U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Iraq – Humanitarian and Reconstruction
Assistance
Fact Sheet #4, Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 April 3, 2003
Background
Humanitarian conditions have deteriorated in Iraq since the 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent
Government of Iraq (GOI) manipulation of international sanctions. In 1996, the GOI accepted the U.N. Oil-for-
Food Program (OFF), after which humanitarian conditions improved.
Between 1991 and 1996, the U.S. Government provided nearly $794 million in humanitarian assistance to
internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Iraq.
Since 1996, revenues from OFF have provided food, medicine, and other civilian goods to assist vulnerable Iraqis.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan noted in a letter to the U.N. Security Council, that the GOI has ordered and
paid for food, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies under OFF that have not yet been delivered.
The World Food Program (WFP) estimates that 16 million Iraqis—approximately 60 percent of the total
population—rely solely on food rations distributed through OFF in order to meet household needs.
On March 19, 2003, coalition forces began military operations in Iraq. As a result of the conflict, the U.N.
Secretary General suspended the OFF food distribution system. On March 28, the U.N. Security Council
unanimously passed a resolution that allows the U.N. to administer Iraq’s OFF program for 45 days. As the U.N.
takes over the OFF program, WFP’s first priority is to contact recently active suppliers able to rapidly provide food,
medicine, and other humanitarian supplies.
NUMBERS AT A GLANCE SOURCE
Internally Displaced in
Iraq
250,000-300,000 in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq
22,000 concentrated near Panjwin
UNICEF (March 26, 2003)
UNOHCI (March 26, 2003)
Refugees from Iraq Old caseload refugees:
203,000 – Iran
5,100 – Saudi Arabia
250,000-300,000 – Jordan
40,000 – Syria
U.S. Committee for Refugees (2001)
Umm Qasr
On April 1, nongovernmental organization (NGO) International Medical Corps (IMC) was the first NGO to enter
the southern port of Umm Qasr. IMC visited the hospital and plans another visit on April 3, to include a conflict
specialist, a physician, and a plastic surgeon who will assess some of the hospital's patients. IMC plans to bring
antibiotics, basic drugs, and high-protein biscuits from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to assist
malnourished children. IMC will bring more supplies and carry out another assessment of the hospital on April 4 or
5, and may stay for several days. Save the Children (SCF/US) is also poised to enter Iraq from Kuwait in the near
future, and plans a security assessment in the coming days.
British forces on April 3 indicated that the port of Umm Qasr is now permissive for U.N. operations. According to
the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), “permissive” indicates that Coalition
forces are in control of the area, armed opposition is sporadic and directed largely at military or political targets,
and the routes have been cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance.
British military forces cleared a 200-meter path in the channel of mines and plan to clear a 1,000-meter path to
allow large ships to enter the port.
According to the U.N. Office for the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq (UNOHCI), the Kuwaiti Coordination
Committee delivered 174,000 litres of water and 17,000 meals to Umm Qasr on April 2. The commodities have not
been distributed.
Al Basrah
On April 2, five UNICEF-contracted trucks departed from Kuwait for Safwan with potable water and emergency
health kits. Safwan is located south of Al Basrah. Each of the trucks carries 35,000 litres of water. A UNICEF-
sponsored water convoy will also transport potable water to Umm Kail and Az Zubayr.

Northern Iraq
On April 2, UNOHCI reported that UNICEF sent 3,112 kilograms of high protein biscuits to growth monitoring
units in Arbil. UNICEF distributed 23 recreation kits to schools where internally displaced persons (IDPs) have
settled in the area in northern Iraq. In addition, UNICEF completed construction of 48 latrines, 32 baths, and one
bladder tank in the IDP camp in Soran/Arbil. In Soran, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UN OPS)
provided 323 tents for two camps to assist IDPs. At the Ashkawtawan camp, UNICEF and the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP) are installing water and sanitation facilities and electricity.
Current Humanitarian Situation by Sector
Coordination
New border crossing procedures put into place by the Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) in Kuwait City and
the Kuwaiti Government on April 2 minimized delays at Coalition and Kuwaiti checkpoints for the NGO Doctors
without Borders (MSF) and U.S. Government Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) assessment personnel.
NGOs are required to have two forms in order to cross into Iraq from Kuwait. One form must be on the NGO’s
letterhead and submitted to the HOC Movements cell and contain the NGO’s purpose for travel, proposed vehicles,
personnel information, and the routes to be traveled in Iraq. The second form is a Kuwaiti Government
memorandum, which gives the NGO permission to cross the border and must be carried with the team while
traveling. The entire process should not exceed 96 hours for requesting and obtaining approval.
Food Security
The current fighting has raised U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) concerns with the approaching
harvest of the winter wheat and barley crop in Iraq, expected to begin in late April. The harvest is estimated to be
between 1.5 and 1.7 million metric tons (MT) of grain. FAO reports that the winter harvest, particularly in the
northern “bread basket” governorates, accounts for more than half of the country’s entire cereal production. FAO
reported that farmers need access to fuel, spare parts, and storage, and support to ensure that combine harvesters are
working. Planting for the irrigated spring crop of vegetables, maize, and rice is also important, as the vegetable crop
is a necessary source of cash and an essential source of vitamins, proteins, and micronutrients missing from the
food-aid baskets.
Health
UNOHCI reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) in Amman, Turkey has been preparing a list of
needed medical supplies for the next three months in Iraq.
Internally Displaced
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reported on April 2 that 128 foreign
workers and their families fleeing the war in Iraq are located in a 100-tent camp established by the Syrian Arab Red
Crescent (SARC) near the border town of Al-Bukamal. The group of mainly Sudanese nationals includes three
people from Chad, one from Egypt, and one Somali and were the first displaced people to arrive in the Red
Crescent camp since the current conflict began. An additional group of 40 Sudanese without valid travel papers
remain at the Iraq-Syria border, but should arrive at the camp soon.
The HOC reported that there are no permanently displaced civilians in southern Iraq. However, daily population
movements continue to be reported by the media.
Logistics
UNOHCI reported on April 2 that humanitarian flights into Kuwait are now exempt of all landing and parking fees.
However, fuel and handling fees are to be paid following normal tariffs.
Refugees
In Jordan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has referred 70 Somali third country nationals
(TCNs) to the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for refugee status determination.
According to IOM, the TCNs have expressed fear of returning to Somalia.
Water
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) received verified reports of serious water shortages in at
least four populated areas of Anbar governorate: Heet, Ramadi, Hay Al-Bakr and Fallujah. ICRC has reported
severe water shortages in Ninewa, Kerbala, Thi-Quar, and Wassit governorates in the south.
On April 2, UNICEF’s tankering contractor resumed water deliveries without informing UNICEF or the HOC.
UNICEF contacted the HOC after British military police delayed 10 tankers from crossing the border. Five tankers
later crossed into Iraq to deliver water to Az Zubayr.
ICRC conducted assessments in Ramadi and Fallujah (Anbar governorate) and has reported that all of western Iraq
from Heet to Fallujah has been without electricity since March 29. Two major electricity substations were
damaged during fighting. However, back-up generators operate most of the water treatment facilities in the
governorate, which function between six and nine hours a day at 40 percent capacity.

British troops in the southern town of Az Zabayr distributed potable water to residents on April 1 and 2.
Approximately 50,000 people live in Az Zabyr. On April 2, British official reported that 112,000 liters (29,590
gallons) of water were distributed from the pipeline near Umm Qasr, 15 miles to the south.
U.S. Government Response
Pre-Positioning
Prior to Coalition military activity in Iraq, USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA)
provided funding to assist U.N. and NGO preparedness activities. In addition, USAID/OFDA has pre-positioned
relief commodities in three warehouses in Jordan, Kuwait, and UAE.
USAID/FFP has supported WFP’s planning and preparation efforts to meet the emergency food needs of vulnerable
populations in Iraq.
The State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (State/PRM) provided assistance to
UNHCR and IOM to pre-position supplies for 600,000 potential Iraqi refugees and IDPs located at Iraq’s borders,
to establish transit camps for TCNs fleeing Iraq, and to pre-position supplies for the transportation of refugees and
other migrants.
Emergency Relief
The United States Government deployed a DART to the region to assess humanitarian needs and coordinate the
emergency relief effort. Sixty DART members are located in Kuwait, Turkey, Jordan, Cyprus, and Qatar and are
working closely with U.N. agencies, NGOs, and in coordination with U.S. military Civil Affairs personnel at the
HOC.
USAID/OFDA is supporting NGO emergency assistance activities with quick-impact projects and IDP support.
USAID/FFP has provided emergency food commodities through the Emerson Trust to WFP to meet the food needs
of vulnerable Iraqis. USAID/FFP has also provided P.L. 480 Title II emergency food assistance to be distributed to
food insecure Iraqis and cash to purchase commodities in the region.
USAID/OTI has supported IOM and Development Alternatives, Incorporated (DAI) to prepare for the
implementation of the Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI), which supports political stabilization and community
recovery activities in post-conflict Iraq. On April 3, USAID/OTI signed a one-year cooperative agreement with
IOM to continue support for ITI, bringing total assistance to IOM to $1.7 million.
State/PRM has contributed assistance for the pre-positioning and emergency response activities of UNHCR, ICRC,
IFRC, and IOM.
Reconstruction
To date, USAID’s Bureau for Asia and the Near East (USAID/ANE) has provided assistance for reconstruction
activities in Iraq. USAID/ANE has supported UNICEF and WHO for health, education, and water and sanitation
needs, and Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) to assess and manage the Umm Qasr port.

Other Donor and International Organization Assistance*
DONOR US $
(MILLIONS) DATE
(2003)
ASSISTANCE SNAPSHOT
China March 27 Tents
Spain $20.0 March 27 Refugee assistance in Iran, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey
CIDA
Canada
$100.0
$5.6
March 26
-----
U.N. agencies, international organizations (IOs), NGOs, CARE
Canada for water and sanitation, food, shelter, and health
Response to U.N. Preparedness Measures Appeal
Taiwan $4.3 March 27 Refugee assistance – food, medicine, NFIs
Japan $112.5 March 25 Humanitarian Assistance and Reconstruction
United
$330 March 24 U.N. agencies, IOs, and NGOs -- food, health kits, water units,
Kingdom
winter supply kits, primary health, IDP assistance
Kuwait March 24 45,000 meals/day and an emergency medical center
Australia $29.6
March 21
100,000 MT of wheat and distribution costs
$4.4
March 20
U.N. Agencies and ICRC
$5.91
---
Planning and preparation funding
European Union $3.2 March 21 ICRC
Ireland $0.8
March 20 UN OCHA
$15.9
U.N. Agencies for planning and preparation
New Zealand $3.3 March 20 U.N. Agencies, IOs, and NGOs for humanitarian relief
Netherlands $19.6 April 2 U.N. Consolidated Appeal and ICRC
Norway $21.6 March 20 NGOs for humanitarian assistance
France $10.7 Humanitarian Assistance
Germany $10.7 U.N. Agencies and ICRC
Russia March 22-23 150 MT humanitarian supplies for refugee preparation in Iran
TOTAL DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO DATE** .....................................................................................$725.2 MILLION
*This compilation was drawn from ReliefWeb and may not be comprehensive.
** This total is approximate as the value of donated commodities is not available in some cases.
Public Donation Information
The most effective way people can assist relief efforts is by making cash donations to humanitarian organizations
that are conducting relief operations. A list of humanitarian organizations that are accepting cash donations for their
activities in the Gulf can be found in the "How Can I Help" section at [www.usaid.gov/iraq].
USAID encourages cash donations because they: allow aid professionals to procure the exact items needed (often
in the affected region); reduce the burden on scarce resources (such as transportation routes, staff time, warehouse
space, etc); can be transferred very quickly and without transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-
stricken region; ensure culturally, dietary, and environmentally appropriate assistance.
General information on making donations and volunteering can be found at:
o USAID: www.usaid.gov/iraq -> "How Can I Help?"
o The Center for International Disaster Information: www.cidi.org or 703-276-1914
o InterAction: www.interaction.org -> “Guide to Appropriate Giving”
o Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community can be found at www.reliefweb.org.
1 In the previous Fact Sheets, dollar figures were reported in Australian rather than U.S. dollars.

U.S. GOVERNMENT HUMANITARIAN AND RECONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ
Agency
Implementing
Partner Sector Regions Amount
FY 2003
EMERGENCY RELIEF
USAID/OFDA ...........................................................................................................................................$40,574,976
AirServ Logistics Country-wide $2,151,585
The Cuny Center Research studies Country-wide $40,260
IMC Quick-impact projects Country-wide $4,000,000
IOM IDP programs Country-wide $5,000,000
IRC Quick-impact projects Country-wide $3,000,000
Logistics Commodity prepositioning and DART
support
$6,300,000
Mercy Corps Quick-impact projects Country-wide $3,000,000
NGOs Cooperative agreements Country-wide $4,000,000
SCF/US Quick-impact projects Country-wide $4,000,000
SCF/US NGO Consortium Country-wide $883,131
UNICEF Health, nutrition, water/sanitation Country-wide $2,000,000
UN OCHA Coordination and Information Country-wide $200,000
UN OCHA Coordination and Information Country-wide $1,000,000
WFP Logistics and preposition of food Country-wide $5,000,000
USAID/FFP ..............................................................................................................................................$430,000,000
WFP Prepositioning funding $55,000,000
WFP Emerson Trust – 161,000 MT $84,000,000
P.L. 480 Title II emergency food
commodities –105,000 MT $91,000,000
WFP Regional Purchase $200,000,000
USAID/OTI ..................................................................................................................................................$2,333,612
IOM ITI Country-wide $1,700,000
DAI ITI Country-wide $473,253
Internews Media Country-wide $160,359
STATE/PRM..............................................................................................................................................$36,630,000
UNHCR Emergency refugee assistance $21,000,000
ICRC Emergency assistance $10,000,000
IFRC Emergency assistance $3,000,000
IOM TCN – transportation assistance $2,630,000
RECONSTRUCTION
USAID/ANE ..............................................................................................................................................$23,800,000
UNICEF Health, Education $9,000,000
WHO Health $10,000,000
SSA Port Management $4,800,000
TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY 2003.......................................................................$496,708,588
TOTAL STATE ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY 2003 ........................................................................$36,630,000
TOTAL STATE/USAID ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY 2003.........................................................$533,338,588
*Factsheets can be obtained from the USAID web site at http://www.usaid.gov/iraq