment Mission to carry out an in-depth assessment of the needs and to define more clearly the geographic and operational scope of UNHCR’s involvement. The mission recommended that UNHCR should focus its activities on the provinces of Zaire and Uige and the location of Viana in the outskirts of Luanda. These locations were selected for a number of reasons. There are clear links between UNHCR’s present and past activities for refugees and returnees and its involvement with IDPs. In Viana, the target IDP population lives side by side with Congolese refugees already receiving protection and assistance from UNHCR in the same location. In Zaire and Uige, until the outbreak of hostilities in June 1998 forced UNHCR to close down its field offices there, it was implementing activities in these areas for the reintegration of Angolan refugees returning from the neighbouring countries, most notably the Democratic Republic of Congo. In fact, many of those who are now internally displaced are former returnees. In addition, a number of refugees are still returning spontaneously to these areas and require assistance. These are also the areas to which large numbers of refugees are likely to return eventually from neighbouring countries, in which case UNHCR’s activities for the internally displaced will have helped to lay the foundation for the reintegration programme. Moreover, despite equally dire needs, the IDP populations here have received less attention and assistance than those in other places of Angola, and UNHCR’s operation would help to meet a gap in the international response. The Rapid Assessment mission found that the IDPs in these areas faced serious protection and assistance problems. In a number of sites, they are living in over-crowded, inhuman conditions, without adequate food, essential medical care, water and sanitation. The mission recommended immediate emergency interventions to stabilise their situation in the first instance, to be followed by efforts to strengthen the capacity of the population and the local authorities to cope with the situation. Following this mission, an Emergency Response Team was despatched to Angola to (a) initiate emergency interventions in the most critical sectors as recommended by the Rapid Assessment Mission; and (b) elaborate a project submission for UNHCR’s IDP operation in Angola with a view to mobilising resources. Initial funding of US$ 2 million was authorised from the Operational Reserve to carry out these activities, of which US$ 1.7 million was allocated for operational needs and US$ 300,000 for administrative requirements. As of today, UNHCR has re-established its sub-office in Uige, and has signed nine letters of intent with NGO implementing partners to provide assistance in the areas of health, water/sanitation, education, social and community services. Non-food items and vehicles have been procured and are expected to arrive by August 2000. The opening of field offices in M’Banza Congo and Maquela Do Zombo is planned, although this will depend on the availability of funds in both cases, and, in the case of the latter location, improvements in security as well. ______________________________________________________________________________________ UNHCR SPECIAL APPEAL FOR IDPs IN ANGOLA 2 2. OBJECTIVES 2.1. Principal goals The principal goals of UNHCR’s operation on behalf of IDPs in Angola are to: a) Address immediate and acute protection and assistance needs of the targeted IDP populations in the provinces of Uige, Zaire and Luanda; and b) Follow the emergency response with carefully designed protection and assistance activities to promote some degree of self-reliance among the beneficiary population. The purpose is to build local coping mechanisms to help the communities avoid slipping back into a crisis situation when UNHCR phases out. In addition to its own activities, UNHCR will contribute to the overall efforts of the Government of Angola, UN agencies, ICRC and NGOs to improve respect for the basic rights and (meeting) humanitarian needs of the displaced persons as well as affected civilians. In particular, UNHCR will work with the other relevant agencies to promote the establishment and consistent application of internationally accepted standards for the treatment of IDPs throughout Angola. The operation is designed for implementation over a period of 18 months, until the end of 2001. The primary focus of the first 6 to 12 months will be on life-saving needs. As these become addressed successfully, there will be a gradual shift to activities such as strengthening the local capacity, education, training, limited income-generation activities for women and distribution of seeds and tools to those with access to land to enable them to improve their food security. Obviously, depending on the situation, there are cases where it might be possible to pursue the two objectives simultaneously. The second phase of the operation will be critical, not only to sustain the impact of the emergency response but also as a basis for UNHCR to phase out. As a solution-oriented organisation, UNHCR’s