Following is the text of a November 7 USAID fact sheet:

(begin fact sheet)

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)
BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)

Fact Sheet #22, Fiscal Year (FY 2002), November 7, 2001

Note: This Fact Sheet updates previously released Central Asia Region Fact Sheets and Situation Reports.

Numbers Affected

On November 6, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that approximately 135,000 Afghan refugees have entered Pakistan since September 11. Of these new arrivals, UNHCR believes that 75,000 entered through North West Frontier Province and 60,000 entered through Baluchistan Province.

Afghanistan

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has developed a 30-day Operational Emergency Assistance Plan to enhance NGO [nongovernmental organization] and U.N. agency planning for humanitarian operations in Afghanistan as well as assistance to Afghan refugees. The plan is designed to create a complete picture of estimated needs inside Afghanistan; a complete picture of which organizations are operating in what areas and sectors; an accountability tool for monitoring performance and achievements; and a mechanism for identifying which areas are inaccessible and why. The plan will be implemented on a 30-day rolling basis, with the first period spanning November 12 through December 12, 2001.

The World Food Program (WFP) reports that it is continually increasing its cross-border deliveries of food aid into Afghanistan. At the beginning of the current crisis, WFP was transporting only 200 metric tons (MT) of food aid into Afghanistan per day. This figure is now up to 2,400 MT. The increase in the rate of transport is due to a new strategy of bypassing urban centers and moving the food directly to areas of need. In addition, the increase is due to the utilization of five transport corridors. WFP is hopeful that it will soon be operating at a capacity to meet the transport requirement of 52,000 MT per month.

However, distribution of the food will be difficult since several highly vulnerable districts remain inaccessible due to insecurity. Some 27,000 MT of food is required in inaccessible areas to feed 500,000 people who are expected to run short of food by the end of the year. Security conditions in these inaccessible districts (listed in Fact Sheet #21) are deteriorating as a result of banditry, lack of communication, and the ongoing civil war.

In addition, distribution of the food will be difficult in the mountainous areas of Afghanistan, where 32,000 MT of additional food aid is required over the next three to four weeks to sustain the food insecure population for the winter. To date, only 7,000 MT of food aid has been delivered to the area.

To reach the above target, WFP is working to secure trucks that can operate in the deep snow. Furthermore, WFP is planning an airdrop of food in snow-bound areas of northern Afghanistan as a compliment to overland delivery. WFP will use black, snow-proof bags to package the food. WFP plans to establish a base camp at the tip of the Anjuman Pass to coordinate assistance to the area.

The U.N. reports that many internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the eastern and central regions of Afghanistan are able to find shelter on their own, alleviating some of the burden on humanitarian agencies. This resourcefulness is particularly important given the steady increase in the number of IDPs.

The U.N. reports that the Taliban's seizure and return of humanitarian offices and assets and forced cessation of humanitarian activities remains inconsistent from one area to another.

UNHCR [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] remains concerned about the security of aid workers and the protection of IDPs in camps near the borders of Iran and Pakistan. The presence of armed fighters in the vicinity of IDP camps complicates the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and the assurance that aid does not fall into the hands of the Taliban or Northern Alliance. The conscription of young IDP men, who reside in the camps, also concerns UNHCR.

The second round of national immunization days to vaccinate children against polio began on November 6, and will continue through November 8. Cases of malaria are reported in the provinces of Baghlan, Faryab, Laghman, and Nangahar. The World Health Organization is moving additional supplies of malaria prophylaxis into Afghanistan to combat the disease.

UNOCHA reports that a mine action NGO [nongovernmental organization] is providing emergency mine awareness training to people in the Herat area. According to UNOCHA, the U.N. Demining Program has had 100 vehicles stolen from its office in Afghanistan, complicating mine-related activities throughout the country.

Pakistan

WFP announced on November 7 that two Ilyushin cargo aircraft will airlift more than 2,000 MT of food from northern Pakistan to Turkmenabad, Turkmenistan over a 10-day period. From this location, the food will be transported via truck to remote areas of northern Afghanistan. One of the aircraft began transporting food yesterday; the other will begin today. USAID/Food for Peace funding is supporting this operation.

On November 5, Pakistani authorities allowed approximately 300 women and children to shelter in the registration tents inside the Killi Faizo staging area, near the Chaman border crossing in Baluchistan. Approximately 100 men are waiting outside the site for entrance. UNHCR and Pakistani officials are still negotiating formal approval for the refugees to become part of the camp population. The maximum capacity of the site (approximately 1,600 people) was exceeded last week, leading Pakistani authorities to suspend registration on November 2, and send new arrivals back across the border to Spin Boldak.

Afghan refugees in Killi Faizo will be transferred to Roghani camp in Baluchistan soon to alleviate overcrowding in Killi Faizo and make way for new arrivals. The current population of Killi Faizo exceeds 2,400 people.

With the exception of the Killi Faizo site, most refugees are housed in 203 old refugee camps or in private houses with relatives in Peshawar and Quetta. A smaller number of refugees are located in Karachi and Islamabad.

UNHCR reports that the number of "invisible" refugees is increasing, and that identification of them and delivery of assistance to them is becoming more problematic.

Region

Shelter Now International-U.S. reports logistical delays in transporting relief supplies through the Tajikistan/Afghanistan border. UNOCHA is aware of the situation and is working with the Government of Tajikistan to resolve the issue.

U.S. Government Activities
New Actions

From November 6-8, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) will airlift the following USAID/OFDA commodities from Pisa, Italy to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan aboard C-17 aircraft: 20,000 wool blankets, 100 rolls of plastic sheeting, 200 MT of BP-5 High Energy Biscuits, and 1 MT of sugar. The commodities, valued at $751,102, will be consigned to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for distribution in Afghanistan.
USAID/Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) members in Uzbekistan are conducting a logistical assessment of Termez in coordination with the U.N. and NGOs working in the area. To date, DOD has airdropped 1,275,840 Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs), valued at $5,486,112, into Afghanistan.

Disaster Declarations & Background

On October 4, 2001, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Christina B. Rocca Wer redeclared a complex humanitarian disaster for Afghanistan for FY 2002.

On October 10, 2001, U.S. Charge d'Affaires James A. Boughner declared a disaster for Tajikistan due to drought.

TOTAL USG [U.S. government] Humanitarian Assistance FY 2001 $178,607,625

Note: detailed breakdowns of FY 2001 assistance are available in previous Central Asia Region Situation Reports.

FY 2002 USG Assistance to Afghanistan
Total USAID/OFDA     $44,866,211
Total USAID/FFP         $38,555,000
Total State/PRM           $28,260,000
Total DOD                       $5,486,112
TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 2002 $117,167,323

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 2001 $178,607,625

Note: detailed breakdowns of FY 2001 assistance are available in previous Central Asia Region Situation Reports.

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan FY 2001/2002 $295,774,948

USG Assistance to Tajikistan
Total USG Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2001 $67,210,000
Total USAID/OFDA Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2002 $998,180

(end fact sheet)