2007 Lebanon Emergency

A delegation of high level donor countries representatives visited Nahr El Bared Refugee camp in North Lebanon 12 June and were briefed by senior officials from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) about the progress made in response to Nahr El Bared crisis and plans for the reconstruction and recovery of the camp and its surrounding areas.

The donors’ delegation started by visiting the adjacent area to Nahr El Bared camp where they met with returnees. The delegation that is formed of UNRWA Advisory Commission members, also visited UNRWA’s newly constructed clinic and temporary housing units that are accommodating displaced families, until the reconstruction of Nahr El Bared camp. The delegation stopped at the old UNRWA compound where rubble is being removed, before driving through the old camp.

The visit comes after a two-day meeting in Syria, of the above-mentionned commission, that meets twice a year.

On this occasion, the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon Mr. Richard Cook thanked the “donor community for its continuous support to UNRWA and its commitment to improve the living conditions of Palestine refugees in Lebanon.” He added that “the rubble removal of UNRWA compound is another sign of the firm commitment of UNRWA and the Lebanese Government to reconstruct the camp. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) had started on 5 June clearing rubble from its compound in Nahr El Bared camp which was destroyed in the conflict last year.   The donors visit comes after a briefing session that was organized in Beirut on 9 June, in advance of the International Donor Conference that will be held on 23 June 2008 in Vienna, on the plan for the recovery and reconstruction of Nahr el Bared camp and surrounding areas.

Today the Government of Japan has concluded an agreement with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in which Japan will contribute Yen 588 million (US$ 5.5 million) to the Agency’s Emergency Appeal for Northern Lebanon. 

A signing ceremony was held today at UNRWA’s Lebanon Field Office in Beirut in which UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, Karen AbuZayd, and the Japanese Ambassador, Mr. Yoshihisa Kuroda, signed an Exchange of Notes.  This Japanese contribution will support the construction of temporary shelters for the displaced from Nahr El Bared camp, as well as two prefabricated schools in Northern Lebanon, the provision of psycho-social support for traumatized children and hygiene kits.   

This contribution will promote peace-building and help improve living conditions for displaced families by providing them with secure housing pending their return to the reconstructed camp. It will also ensure access to formal education for Palestine refugee students for the upcoming 2008-2009 school year and will help the displaced children recover from the trauma of the war.

UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Karen AbuZayd said “with this generous donation, Japan is signalling its commitment to our emergency work in Lebanon and the Nahr el Bared project which will be the largest in UNRWA’s history. This is a major challenge and I am delighted that donors like Japan are offering us their support. My gratitude goes out to the people and Government of Japan.” 

UNRWA received a generous donation of US $15,000 from Al Jaffali Foundation in October 2007, that was distributed as food parcels to Palestine Refugees in the Beqa’a area on the occasion of Eid El Fitr.

The poorest of the , 713 Special Hardship Case families as well as 37 families of displaced from Nahr el-Bared camp benefited from the donation.

UNRWA would like to thank the foundation for their donation that benefited 750 poor families and is a sign of human solidarity at this difficult time.

Full text of the Emergency Appeal

UNRWA Commissioner General, Karen Koning- AbuZyad speaking at the Grand Serail.

Prime Minister, Excellencies, Colleagues, and members of the media;

I would like to begin by offering my condolences to the Lebanese and Palestinian families who lost loved ones in this conflict. The human cost of war is always heartbreaking. Our thoughts and prayers are particularly with those who have been bereaved or injured in this conflict.

It was with great relief that I learned that the conflict in Nahr el-Bared camp had ended. The guns may now have fallen silent, but they have left in their wake massive destruction of livelihoods, education and health facilities and infrastructure. More than 32,000 people have been displaced from their homes and many thousands more in Beddawi camp have been adversely affected by the strain of giving refuge to the displaced. In a few days, we saw the population of Bedawi double in size, stretching facilities and services to their limit, and making it impossible to maintain decent living conditions.

As we contemplate the destruction and human suffering of the past three months, my Agency and I are determined to look forward and to seize the opportunities presented by the end to this conflict. We see this as a time to re-dedicate ourselves to our mission to address the needs of Palestine refugees in Lebanon. We see this as a chance to give our mission concrete expression through the rebuilding of homes, the restoration of livelihoods, and ultimately the renewal of a sense of hope.

Prime Minister, Excellencies and Colleagues, the opportunity to rebuild, restore and renew is at the heart of the Appeal we are launching today. UNRWA cannot go it alone. The lifeblood of our programmes is partnership with donors and host countries and in this regard, the challenges in Lebanon, immense as they may be, are no exception. Under this Emergency Appeal, which covers activities over a period of one year, we are seeking close to US $55 million to meet the emergency needs of the population affected by the conflict and to lay the foundations for the safe return of those displaced from Nahr el-Bared camp. The primary beneficiaries of the appeal will therefore be the families displaced from Nahr el-Bared camp and the areas adjacent to the camp, and the host families.

We foresee a range of interventions under this appeal. We will offer temporary shelter solutions by providing temporary homes, assisting with rental arrangements and supporting families that host refugees. We will construct water and sanitation networks and other necessary infrastructure. UNRWA will also be active in the area of humanitarian and relief assistance, temporary employment, health care and education.

A preliminary Emergency Return Plan for the displaced from Nahr el-Bared camp has been developed by UNRWA, the Lebanese government and our partners, including the UN Country Team, the PLO and the Palestinian community. This plan will be continuously updated to reflect current conditions and to ensure that the assistance provided matches the humanitarian needs of refugees. UNRWA, with the Lebanese government, the World Bank, the UN Country Team, the PLO and other partners will also produce a comprehensive reconstruction plan. A dedicated project team will be established in the north of Lebanon to manage and coordinate the overall relief, recovery and reconstruction effort.

The reconstruction of the camp, however, is only part of the refugeesÆ needs. Livelihoods, businesses and income have also been devastated and require regeneration. The emergency Appeal will enable those affected to take the first steps in the direction of economic revival, while a longer-term response will be included under the Recovery and Reconstruction phase.

The return of refugees to Nahr el-Bared camp affords an opportunity for Lebanese and Palestinian communities to come together - to build positive outcomes from the terrible experiences that affected both communities in this conflict, and to pledge to support each other in the process of healing and renewal.

The activities under this Emergency Appeal will be carried out by UNRWA working in partnership with refugees themselves, the Government of Lebanon, donors, sister United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations. The challenge presented by Nahr el-Bared is colossal. Yet I am confident that by joining forces with our partners, and with adequate donor support, we can and will succeed.

UNRWA is adapting once again to a volatile and unpredictable environment, supporting those who have been touched by the conflict. I would like to offer special thanks to UNRWAÆs Lebanon staff, 10% of whom are Nahr el-Bared residents, as well as staff from other UN agencies, for their dedication throughout another very difficult summer.

I have referred earlier to UNRWAÆs role, since June this year, in providing emergency assistance to refugees displaced from Nahr el-Bared. I would like to end by acknowledging that this work would not have been possible without the cooperation of the Lebanese government, the PLO, sister United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations. I take this opportunity to thank all our partners for their work. I trust that through this Emergency Appeal, we will reach a new dimension of cooperation as we commence the task of rebuilding Nahr el-Bared camp. Please join us to help give these refugees a new beginning.

Thank you.

PRESS STATEMENT, UNRWA Beirut

UNRWA is launching today a Flash Appeal for US $12.7 million to address the urgent needs of thousands of displaced Palestine refugees as a result of the intense fighting raging in and around Nahr El Bared camp in North Lebanon since 20 May 2007. More than 27,000 Palestine refugees have so far fled their homes most taking refuge in Beddawi camp as well as in Palestinian camps in Lebanon.

This conflict has imposed upon the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) a new emergency situation requiring urgent action, and comes in addition to UNRWA’s normal operations in serving hundreds of thousands of Palestine Refugees. UNRWA, in collaboration with other UN organizations, and with the support of the Lebanese Government, believes the Flash Appeal will enable the Agency to cater for the immediate needs of the displaced Palestine refugees.

The Flash Appeal represents an assessment of the cost of delivering assistance to the displaced over the coming 90 days. It includes plans for food assistance, non food items and shelter, both immediately in order to relieve the congestion of Beddawi camp and in the short term to ensure suitable temporary shelters and provide minimum and dignified living standards to those in distress.

The population of Beddawi camp has swollen from 16,000 persons to around 37,000, jeopardizing the lives of inhabitants and stretching the already over-crowded living conditions. Displaced persons have very little resources to cater for their needs, and the coping mechanisms of hosting refugee families are severely strained. Many displaced refugees are suffering from stress and trauma as a result of their ordeal, with the needs of children a particular concern. UNRWA is working with officials in Tripoli to prepare temporary alternative accommodation for some displaced families to ease the over-crowdedness of the camp, pending the return of the displaced to Nahr El Bared.

The Flash Appeal also includes provisions for emergency health, water, sanitation services and protection, as well as a means to enable refugee pupils affected by the crisis to sit for public examinations. It is believed Nahr El Bared camp has sustained significant damage during the fighting with large numbers of buildings affected and water, sewage and electricity networks extensively damaged. This poses a potential major public health risk. All humanitarian agencies are extremely concerned about the welfare of those still remaining in Nahr El Bared camp. UNRWA’s emergency plans and services will be implemented by the Agency, with substantial û both material and technical û support from other UN partners.

Donors are encouraged to support this Flash Appeal generously, enabling UNRWA to alleviate the worst of the impact that this crisis has imposed on the affected refugee population of Nahr El Bared camp.

UNRWA takes this opportunity to extend its thanks to all those who are supporting it in responding to this emergency, namely the UN Agencies, the ICRC, the Lebanese Red Cross, the PRCS, the Higher Relief Council (HRC), local and international NGOs and other parties.

Download the full text of the Flash Appeal +