UN-HABITAT Calls For Funds For Emergency Shelter Needs and Urban Reconstruction in Iraq New York, 28 March 2003 - As part of the United Nations flash appeal for Iraq, launched today, UN-HABITAT estimates that the shelter needs of internally displaced people, (IDPs) in post-conflict Iraq will require US $25 million for the first 3 to 6 months to implement emergency projects. As the lead agency in the UN system for providing shelter and for urban reconstruction and rehabilitation, UN-HABITAT will draw upon its experience during the past seven years of working in northern Iraq, to assume emergency assistance to post-war reconstruction of Iraq. Pursuant to instructions to be issued by the Security Council, UN-HABITAT will work in concert with other UN agencies and programmes, to provide immediate assistance to the Iraqi population while laying the foundation for long-term sustainable reconstruction and development. UN-HABITAT has established an inter-agency shelter-working group at the UN Humanitarian Coordination Centre in Larnaca, Cyprus, which meets frequently on post war reconstruction activities regarding shelter related issues. "UN-HABITAT is deeply concerned about the destruction and damage to housing and urban infrastructure in the cities and towns of Iraq," said Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT earlier today. "As the UN agency charged with the responsibility for housing and urban reconstruction, there is a desperate need to provide shelter for the internally displaced populations. At the same time, local authorities will need to be rehabilitated for long term development." she said. UN-HABITAT has been at the forefront of post-conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction in many post war situations across the globe. It has considerable experience in re-establishing institutions of local government in Northern Somalia, Kosovo and Afghanistan. In northern Somalia, UN-HABITAT helped with the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Hargeisa. This included the training and capacity building of staff in the Mayor's office. In Kosovo, UN-HABITAT helped UNMIK establish the Housing and Property Directorate to process property claims. At the same time, in order to facilitate the legal resolution of property disputes, UN-HABITAT continues to be involved in re-establishing local authorities. This includes training staff to survey and computerize all land records and title deeds that were destroyed during the civil conflict. In Afghanistan, UN-HABITAT has involved local communities in post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation. Even under the difficult years of Taliban rule, women were involved in UN-HABITAT's community development programme. In 1997, the Secretary General called upon UN-HABITAT to implement the settlement rehabilitation component of the "Oil-for-Food" programme. The primary objectives of the Settlements Rehabilitation Programme are: to improve the humanitarian situation of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and most Vulnerable Groups (VGs) in northern Iraq within the context of a sustainable human settlement framework; to help lay the foundation for a stable society in northern Iraq by rehabilitating, upgrading, and expanding in a planned fashion the towns, villages, and rural settlements and the linkages between these. UN-HABITAT has presently 600 fully trained and experienced local staff in Iraq, which is normally complimented by a team of 30 international staff. The office also has extensive socio-economic databases on shelter conditions in the North, the Centre and the South of the country. As of 31 December 2002, the Settlements Rehabilitation Programme has served 191,000 beneficiaries directly, and has delivered: 19,051 houses, 685 Schools, 127 health centres; 99 agriculture and veterinary centres, 48 other social and civic buildings, 2800 km of roads and bridges, and 853 km of sewage and water systems. The Programme has further created 150,000 much-needed jobs in the private sector by engaging and capacitating local contractors. In 2000, UN-HABITAT was entrusted with the Observation of the Housing Sector in the Centre and South of Iraq and has submitted regular reports and analysis on the housing sector in the centre and south of Iraq under the SCR 986 Programme. UN-HABITAT will be well placed to use the information it has gathered on housing infrastructure in the centre/south of Iraq in a post conflict situation. This puts the agency at a distinct advantage in leading activities in the shelter sector. If authorised, after the present conflict, UN-HABITAT will assume a threefold, immediate emergency assistance approach: Identification of public buildings where IDPs can be accommodated in the centre/south and the construction of basic services and infrastructure to ensure that adequate temporary shelter is provided for approximately 750,000 IDP families. This work will support and complement the assistance to be provided by other UN agencies in providing supplies and camp management services as well as providing assistance in site selection, designing camp layouts, design and construction of emergency housing and basic infrastructure. This would include organising the building of access and internal roads, emergency solid waste management and other common facilities such as temporary buildings for clinics and sanitation. Rehabilitation of key elements of the socio-economic infrastructure (houses, water supply, sewerage solid waste, and access roads) in those urban areas most severely affected by the conflict. Establishing the foundations for long-term rehabilitation of the shelter sector. This will entail emergency assessment and planning, assistance in re-building and/or strengthening the institutions responsible for the provision of basic services and infrastructure at the municipal level, and, the provision of assistance in resolving land and property disputes and in establishing a legal framework for secure land tenure and a system of property rights. UN-HABITAT looks forward to working closely with its partners IOM and UNOPS in improving the shelter conditions of internally displaced persons in Iraq as soon as it becomes possible for the UN to resume humanitarian activities in the country. Related: UN-HABITAT Settlement Programme For Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Iraq For further information, please contact: Mr. Sharad Shankardass, Spokesperson & Head, Media Press Relations Unit, Tel: 623136 or Ms. Zahra A. Hassan, Media Liaison, Tel: (254 2) 623153/623151, Fax: 624060, E-mail: habitat.press@unhabitat.org, Website: www.unhabitat.org.