Highlights

• The capture of the Anbar Governorate city of Heet by ISIL has led to about 31,000 families fleeing the town and surrounding areas.

• The reopening of the Turkish and Kurdistan Region of Iraq border is expected to lead to an influx of Syrian refugees arriving from Kobane in the next days and weeks.

• Humanitarian access in many parts of western and central Iraq is severely constrained.

• Special offices have been established in Baghdad and Najaf to provide document replacement services for IDPs unable to return to their governorates of origin.

Situation Overview

In the last few days, Iraq was struck with another major wave of large-scale displacement this year, after an estimated 180,000 people (30,000 families) fled the Anbar Governorate city of Heet and surrounding districts after the city fell to ISIL and its affiliated armed groups. The highway from Heet to Baghdad was choked by pick-up trucks as families escaped the fighting and left with only basic household items.

Reports suggest that as much as 75 per cent of the population of Heet town (originally 300,000) have left with only about 50,000 people remaining. The Heet IDPs have reportedly dispersed to the governorate’s capital of Ramadi (1,000 families), Khaldiya (20,000 families), Hajaj (437 families) and Amiryah Rahaliya (1,200 families), among other destinations. They have taken shelter in public buildings, including schools that had already been occupied by previous waves of IDPs, or within host communities. Reports also indicate that another group of displaced persons would have fled south, towards Kerbala. Partners indicate that a group of 3,000 families on the move towards Baghdad have been identified north of Kerbala. Some 500 families reached Abu Ghraib area where the Government is registering them. It is unclear at this stage if this group is originating from Heet. Meanwhile, reports of some Heet IDPs trying to return to their place of origin in Falluja – an active conflict zone – reinforces observations by the IOM in its latest bulletin of a growing trend of secondary displacements, degrading IDPs own coping mechanisms and further stretching the limited resources of humanitarian actors. There are also indications of IDPs sheltering in mosques in Kerbala being requested to leave their shelters ahead of religious festivities later this month.

Humanitarian actors are mobilizing to provide assistance to the newly displaced including food for 15,000 families, medicines and non-food items, including blankets, in the coming days. This is putting additional pressure on the food and other assistance pipelines for the country

Since January 2014, and excluding the recent large-scale displacements from Heet, 1.8 million people have been displaced across Iraq. More than 850,000 people, or 49 per cent of Iraq’s IDPs, have sought sanctuary in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In a conflict defined by its fluid frontlines, this week’s recent mass displacement from Heet does not guarantee that this will necessarily be the last this year. Renewed offensives in Anbar and other areas could trigger additional displacement. At a macro level this year there have been mass displacements from Anbar in January, and additionally in June, in August and now Heet in October. But on any given day, families are on the move. In one instance in Diyala Governorate this week, approximately 300 displaced families (1,800 individuals) fleeing fighting in Al-Muqdadiya were reportedly blocked by security forces at a checkpoint near Khanaqin due to apparent shortages of shelter at IDP camps.

The border region between Turkey and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has opened, leading to a refugee influx from the Syrian town of Kobane estimated at over 1,600 individuals in just two days. In the next few weeks, several thousand more refugees are expected to cross into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Humanitarian agencies can currently cope with the influx, but will be stretched with further arrivals. This will add pressure as well to the IDP response for humanitarians and the Kurdistan Regional Government. With harsh winter temperatures and wet weather also approaching, and the very low temperatures which can drop to -15 C, affecting high altitude areas - where there are large IDP concentrations such as Dohuk Governorate - as well as the heightened risks of landslides, the demands of the displaced for cooking and heating fuel, warm clothes, weatherproofed shelters and infrastructure is also rising. The IOM estimates there are 1.26 million IDPs throughout Iraq at risk from the upcoming winter weather. In order to stabilize and prepare the camp population and the most vulnerable IDPs in other types of shelters for the oncoming winter, 600,000 people across Iraq are in need of immediate winterization assistance. Displaced populations living in camps, informal settlements, and sub-optimal shelters are most at risk.

There is the also specter of increased evictions as IDP cash reserves for rent dry-up, coupled with the looming reopening of schools that are now serving as collective shelters. The impacts of an inadequate shelter response include an increase in avoidable morbidity and mortality due to respiratory infections from low temperatures as well as protection issues. Generally, high vulnerability levels, low assistance coverage, and increased prices of necessary items such as fuel are expected to cause an increase in negative coping mechanisms including exploitation, debt, and depletion of assets to compensate for the lack of livelihoods and unmet needs.

The absence of uniformity of shelters requires novel solutions to winter-proof dwellings against harsh conditions. A proposed basic and supplementary NFI winterisation kit by the Shelter/NFI cluster for one family includes one carpet, six high thermal blankets, one plastic sheet and rope, and six mattresses. The proposed winterisation kit for tents includes one inner liner for a family tent with one partition and weather-proofing and partitions for substandard shelters, eight polystyrene boards for the floor and five thermal mats for tents and insulation of sub-standard shelter. Additional planned support per family includes a heater, jerry can and fuel through in-kind or cash assistance.

A supplementary proposed personal winterisation kit includes six sets of clothes plus shoes for both adults and children. UNICEF reports there are massive shortages for winterisation and that more than 200,000 children are likely to be without adequate winter clothing and shoes for the winter. 168,000 sets of children’s clothing, plus pairs of shoes, began arriving in the first of 200 containers this week for children aged between 3 months and 14 years-old. A further donation of 20,000 pairs of shoes for children aged between 3 and 14 years-old has also been secured. However, these shoes, given the lead time in manufacture and delivery, are only expected to arrive at the end of February 2015. There are also shortages of adult winter clothing, especially for pregnant women. Given strict import regulations against second hand clothing, the best alternative for a timely response is seen as cash assistance.

The humanitarian community admits it is ill prepared for the adverse climatic conditions through a combination of circumstances, including a lack of funding. Among the options being considered by humanitarian actors is direct cash assistance, albeit with the $500 million donation by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia all but exhausted. Advocacy for the Government of Iraq to ensure kerosene subsidies is ongoing. To note, however, that although the country’s oil production has not been unduly affected by the conflict, its refining capacity has. The available humanitarian budget will only allow for two months’ distribution of kerosene at current prices for less than half of the 80,000 vulnerable families in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and 4,700 Syrian refugee families. In previous years fuel supplies were provided for four winter months to vulnerable families.

Summary: 11 October 2014, Brussels - The European Commission announced this Friday new development funding of €1.4 billion to Afghanistan for the period 2014-2020. The funds will focus on vital sectors for growth and social stability, such as rural development and agriculture, health, and strengthening democracy in the country.

The signature of the development programme (known as Multiannual Indicative Programme), between European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, and the National Economic Adviser to President Ghani, Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, took place this Friday in Washington, in the margins of the annual meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Commissioner Piebalgs said: "This agreement is evidence of the EU's continued long-term commitment to Afghanistan. Our support is based on lessons learnt through our cooperation with the country and draws on the priorities signalled out by the national authorities. In short, the money will go where it is most needed and could be most effective. We expect these funds to create the conditions necessary to improve Afghan citizens' livelihoods, by creating jobs, further strengthening Afghanistan’s institutions, and better enabling the population to have their say."

He added "I welcome the formation of the Government of National Unity, which is an important step in securing the future of all Afghans. The EU looks forward to hearing the Government set out its reform programme at the London Conference next month. In line with other donors, the EU will set aside 20% of its funding to incentivise those reforms."

Afghanistan funding programme for the period 2014-2020 is the largest under the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI). This exceptional level of support aims to respond to the huge challenges on the ground: Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world. About 80% of the population depends on agriculture and associated livelihoods. Seasonal and chronic unemployment are common and increasing.

The EU aims to support to the country during its 'Transformation Decade' - as the EU pledged to do at the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan in 2012. The majority of EU funding will be channelled using the major trust funds, particularly the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) administered by the World Bank, and the Law and Order Trust Fund (LOTFA) administered by United Nations Development Programme.

The EU will focus its support to Afghanistan in the next seven years on:

the development of a vital economic and employment sector: agriculture and rural development (€337 million)

a social sector with a track record of achieving results and critical for human development: health (€274 million)

the provision of physical and legal security for citizens through the increased professionalization of the police corps and application of the rule of law (€319 million)

enhancing the accountability of the state to its citizens through greater democratisation, for instance trough improved parliamentary, media and civil society scrutiny (€163 million)

€300 million will be used as an incentive component; to be paid based on the achievement of certain results and progress agreed upon – in line with the 2012 Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework (TMAF).

Examples of how the EU is making a difference in Afghanistan

Improved health services: 65% of the population have access to primary healthcare (up from 9% in 2002) and basic services are now provided to over five million Afghans in ten different provinces.

Social protection and inclusion of extremely vulnerable children: Between 2006 and 2008 more than 9,000 children benefited from non-formal education, vocational training, recreational activities, sports, health and hygiene education. Social protection programmes helped 1,500 children to enter public schools.

Water resource management has been improved through the development of a legal framework and specialised training to communities and authorities; resulting in the protection of 40% of Afghan water resources.

Stronger rural communities: 390 district Development Assemblies have been set-up in 2011, enabling community representation at a higher administrative level, and a wider participation of communities in the design and implementation of development programs.

Background

EU Foreign Ministers adopted a new strategy for Afghanistan in June focused on developing Afghanistan's capacity to safeguard the progress made to date and laying the foundation for further progress.

Development Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, takes part on 10-12 October in the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual meetings in Washington D.C. During his visit, the Commissioner will address the Development Committee (a ministerial-level Steering Committee of the World Bank Group) and will hold bilateral meeting with key development partners.

In the margins of the visit, the Commissioner signed this development programme with Afghanistan, as well with four other countries (see IP/14/1121 ).

What is a Multiannual Indicative Programme?

Multiannual Indicative Programmes (MIPs) represent an important step in the programming of EU aid under the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI). EU Member States agreed in 2013 the overall amount for development cooperation that will be channelled to Latin America, Asia, Central Asia, the Middle-East and South Africa under the DCI during the next financing period 2014-2020 (total amount €19.6 billion).

In parallel, the preparations of a MIP for each of these countries started, defining the strategy and priorities for EU aid. These preparations are done in close cooperation with the partner countries in close consultation with other development partners (e.g. donors, civil society, private sector, etc.) so as to ensure that MIPs support national priorities where the EU has an added value.

For more information

Website of the European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs:

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/piebalgs/index_en.htm

Website of DG Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid:

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/index_en.htm

In view of the the harsh draught which has plaqued Central America, five of ECHO's regional humanitarian partners have come together to jointly express their concern of the implications to the region's populations. Our colleagues at Oxfam, Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI), Action Against Hunger, Save The Children, and Goal Honduras are calling for action - now.

Staple crop producers in the so-called ‘Corredor Seco’ (Dry Corridor) of the Central American, which spans Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador, have been severely affected by a drought caused by the ‘El Niño’ phenomenon. It has the most prolonged drought in 40 years, according to the regional meteorological services.

Subsistence agriculture in the Dry Corridor, based on maize and beans, is highly vulnerable to climatic phenomena such as drought since the crops are planted in dry and non-irrigated soil. The Dry Corridor region has the highest levels of food insecurity in Central America because thousands of families depend on subsistence farming and on agricultural daily labour, both of which have been hard hit in the last three years by the drought and by the coffee rust. The coffee rust plague affected 70% of the region’s coffee plantations and consequently dramatically reduced demand for day labourers.

Although the drought has had differentiated impacts in each of the four countries, overall more than 500 000 families (over 2 million people) are facing a situation of food insecurity due to losses in agricultural production and livestock as well as the loss of income from daily labour.

We come from five NGO working in the region, long time partners of ECHO, and we are deeply worried. The effects of the drought in Guatemala have reached unprecedented peaks. The Food Security Secretariat (SESAN) estimates maize losses at 80% and bean losses at 63%, affecting over 250 000 vulnerable families (1.4 million people), with half a million children suffering from hunger. At the same time, the price of beans in El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua has doubled since last year.

“We’ve seen severe changes in the children here. Children are malnourished. Some severely. We have also seen the elderly growing more tired because of the lack of food,” says Esperanza, a coffee picker from El Salvador who now can only work 15 days of the year because the coffee rust has devastated the crop around her community.

We’ve been to the field assessing the damage and the prospects for the future and the situation does not look good. The situation is particularly worrying in Guatemala, which ranks 5thin the world in infant malnutrition and where the State of Calamity has been declared by the Government. “We’ve suffered droughts before but never like this one. Lack of rain used to last 20 or 25 days. This year was the toughest. We’ve gone through 45 days without rain. Our production for family consumption has been halved,” Guatemalan farmer Pascual Ramírez told us. “It’s even worse because there are no jobs anywhere. Because of the drought, there are no crops and our children are hungry,” another farmer told us. Our studies show that in communities like Chiquimula, the level of food consumption of nearly 58% of the families surveyed is poor.

Adding to this, maize prices have doubled and continue to rise. Thus families are facing huge difficulties in accessing food, since many households have no income opportunities apart from crops. Impossibly high prices together with an alarming drop in income and food production: this is the terrible equation thousands are facing.

Thousands of families have been forced to resort to desperate means in order to survive, like reducing the number of meals per day or the portions, and selling family assets, which only makes them poorer and even more vulnerable. Drought has a particularly strong impact on female producers, due to gaps in access to land and other livelihoods. Women farmers on average have 13% less land than male farmers for maize and over 50% less for beans: this means that female-headed households have less food reserves than male-headed households (1,3 months less), putting their food and nutritional security at great risk.

Not only the current situation is alarming. The future prospects are, too. Our studies show that only 32% of households will be able to plant crops during the next sowing cycle. This means that the rest -nearly 70% of the farmers affected by the drought- will not be able to harvest until August 2015. Less than 10% of these households have access to government social protection programs transferring them some cash to survive.

Initiatives like the Drought Resilience programme funded by the EU’s department of Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, are very much needed. With a funding of 3.5 million euros in the last 4 years, ECHO and its partners have helped communities along the Dry Corridor to take measures than increase their ability to cope to face drought.

But the worse drought in four decades demands an additional response. There is a humanitarian emergency and the local resources are not enough to address it. On September 26th, Guatemala and Honduras have asked for international help. The food insecurity situation requires immediate action to facilitate access to food for the most vulnerable groups; to identify and treat undernourished children; and to support the 2015 agricultural production to break this cycle so that the families affected by drought can recover their livelihoods.

Iván Aguilar (Oxfam Guatemala), Saskia Carusi (COOPI), Miguel Ángel García (Action Against Hunger Central America), Roberto Cabrera (Save The Children), Bernard McCaul (Goal Honduras)

Update includes the following:

Sindh Updates 1 Drought Updates 1
Daily Health Report of District Tharparkar as on 11-2014 1
Nationwide Updates 2
PMD Updates as of 11-10-2014 2
River Flow and Flood Forecast 2
CWS-P/A Updates as on 9-10-2014 3
Pakistan’s emergencies require action before problems grow 3
Polio Updates as of 8-10-2014 3
4 day Weather Forecast 12th– 15th Oct, 2014 3
Pakistan- Reservoirs and River Flow Map as of 11-10-2014 4
Flood Damages and Losses Update Map of Pakistan as of 10-10-2014 5
NDVI Update Map of Pakistan as of 11-10-2014 6
Weather Update Map of Pakistan as of 11-10-2014 7

Le Réseau Frontalier Jeannot Succès (RFJS) dénonce des menaces de mort auxquels font face des travailleurs agricoles haïtiens à la frontière de Tisous/Bois d’orme, se trouvant entre El Limon et Fonds-Verrettes, à l’ouest d’Haïti. En effet, une psychose de peur règne dans ce point frontalier suite à la traversée du côté haïtien dans la zone de Bois d’Orme 2, le 5 octobre 2014, de 6 bœufs dont 5 auraient été blessés et l’autre tué.

Jo Wansy, un ressortissant dominicain qui se réclame propriétaire de 3 de ces bétails, a promis de venger la perte de ces animaux, rapporte Raphaël St Rosier, Coordonnateur zonal du RFJS de Fonds-Verrettes.

Selon le représentant du RFJS, certains ressortissants haïtiens issus de la localité de Bois d’orme 2 qui traversent au quotidien la frontière pour aller travailler dans les jardins dominicains, sont obligés de rester chez eux depuis l’incident, sous peine d’être lynchés.

Ceux qui viennent d’autres localités de Fonds-Verrettes ont quand même franchi la frontière à leurs risques et périls. Toutefois, avant de traverser, ils ont été interrogés par des groupes de Dominicains. Ils se disent conscients du danger auxquels ils sont exposés, mais déclarent ne pas pouvoir rester mourir de faim chez eux.

«Au péril de notre vie, nous sommes obligés de traverser la frontière pour aller chercher le pain quotidien en République voisine. Car nous ne pouvons pas prendre soin de notre famille en restant ici chez nous.», ont-ils exprimé.

Le Réseau Frontalier Jeannot Succès se dit préoccupé par rapport à la répétition de ces incidents susceptibles de nuire aux relations de bon voisinage entre les populations de l’île. Il exhorte les autorités haïtiennes et dominicaines à œuvrer conjointement pour l’établissement d’un climat de paix sur toute la frontalière haïtiano-dominicaine.

Le RFJS qui plaide en faveur d’un déploiement des forces de l’ordre au niveau de la frontière des deux pays, notamment dans les localités où des tensions sont souvent enregistrées, appelle l’Etat haïtien à prioriser le bien-être des familles paysannes dans leur localité. Ainsi, elles n’auront pas à se rendre en territoire dominicain pour travailler la terre.

Latest from the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 10 October 2014 Focusing on the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum, the SMM continued monitoring the situation in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, still noting that violence is continuing in a number of places.

Representatives of the Svoboda party informed the SMM that another Lenin statue had been toppled in Bogoduhiv (50km north-west of Kharkiv). Deputy Chief of Chervonozavodskoy District Police in Kharkiv informed the SMM that on 6 October the Lenin statue at Asnova had also been destroyed. The incident in Bogoduhiv would be the 11th incident of this kind having occurred in Kharkiv region since 28 September (See SMM Daily Report 8 October).

The SMM was informed by the Hirske (Luhansk region) chief of police that three “GRAD” rockets had struck the town on 5 October. The SMM observed impact sites consistent with this information. The SMM also met the Mayor of Hirske and representatives of the Women’s Council. Unlike its surroundings, Hirske has rarely been shelled and the interlocutors were concerned that schools in the city (two primary and two secondary) have not yet opened for the new school year. Hirske, which is subordinated to Pervomaisk under the control of the so-called “Lugansk People’s Republic”, is to be re-subordinated to Popasna district under the control of the Government of Ukraine. Funding for the schools and public employees will in the future start coming via Popasna. The representatives of the Women’s Council were concerned that the process of re-subordination might take time and delay the reopening of the schools and payment of salaries.

In Donetsk city the situation remained tense. The SMM visited the Azotnyi micro-district, in the vicinity of the airport, under the command of the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic” (8km northwest of Donetsk). The SMM observed fresh material damages to civilian housing buildings caused by shelling earlier in the day, which had also been heard by the SMM. Throughout the patrol the SMM heard an unspecified number of artillery being shot from the north, north-northwest and north-northeast consistent with two unspecified parties engaging each other.

In Mariupol the overall situation was generally calm.

In Kramatorsk and its surroundings, the situation remained volatile. The deputy commander of the Ukrainian Army Checkpoint in Maiorsk (53km south-east of Kramatorsk) informed the 2

SMM that their position had been shelled during the night. The SMM observed fresh craters on site consistent with this information.

The SMM observed a funeral service organized by the Ukrainian Army at the Opera Square in Dnipropetrovsk with approximately 200 participants where the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate conducted funeral rites for 22 soldiers recently killed in the conflict.

On 7 October, the SMM met the head of administration of Yuzhnoukrains’k (189km north-west of Kherson) which is a ‘satellite’ city of the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and was informed that security measures had been strengthened recently, in connection with the conflict in the east.

The SMM attended the roundtable “Sharing the Bosnian and Georgian Peace-Building Experience in Ukraine” in Odessa where representatives of local NGOs discussed the draft National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security based on UN Security Council Resolution 1325. The action plan aims to increase the participation of women in the Ukrainian peace process and in the security sector and to address the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence in all phases of the conflict cycle.

In Chernivtsi the situation remained calm.

The SMM met the deputy governor of Ivano-Frankivsk to discuss the commission dealing with the Ukrainian army’s ‘5th Territorial Defence Battalion’. The commission was established early September by the Regional Council to provide legal assistance to military staff and their families. The SMM was informed that the commander of the 5th Battalion, detained for retreating from a position (see SMM Daily Report 6 September) was released on bail, which was financed through donations, and he is now at a military training site in Rivne. The investigations by military authorities continue.

The SMM in Lviv monitored an action of the NGO “Economic Boycott” whose activists purchased items from two stores on Galitska Square and “Svoboda Prospect”. In one of the shops they identified and purchased items produced in the Russian Federation, which did not carry the marking labels stating that they had been produced in the Russian Federation, as per the administrative decree. The manager committed to comply within a week.

On 10 October, the Lviv Regional Prosecutor announced on its official website that a fraud investigation had found that two individuals knowingly supplied fake flak jackets to 150 soldiers assigned to the east. One suspect is being held in detention and the other was released pending trial.

On 9 October the SMM met the deputy police chief of Kyiv region who suggested that the current economic and employment situation created an environment conducive to increased criminality. He also informed the SMM that false bomb threats in Borispol International Airport happened almost on a daily basis, with most threats being made by telephone and originating from the east. The police are co-operating with the airport protection service. The police are also making preparations to ensure public peace and order during the upcoming parliamentary elections.

10 October 2014 - Women in the protection area at UNMISS Bentiu were living under unbelievably challenging conditions, a top UN official said today during a visit to the Unity State capital.

“It is painful … to see the conditions under these women live … the harassment and the sexual violence that takes place at the check points and when the women go out to get firewood,” said Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Exploitation in Conflict Zainab Bangura.

Speaking to journalists at Bentiu Airport, she called on warring parties in South Sudan to stop all forms of violence.

Nyakuoth Deng Chuol, a woman living at the protection site, called on the international community to end all forms of violence against women in South Sudan during the crisis.

“Women are facing a lot of challenges during this conflict in South Sudan, including rape, abduction and killing,” Ms. Chuol said. “We are calling on the international community to hold those who have committed these crimes responsible for their actions.”

She said no one was speaking up about Unity State women being raped daily, criticizing the international community for remaining quiet about the matter.

11/10/2014 - 19:28 GMT

by Imed Lamloum

UN chief Ban Ki-Moon on a surprise visit to Libya Saturday urged warring factions to end the turmoil gripping the North African nation since Moamer Kadhafi was toppled in 2011.

The authorities have struggled to impose their will across a country awash with weapons and powerful militias that ousted and killed the veteran dictator.

"Let me be clear: if violent confrontations do not cease immediately, if sustainable peace is not restored, prosperity and a better life will be a distant dream," Ban told rival parliamentarians, according to an official transcript of his remarks.

He flew to Tripoli just weeks after the outgoing government admitted from its safe refuge at Tobruk in the east that it had in effect lost control of the capital to armed militias.

The UN chief spoke ahead of meetings with political parties to shore up talks aimed at ending a split that has further destabilised the oil-rich nation.

The discussions would include the deputy president of the house of representatives, other members of the house and lawmakers who boycotted parliamentary sessions, it said.

Ban urged the formation of a national unity cabinet, stressing the importance of "a strong government able to implement decisions" in the country where militias control swathes of territory.

"There is no alternative to dialogue," Ban said ahead of the meeting of rival MPs, also attended by the incoming EU foreign policy chief, Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini, as well as envoys from Britain, France and Malta.

The UN mission chief in Libya, Bernardino Leon, managed to bring the rival factions together for talks in the remote oasis town of Ghadames on September 29.

Ban on Saturday called the talks "a first courageous step", adding "I am here to support the process that was initiated in Ghadames."

Libya's parliament, elected in June, is recognised by the international community but contested by the militia controlling most of Tripoli and by Islamists who hold much of the eastern city of Benghazi.

• 'No alternative to dialogue' -

The majority faction in the legislature has been meeting in the far eastern town of Tobruk near the border with Egypt.

"There is no alternative to dialogue," Ban said on Saturday.

"It is my conviction that all problems in Libya can be solved through dialogue. Nevertheless, we understand that the path will be long and difficult."

The UN refugee agency said on Friday that clashes between rival militias had driven an estimated 287,000 people from their homes, including about 100,000 who have fled the outskirts of the capital.

Another 15,000 people were estimated to have been displaced around Benghazi, the country's second city, it said.

"The need for healthcare, food, and other basic commodities -- plus for shelter ahead of winter -- has become critical," said UN refugee agency spokesman Adrian Edwards.

Last week, the UN Security Council warned of possible sanctions against those who reject peace in Libya.

Since the beginning of September, Islamists have been trying to capture Benghazi airport, with its military and civilian airfields.

At least 17 people have been killed this week in fighting for the airport, the last remaining bastion of forces loyal to a prominent former general, Khalifa Haftar, who launched a military campaign against Islamists in May.

On Friday, a colonel was killed in Benghazi, taking the army's death toll there to 130 in two months, a military official told AFP on Saturday.

Ban on Saturday called on "all groups to stop fighting", but referred specifically to Haftar's and the Islamist Ansar al-Sharia militia group that he has been battling in Benghazi.

Benghazi was the cradle of the uprising against Kadhafi, and is regularly the scene not only of fighting but also the murders of members of the security forces, political activists and journalists.

ila-tl/srm/al

FAO Director-General opens the annual forum of the International Food Security and Nutrition Civil Society Mechanism (CSM)

11 October 2014, Rome - Civil society plays a crucial role helping building consensus, giving a voice to the hungry, representing society’s diversity and being a part of international decision-making processes, FAO Director-General told civil society representatives today at the Organization’s headquarters, where they began the annual forum of the International Civil Society Mechanism, a vehicle for non-state actors to participate in policy making.

“Reaching consensus is important because it will make us move faster and because we need results in the short term,” Graziano da Silva said in his welcoming remarks. “We offer FAO as a neutral forum to help building it,” he added.

During the next two days, over 200 representatives of non-governmental organizations and other associations will assess the last five years of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) since its reform in 2009 and work to find consensus on key issues to be discussed in next week’s plenary meeting of the Committee.

**Contribution to CFS outcomes **

Da Silva highlighted how civil society has facilitated engagement and contributed to the development of some of the most successful CFS outcomes, such as the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGT) - an unprecedented international agreement on tenure governance-.

They have also participated in the negotiations over draft Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems - to ensure that the rights and livelihoods of local communities are protected and the degradation of natural resources is avoided.

“You were part of the 4 000 people involved in the consultation process that enabled the FAO Committee on Fisheries to approve the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries,” FAO Director-General told the representatives.

“You have helped introducing important ideas such as Food Sovereignty or Agro-Ecology in the international agenda,” he added.

The purpose of the CSM is to facilitate civil society participation in agriculture, food security and nutrition policy development at national, regional and global levels.

“The CSM is an incredible success,” said Gerda Verbug, Chair for the UN Commtittee on World Food Security (CFS). “I believe in a multi-stake holder approach where all concerned parties are around the table to find the best opportunities.”

Graziano da Silva stressed that civil society will also play an important role in the upcoming Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), to be held in Rome in November through the Civil Society Organizations Pre-Conference, scheduled days before the main conference starts.

Today’s meeting marks the third year in which the Civil Society Mechanism holds its annual forum at FAO headquarters. The aim of this weekend’s discussions is to bring a clear and unified voice of civil society to the week-long CFS.

Topics of discussion for this year’s meeting of the Civil Society Mechanism include action on protracted crisis, food losses and waste, fisheries and aquaculture, review of the 10 Years of the adoption of the Right to Food Guidelines, discussions on the Post-2015 Framework and progress of the International Year of Family Farming.

The CFS meets annually to take stock of progress on reducing food insecurity in the world, and to map out key policy objectives over the course of the year. The CFS reports to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC).

La Unidad Departamental de Gestión del Riesgo ha atendido emergencias en los municipios de Trujillo, Jamundí y Guacarí. Lluvias irán hasta mediados de diciembre.

Al menos 250 familias han resultado afectadas por las fuertes lluvias y vendavales que se han presentado en varios municipios del Valle del Cauca en las últimas semanas.

Así lo indicó el director de la Unidad Departamental de Gestión del Riesgo, Óscar Marino Badillo, quien afirmó que ya se entregaron las ayudas humanitarias (kits de aseo, colchonetas e implementos de aseo) en los lugares afectados.

De acuerdo con el reporte entregado por el funcionario, 50 familias resultaron afectadas por un vendaval que se presentó hace dos semanas en el municipio de Trujillo, y 50 más resultaron damnificadas el pasado martes en Guacarí tras el desbordamiento de una quebrada.

En el municipio de Jamundí, los afectados por las lluvias y un vendaval el pasado fin de semana ascienden a 150 sin que aún se haya terminado de realizar el censo de afectaciones.

"Hoy tenemos reunidos a los coordinadores municipales de gestión de riesgo de todo el Valle en la CVC, en un taller para reforzar cómo deben manejar esta temporada y que haya prevención", señaló el funcionario.

Además, indicó, se espera que "esta temporada no tenga mucha afectación". Se están atendiendo las emergencias junto con los organismos de Socorro (Cruz Roja, Defensa Civil y Bomberos).

"Así mismo, estamos trabajando con la Unidad Ejecutora de Saneamiento, UES, para evitar que se den infecciones o que se propague el mosquito transmisor del dengue y el Chikungunya en estas zonas donde hay acumulación de agua", dijo.

Por su parte, la CVC anunció que esta temporada de lluvias se extenderá hasta mediados del mes de diciembre.

El coordinador de Hidroclimatología de la entidad, Harold González, afirmó que estas condiciones meteorológicas perdurarán en los meses de octubre, noviembre y hasta mediados de diciembre, el cual es un mes de transición.

"Las lluvias de las últimas 48 horas obedecen a unas masa de aire y frentes fríos que están entrando por suroccidente del país y que han provocado fuertes precipitaciones sobre todo en el departamento del Valle", explicó el funcionario.

Según González, esta fue la razón por la cual se presentaron las fuertes lluvias en las cuencas de los ríos Timba, en el Cauca; y en el río Sonso, donde la creciente ocasionó el desbordamiento de la quebrada San Roque afectando 50 familias.

De igual forma advirtió que aún no existe alerta en el departamento por posibles inundaciones o deslizamientos ocasionados por las lluvias debido a que los ríos más importantes, como son Guadalajara, Cali, Meléndez, Jamundí, Guabas, Tuluá, Riofrío y Sonso, apenas están recuperando sus niveles.

"El Cauca está en condiciones de niveles bajos en comparación a los niveles históricos de octubre y se espera que se recupere a medida que se avance en el mes", advirtió González.

Sin embargo advirtió que estas fuertes precipitaciones en las cuencas sí podrían genera crecientes súbitas en los ríos tributarios del Cauca, como lo ocurrido en Guacarí.

Al respecto, el director de la CVC, Óscar Libardo Campo aseguró que ya se están generando las señales pertinentes en cuanto alertas tempranas para que se adopten todas las medidas de prevención orientadas a reducir el impacto de estos fenómenos.

"Lo de El Fenómeno del Niño ha estado entre que sí y no. Cuando las cosas empiezan a manejarse en esas condiciones es mejor estar atento que bajar la guardia. Si se da nos afectará a final de año y los primeros meses del próximo", concluyó.

Según el secretario de Salud, los cinco pacientes a los cuales se les ha confirmado la presencia del virus se encuentran en buenas condiciones

Mediante Resolución 1687 de 2014, el gobierno del Valle del Cauca decretó la alerta amarilla ante la aparición de cinco casos de chikungunya en varios municipios de la región. Lea también: 26 millones de colombianos serán susceptibles al virus del Chikungunya.

“La secretaría de Salud departamental declaró la alerta amarilla con el fin de conjurar la epidemia del virus del Chikungunya que ya es un hecho en el Valle de Cauca, fueron confirmados a la fecha cinco casos autóctonos: dos en Tuluá, uno en Buga, uno en Yumbo y uno en El Cerrito”, informó el secretario de Salud, Fernando Gutiérrez.

Mediante esta medida se pide a los gobiernos locales tomar decisiones sanitarias e implementar jornadas pedagógicas para prevenir nuevos casos de chikungunya.

“La declaratoria de alerta amarilla tiene el propósito de estimular en los entes municipales, secretarios de salud, gerentes, prestadores de servicios de salud, la activación de los planes de contingencia y tomar todas las medidas necesarias para prevenir los riesgos causados por esta epidemia”, afirmó el funcionario.

Según el secretario de Salud, los cinco pacientes a los cuales se les ha confirmado por pruebas de laboratorio del Instituto Nacional de Salud, la presencia del virus, se encuentran en buenas condiciones y han recibido la atención necesaria para conocer todos los protocolos de cómo proceder en estos casos.

Del mismo modo, a través del Decreto 1143 del 8 de octubre del 2014, el gobierno departamental declaró la Urgencia Manifiesta que permitirá mayor agilidad en la ejecución de los recursos para el desarrollo de programas de prevención y atención.

El secretario de Salud del Valle indicó que “el señor gobernador Ubeimar Delgado en el día de hoy ha decretado la urgencia manifiesta con el propósito de adquirir, de gestionar con la mayor oportunidad y celeridad posible todos los recursos financieros, humanos y de bienes y servicios destinados a conjurar esta epidemia en el departamento”.

El funcionario explicó que se gestionará rápidamente con la Secretaría de Hacienda todos los recursos necesarios que estén orientados a adquirir plaguicidas para obtener rápidamente en los municipios, todo lo necesario para la fumigación, el recurso humano destinado a esta actividad y planes de contingencia que tienen que establecerse en cada localidad.

Justificó que con dicha medida, el Departamento busca contrarrestar una posible epidemia de enfermedades virales especialmente la del chikungunya.

De acuerdo con lo anterior, el gobernador del departamento, Ubeimar Delgado Blandón, hizo un llamado a la comunidad para que junto con las autoridades departamentales, Secretaría de Salud y la Unidad Ejecutora de Saneamiento, se le haga frente al virus Chikungunya proveniente de África.

“Vallecaucanos y vallecaucanas sigamos las recomendaciones de nuestras autoridades departamentales para erradicar los criaderos de los mosquitos transmisores del virus Chikungunya al interior de los hogares y frenar la afectación de vallecaucanos por esta enfermedad”, manifestó Delgado Blandón.

Finalmente, aseguró que el Gobierno Departamental está adelantando, de la mano con la ciudadanía, las campañas en todo el Valle del Cauca para la erradicación de los criaderos del insecto que transmite la enfermedad, que tiene características similares a las del dengue y que se propaga con facilidad en zonas tropicales.

October 11, 2014 (KHARTOUM) - An opposition party participating in the national dialogue accused the National Congress Party (NCP)-led government of deliberately delaying the dialogue with the intent to hold the general elections before the political process.

In January 2014, president Omer al-Bashir called on the opposition and rebel forces to participate in a national conference inside the country to reach a peaceful settlement for the conflicts in South Kordofan and Blue Nile but also to agree on general principles for a new democratic constitution.

Three months later, he issued presidential decrees releasing political freedoms and preventing censorship of the media. However, the security services continue to arrest opponents and activists.

In May 2014 security agents arrested Sadiq al-Mahdi, leader of the National Umma Party followed by Ibrahim al-Sheik chairman of the Sudanese Congress Party. The leaders of the two opposition parties criticised the war crimes and atrocities committed by the militiamen in Darfur.

Speaking in a debate organised by the official Sudan TV on Saturday, a leading member of the opposition Reform Now Movement (RNM) Hassan Rizik said “there is a deliberate delay of the national dialogue”.

Rizik who is a member of the national dialogue mechanism stressed that this delay “leads practically to postpone the national dialogue until the conduct of the elections” scheduled for April 2015.

He went further to emphasise that the road map signed on 9 August by the parties participating in the national dialogue provides the need to agree on the electoral law and its mechanism, adding it was possible to agree on the postponement of the elections.

The ruling party and the National Elections Commission (NEC) refuse to postpone the election saying no one has the right to delay it.

Ahmed al-Balal, information minister and co-spokesperson of the national dialogue committee who participated in the debate reiterated the government rejection to postpone the elections.

"If the elections are postponed and the national dialogue fails to reach an agreement what will be the fate of the country then?” wondered al-Balal who is a member of the Democratic Unionist Party led by Mohamed Osman am-Mirghani.

The minister further said “the postponement of elections before to reach an agreement in the national dialogue will be an adventure” adding that “the opposition would not participate in the elections even if it had been postponed for 50 years”

Al-Balal also rejected accusations that the government seeks deliberately to postpone the dialogue saying the process had been delayed because they were waiting the release of the NUP leader Sadiq al-Mahdi and because of the knee operation of president al-Bashir.

The minister affirmed that the dialogue committee known as 7+7 would resume its meeting within a week.

He also said taht talks with the rebel groups on a cessation of hostilities agreement would be held in Addis Ababa when the mediation fix the time schedule.

The African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) called for a meeting on 12 October between the government and the SPLM-N and another meeting on 16 October for Darfur groups to discuss a cessation of hostilities ahead of another meeting including all the political forces to discuss a framework agreement.

But the government declined the invitation saying that several members of its negotiating team perform the Hajj and the proposed dates also coincides with the NCP convention, as many other members are involved in the preparation for this important conference.

Government top negotiator and presidential assistant Ibrahim Ghandour announced that the AUHIP brokered talks would resume after the 25 October.

(ST)

KALMA CAMP(12 Oct.) - The Darfur Displaced and Refugees Association has called upon Darfuris in the Diaspora to increase their support to the displaced in Darfur and refugees in Chad, in particular in the field of education.

Hussein Abu Sharati, the spokesman for the Association told Radio Dabanga that the basic and secondary school students at the camps for the displaced and the refugee camps are facing a shortage of school books, notebooks, and writing materials. The camps are in need of more classrooms, teachers, desks and chairs, and teaching materials.

“For instance, Kalma camp in South Darfur, being one of the largest camps for the displaced in the region, has only three secondary schools for 38,000 school students.”

Sharati called on “the Darfuris in the Arab Gulf and other parts of the world to support the education for the displaced and the refugee children.

NEW YORK / KHARTOUM(12 Oct.) - A Sudanese researcher and politician at the Institute of Development of Cornell University in the USA urged the UN and human rights organisations to investigate the attacks on female students of the University of Khartoum on Sunday.

The researcher, Ahmed Hussein Adam, who is originally from Darfur, considers the violence used by elements of the security forces to evacuate Darfuri female students from the Zahra boarding complex in Khartoum, “part and parcel of the genocide in Darfur”.

Via Radio Dabanga, he demanded from the UN, human rights organizations, and the Sudanese government to investigate the “serious assaults”, and bring the perpetrators to justice. He warned that the targeting of the people of Darfur will lead to an increased disintegration of the country.

Alternative housing

The director general of the National Endowment Fund for Students, Mohamed Abdallah El Nagarabi, told the press in Khartoum on Saturday that the students were requested to vacate the boarding house because the building will be renovated. The students will be offered alternative housing next week.

On Sunday morning, security forces raided El Zahra dormitory, and violently expelled the remaining 70 Darfuri female students, who had not left, because they did not have a place to go. Dozens of them were taken to various security detention centres in Khartoum.

Cairo

As evidenced by the Gaza reconstruction conference today in Cairo, Egypt, there is no question that the international community appreciates the significant need of the people of Gaza recovering from the recent conflict. Recognizing this, United States Secretary of State John Kerry announced on September 22 a generous additional contribution of $59 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in support of the Agency’s emergency operations in Gaza.

These funds will be used to respond to the most urgent shelter, food and health needs of families who have been severely impacted by the most recent conflict in Gaza.

In thanking the United States for its sustained support, UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl said, “We are deeply grateful for the continued support of the United States Government and the American people. These emergency funds will help hundreds of thousands of Palestine refugees in Gaza meet their critical needs, including food for their families, shelter for those who have been displaced and psychosocial support for the hundreds of thousands of children who need assistance after witnessing conflict.”

This latest contribution comes amid efforts by Palestinians in Gaza to return to their daily lives following the recent violence. Even prior to the conflict, the economy in Gaza was in unable to sustain the people of Gaza, with the majority of the population dependent on humanitarian aid to meet basic needs. The number of Palestine refugees relying on UNRWA for food aid increased from fewer than 80,000 in 2000 to over 830,000 prior to the 2014 conflict.

This generous contribution brings the total US contribution to the 2014 Gaza Emergency Flash Appeal to $74 million, and will, among other things, assist with:

• Covering the most urgent basic needs of civilians who remain internally displaced in emergency shelters, including the distribution of food and non-food items, provision of health care and psychosocial support, emergency education activities, and access to water;

• Ensuring families continue to access sufficient food to cover minimum nutritional requirements;

• Facilitating families’ return to their homes, including assistance for minor repairs and removal of debris;

• Ensuring damaged UNRWA installations are ready and able to deliver necessary services to Palestine refugees; and,

-Providing children with psychosocial and other support to overcome the trauma experienced during the conflict.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, and microfinance.

Financial support to UNRWA has not kept pace with an increased demand for services caused by growing numbers of registered refugees, expanding need, and deepening poverty. As a result, the Agency's General Fund (GF), supporting UNRWA’s core activities and 97 per cent reliant on voluntary contributions, has begun each year with a large projected deficit. Currently the deficit stands at US$ 56 million.

For more information, please contact:

Christopher Gunness
UNRWA Spokesperson
Mobile: +972 (0)54 240 2659
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0267
c.gunness@unrwa.org

Sami Mshasha
UNRWA Arabic Spokesperson
Mobile: +972 (0)54 216 8295
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0724
s.mshasha@unrwa.org

10/12/2014 - 09:56 GMT

At least 21 people were killed and more than 60 wounded in tribal clashes west of the Libyan capital over the weekend, hospital sources said on Sunday.

Witnesses said nationalist militia from the hilltown of Zintan, southwest of Tripoli, attacked the neighbouring town of Kekla which supports their Islamist-led Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn) rivals.

The clashes on Saturday and Sunday left 21 people dead and more than 60 wounded, officials at a local hospital said.

ila/hc/kir

VISHAKAPATNAM: Severe cyclonic storm Hudhud hit the port city of Vishakapatnam on Sunday bringing with it torrential rains in three coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and leaving five persons dead in the state and neighbouring Odisha besides snapping power and communication lines.

Normal life was thrown completely out of gear as winds with a speed of 170 to 180 kmph battered Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts.

Cyclone Hudhud : Helpline numbers

TOI's live coverage

The very severe cyclonic storm made landfall in Visakhapatnam before noon. The gale, accompanied by heavy downpour, resulted in trees being uprooted and roofs of thatched huts and sheds being swept away.

While authorities in Andhra Pradesh evacuated 90,013 people across the four districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhaptnam and East Godavari, about 68,000 people were evacuated from coastal districts of Odisha.

In Delhi, IMD director general Laxman Singh Rathore said, "Due to the hilly topography, the cyclone's intensity will reduce in next six hours and further reduce in next 12 hours. However, the area (Vizag) will experience heavy to very heavy rainfall for the next three days."

As the storm progresses, it will bring heavy rainfall to very heavy rainfall in Chhatisgarh, Bihar, east Madhya Pradesh and east UP and Gangetic belt of West Bengal.

"We are in touch with the chief secretaries of these state governments and providing with bulletins. Warnings have also been issued to shift crops which have been harvested to minimise the impact of heavy rains in these areas," Rathore said.

Aircraft services will be able to operate from tomorrow morning as the weather is expected to improve.

"The PMO is monitoring the situation arising out of the cyclone at regular intervals," he said.

While three persons were killed in rain-related incidents in Andhra Pradesh, two were killed in Odisha.

"Three deaths have been reported due to impact of Hudhud. Two died after trees fell on them and one in collapse of compound-wall in Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts, respectively," AP Chief Secretary I V R Krishna Rao said.

Casualty in cyclone Hudhud rose to two in Odisha. A fisherman was caught in the sea current amid a tidal surge while he was trying to save his fishing boat anchored in the coast of Puri, Special Relief Commissioner P K Mohapatra said.

Yesterday, a nine-year-old girl drowned when a boat engaged in evacuation of the people in Satbhaya area of Kendrapara district capsized in the Baunsagadi rivulet.

Union cabinet secretary Ajit Kumar Seth said the Prime Minister was concerned not only about AP and Odisha but also wanted other states, which could face heavy rains minus the cyclone, to be alerted.

"We have done that," Seth said, adding that while the Prime Minister reviewed the situation last night, he himself has been reviewing the situation closely and holding meetings with Chief Secretaries of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha twice daily.

Seth advised residents of cyclone-hit Vizag to exercise caution till the second phase of the high wind is over even as he lauded the efforts of the central agencies and state government in meeting the challenge.

He said once the initial brunt has been taken at the time of the landfall of the cyclone, there is a lull as the centre or eye of the storm passes but thereafter the wind speed is going to pick up again and it is going to be the same as was when it hit the coast first.

Seth said the government does not have the total estimate of the damage caused due to the cyclone as yet.

International sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik craves a sand sculpture on cyclone Hudhud at a beach in Puri on Saturday.

"State government, central agencies are on their job. They have done their job. The Army, the Navy and all other agencies are already there.

"Both the governments were well-prepared. We have been reviewing the situation with them ... They have got their act together. They have taken necessary precautions and alerted the local population," Seth said.

The NDRF has doubled the strength of its teams stationed in Vishakapatnam to 13 in order to undertake swift relief and rescue operations.

"We have increased our teams to 13 in Vizag after the landfall occurred. Earlier there were six teams stationed here," National Disaster Response Force chief O P Singh told PTI.

In Bhubaneswar, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said the cyclone had its impact in different districts like Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Puri, Kalahandi and Kendrapara.

68,000 people have been evacuated to safe places, the chief minister said, directing the officials to continue the evacuation of people from vulnerable areas as the complete impact of the cyclone would be felt some hours after the landfall.

10/12/2014 - 18:25 GMT

At least four people were killed in a car bomb attack outside a cafe in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Sunday, police said.

"Four civilians were killed in the explosion," said the police source, Osman Mire, adding that he could not immediately confirm whether it was a suicide attack or whether the bomb was set off remotely.

The attack took place on a busy road leading to the government district.

Witnesses said the blast could be heard several streets away.

"I saw charred bodies, I don't know who was targeted but the explosion was very strong and the site was destroyed," said witness Ahmed Yusuf.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the incident, but Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab insurgents have stepped up guerrilla attacks in the capital and elsewhere in the country after being chased from key cities by African Union-led troops.

Somalia has been riven by civil war since 1991, but the government which took power last year was the first to be given global recognition since the conflict began.

nur-aud/sba/mfp/sms/