Donations in-kind for the Iraq Crisis: Guidance to Donors
May 2003
United Nations
Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq
The United Nations has received many offers of in-kind humanitarian assistance
– donation of goods or personnel – for Iraq. It has also received
requests for advice on how this aid might be best provided. These offers are greatly
appreciated. Given the vital need for precisely targeted, flexible resources,
the following advice is offered to potential donors of such contributions.
The ‘Flash Appeal for the Humanitarian Requirements of the Iraq Crisis’ launched in late March sought $US 2.2 billion to respond to immediate and anticipated humanitarian needs in Iraq. Donors have responded generously with financial support to our Appeal. There are, however, significant unmet needs for which we are seeking funds. These needs are outlined in the Flash Appeal.
The UN emphasizes the importance of donors providing financial resources, rather than in-kind assistance, for its emergency efforts. We need to maintain the capacity to respond flexibly and appropriately to needs as the situation evolves. In the past, in-kind contributions have included unneeded items, or items which are not easily integrated into a large scale operation. As well, the UN has limited capacity in Iraq to handle shipments, and the costs associated with shipment, warehousing and distribution of in-kind contributions are high – and often exceed the value of the donated items.
The health sector has to date attracted a range of very significant donations – of field hospitals and staff, and supplies - from many different quarters. Iraq has some large and sophisticated hospitals. Most kept functioning through the war, but some were brought to a halt by looting. Now, in many hospitals, the main problems are security, water, restoring sanitation services, power and mid level and administrative personnel. There is not a shortage of doctors. There are some specific shortages of medicines and equipment, but this varies from hospital to hospital. The health system in Iraq has shown remarkable resilience during the current crisis. The first priority is to assist Iraqi health professionals to get the health system up and running again. International health partners in Iraq agree that the best option right now, including to hospitals, is assistance which helps the existing structures to operate as fully as it can under the circumstances. A strong, sustainable health system in Iraqi requires a focused effort to build local capacity in areas identified by Iraqi professionals themselves.
In other sectors, the UN has requested support in-kind, or is able to accept it. The most obvious example of this is food aid. The World Food Programme has requested food for Iraq, or cash to buy food.
In all cases where an in-kind donation is planned, donors are urged to approach
the relevant UN agency to discuss the needs in Iraq, and the ability of the
donor to meet the profile of needs appropriately. Where an in-kind contribution
is accepted by a UN agency, the donor will also be asked to make financial arrangements
for the transport, clearance, handling, storage, management and distribution
costs related to items. Full details of associated costs will be provided to
donors on request.
For each sector of humanitarian response in Iraq, an agency has been designated
as sectoral coordinator. A list of sectoral contacts for key humanitarian agencies
is provided below. The attached annexes provide some key guiding principles
for those considering the deployment of field hospitals, or donations of drugs.
More detailed guidelines for drug donations can be found at www.who.int/medicines/library/par/who-edm-par-99-4/who-edm-par-99-4.htm.
Key Agency Contacts for emergency in-kind contributions:
UNICEF (Health, Water and Sanitation, Nutrition, Education, Women and Children):
Prabhu Prabhakaran, Programme Funding Office, UNICEF New York
Tel: 1-212-824-6551, Fax: 1-212-326-7165, E-mail: pprabhakaran@unicef.org
WHO (Health):
* Tanja Sleeweuhoek, Department of Emergency and Humanitarian Action, WHO Geneva.
Tel: 41 22 791 2727; Fax: 41 22 791 4844 Email: eha@who.int.
UNHCR (Refugees):
* Donor Relations and Resource Mobilisation, UNHCR, Fax: 41 22 739 7390 hqfr@unhcr.ch
IOM (Shelter, household items):
* Jeff Labovitz, IOM, Flamingo Hotel, Larnaca Tel: 357 24 650621; Fax: 357 24
82 8506
WFP (Food Assistance):
* Michelle Barrett, Resources Officer, WFP, Flamingo Hotel, Larnaca. Tel: 357
24 650621; Fax: 357 24 82 8506 michelle.barrett@wfp.org
Guidelines on the offer and acceptance of field hospitals
WHO Guidelines for drug donations