Infrastructure/Rehabilitation Coordination Meeting

Sectoral Co-ordination Meeting on
Infrastructure/Rehabilitation

Friday, March 15th, 2002
 

Introductory remarks:

The Chair proposed the following agenda:

1.Report from the Donor’s Conference (Z. Dowell, OCHA. A. Talmon, IMG)

2.Conclusions of previous meetings (UNHCR)

3.QIPs - General Overview and Update (T. Obradovich, UNHCR)

4.Schools - General Overview and Update (UNICEF)

5.Ambulantas - General Overview and Update (B. Rebac, WHO)

6.Water and Sanitation - General Overview and Update (V. Kuculovski, UNDP)

7.IMG infrastructure database: progress of data entry

8.Shelter:
- Reconstruction Standards – Report from the CRIM (UNHCR)
- Progress of repair and reconstruction programmes (UNHCR)
- Progress of IMG reassessment (J. Engel, IMG)

9.Any other business

1.Report from the Donor’s Conference (Z. Dowell, OCHA. A. Talmon, IMG)

Ms Dowell noted that the 12 March Donor Conference on fYROM has been successful. € 307 million was pledged against € 256 million required for the 3 areas covered: 1) balance of payment support (€ 173 million pledged against € 185 million sought); 2) reconstruction in crisis affected regions (€ 85 million pledged against € 45 million sought); and 3) implementation of the Framework Agreement (€ 49 million pledged against € 25 million requested). Part of the € 307 million pledged are funds that were already used or committed in the second part of 2001.

Additional € 271 million were also indicated for general economic developmental assistance in 2002. This demonstrated obvious commitment of the international community to solidify the situation in the country and continue the support for the peace process that, as it was mentioned in the Conference, is not irreversible.

Mr Talmon provided details on the reconstruction pledges. € 85 million, i.e. € 40 million more were pledged over the € 45 required against the IMG damage assessment. The total funds pledged include ongoing reconstruction projects, while the € 40 million surplus may enable including mid-term projects (WES, schools, etc). Some of the largest pledges came form the EU, Spain (€ 14 million for WES), USA (€ 12 million, including ongoing projects), Netherlands (€ 7.6 million, of which 2.6 million new funds), Switzerland (€ 1.8 million for infrastructure rehabilitation and FAO seeds), Japan (€ 10 million for micro financial support and reconstruction), Germany (€ 11.2 million for reconstruction and € 15 million to be defined) Italy, Austria (water management and energy), Denmark (environment) and Luxemburg. Unfortunatelly, no agency was appointed to coordinate the use of the funds. The donors noted that agencies should contact them individually by presenting 3-5 pages project proposals.

The € 24 million surplus for the FA implementation can be re-allocated, but then, some donors may withdraw. The € 271 million for economic development may include WES and projects outside the conflict regions. Agencies that have such concrete projects can consider submitting them to donors.

2.Conclusions of previous meetings (UNHCR)

The Chair summarised the conclusions reached by the group so far:

UNICEF, WHO and UNDP will provide updates on school & ambulanta and WES projects progress at the meetings;

Sector data will be managed by IMG, through the PIMS database;

Donors will seek their implementing partners to provide updates to IMG on the PIMS form (UNHCR has already done so with its IPs);

UNHCR will maintain the AoR spreadsheet for use by the CRIM.

3.QIPs & Community Projects – General Overview and Update (UNHCR)

Yesterday the 2nd Selection Committee reviewed 10 proposals for Gostivar, Tetovo, Skopska Crna Gora and Lipkovo. These range from shelter and WES to support of poultry farms. Skopje area QIPs meeting is announced for 14:00 today in UNHCR.

Ms Obradovich briefed on the activities of the new Community Projects sector group. Donors with major community based programmes, i.e. USAID/CSHI, IOM/OTI/CBI, the World Bank and several other concerned agencies take part in the group. World Bank has two interrelated projects: US$ 1 million PCF grant and US$ 5 million Community Development Project. PCF rapid assessment will be completed this week in 5 model sites in the Kumanovo area, following to which grant criteria will be defined. A social assessment is planned in May 2002 for the Community Development Project. IOM/OTI/CBI (Confidence Building Initiative) aims at reducing negative effects of the conflict by supporting community based civic society, local government, media and similar priority projects. The 2-year project started in October 2001, since when 5 offices were established in Skopje, Kocani, Kicevo, Tetovo and Bitola. 40 projects were already approved. USAID/CSHI (Community Self-Help Initiative) since 2000 supports development, small infrastructure and quality of life projects by informal community groups in rural areas. Projects amount at US$ 25, 000 at the average, with e.g. WES going up to US$ 50,000.

Member agencies were asked to discuss with their implementing partners about providing updates for the IMG PIMS where applicable.

4.Schools - General Overview and Update (UNICEF)

The list of schools in crisis areas in need of rehabilitation includes 78 school buildings. Not all of them were damaged by the military action during the conflict. Out of the 78, 39 school buildings were completed, 7 are ongoing, interest was expressed for 7 and no interest was expressed yet for 19 buildings. The remaining 6 are either severely damaged or are in inaccessible areas.

UNICEF, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, maintains additional list of schools outside the conflict areas that are in need of rehabilitation. Discussions are ongoing if the 2 lists should be merged.

PIMS inputs on schools will follow after UNICEF informs concerned agencies in the education meeting on 21 March. Education meetings are bi-weekly. The last was on 7 March, day before the agreement to report to PIMS was reached.

5.Ambulantas - General Overview and Update (WHO)

Activities’ focus was recently on the Lipkovo municipality, where Solidarites and MCIC rehabilitated the ambulantas in Lojane, Vaksince and Otlja. In Slupcane, Matejce and Nikustak 2 American Red Cross mobile teams are providing primary health services, and, purchase of basic medical equipment is underway. Technical assessment by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and issuing of permission for work is expected in 2 weeks.

In Aracinovo, IRC mobile teams will stop service today. Preliminary discussions are underway with MoH on providing medical staff for Aracinovo. In Radusa, technical assessment is ongoing of the object adapted as temporary ambulanta. It is still not clear if medical staff will continue be provided by TFF or by the MoH. The situation in Tetovo area is good with no problems reported. One ambulanta, in Vejce, was rehabilitated by TFF.

Agencies are reminded to coordinate with WHO and/or MoH when planning to undertake works on ambulanta. The ambulantas are public facilities and MoH priorities and regulations have to be met to have facilities operational. Coordination will also prevent overlapping, gaps and situations such as in Lipkovo where several donors expressed interest but withdrew due to lack of coordination .

6.Water and Sanitation - General Overview and Update (UNDP)

UNDP is out on tender for the Kumanovo water supply system that will provide alternate water sources from a local well in Bedinje (EAR) and from other in Proevce (UNDP). Starting in April, UNDP plans WES projects in Tetovo area, including sewage system for Tetovo town and drilling of 2 new water wells in Jegunovce.

UNDP is satisfied with PIMS that works well for the WES projects. On TFF’s comment that the Mayor of Zilce had WES funding requirements, UNDP noted that all such needs and requests should be noted in the PIMS.

7.IMG infrastructure database - progress of data entry

Printouts of the PIMS as of 14 March 2002 were shared. Forms on over 40 projects were received since the last meeting. The majority came on the day before and are not entered in the printouts. Agencies should contact IMG for corrections. Entry forms were shared. PIMS reports can also be downloaded from www.img.org.com.

The PRISM database that records needs is not working, but can easily be initiated if agencies require so. PRISM entry forms were shared in the last meeting.

8.Shelter

- Reconstruction Standards – Report from the CRIM (UNHCR)

The Chair clarified yesterday with the CRIM the issue of Cat 3 and 4 reconstruction standards raised in the last meeting. Namely, national laws require that conflict damaged or vandalised objects are brought back to "prior condition", i.e. not only repaired, but provided with installations, furniture and household appliances too. The requirement is however not binding for the donors/agencies, as the legal responsibility for meeting the standard lays within the Government.

After a short discussion it was concluded that, while continuing to work up to their construction standards, agencies should facilitate take over by the Government or other agency that will provide for meeting of the legal standard, by keeping good records of the works that were or will be done. The best way to do so is to apply IMG Unique House Identifier on every house visited. It is also important the Government to explain to the public/beneficiaries which are different actors’ responsibilities in the rehabilitation/reconstruction process.

- Progress of repair and reconstruction programmes (UNHCR)

The latest AoR spreadsheet was presented. Agencies’ provided updates. The Chair observed that the slight increase in Cat 1 and 2 figures comes from inclusion of houses targeted for repair by UNHCR. Also, the second phase data were removed for the time being as they will start in May.

- Progress of IMG reassessment (IMG)

Houses that were initially estimated were now physically assessed. The Lipkovo Cat 3 and 4 figures have as result changed substantively, with more houses found than estimated. A summary of the reassessment so far with sample detailed list and map of one village were presented to illustrate what kind of information is available and how houses are mapped and numbered. Full report on the reassessment will be provided for the next meeting.

9. Any Other Business

Minutes of the 8 March meeting are now available and can be shared if agencies require so.

The next Infrastructure / Rehabilitation meeting will take place on Friday, 22 March 2002, at 09:15 hours at the UNHCR Office.



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