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Coordination record no. 2 |
NATIONAL HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION
(NHC) RECORD
2nd Coordination meeting, 19th of July 2001, Skopje
Present
- Governmental institutions: Boge Cadinoski, Blagica
Stojanova, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy; Flora Latifi, President's
Cabinet; Petar Dimovski, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Saso Kuzmanovski,
Ministry of Defense;
- UN agencies: Amin Avad, UNHCR; Elke Wisch, Stiv Gros,
UNICEF; Vladimir Kuculovski, UNDP;
- Red Cross and Red Crescent: Philippe Gaillard, Louise
Abbott, ICRC; Ljupka Petrovska, Macedonian Red Cross;
- Foreign governmental and intergovernmental institutions:
Vulnet Dulatahi, US Embassy; Swe MacIntyre, USAID/OFDA; Aldo Biondi,
ECHO;
- International nongovernmental organizations: Lrg
Malany, International NGO Council; Tome Kigravzoski, SNI;
- Domestic nongovernmental organizations: Abdurauf
Prusi, El Hilal; Saso Klekovski, Emina Nuredinoska, MCIC;
- Absent
- Governmental institutions: Coordination Body
for Crisis Management;
- UN agencies: WFD; WHO; FAO;
- Foreign governmental and intergovernmental institutions:
SDR; PRM Office.
Boge Cadinovski, Head of the department for refugees,
displaced persons and humanitarian aid at the Ministry of Labour and Social
Policy initiated the meeting and was the presiding.
Record person: Emina Nuredinoska
AGENDA
- Information part - Organizations' reports
- Problems and issues to be considered and solved
Boge Cadinovski, Head of the department for refugees,
displaced persons and humanitarian aid at the Ministry of Labour and Social
Policy opened the 2nd Coordination meeting of the National Humanitarian
Coordination and explained its objectives.
Ad.1.
The organizations' representatives submitted short written
or oral reports for their activities.
Amin Avad, Chief of UNHCR mission in Macedonia informed that UNHCR maintains
regular interagency and sectoral meetings (present sectors are: food,
water supply and sanitation, shelters, health care, and logistics).
Saso Klekovski, MCIC, informed that NGO Coordination
of 12 NGO's has been established: El hilal, Natyra, Klasje na dobrinata,
Mesecina, OOZM, SOZM, SAZM, ROZM "Daja", DROM, Milosrdie, Megasi,
MCIC. These organizations have certain target group or target area. The
logistic support for the local NGO Coordination will be provided by MCIC.
The meetings will be held once a week (every Wednesday). The local NGO
Coordination at the NHC meetings will be represented by MCIC and El hilal,
and a third representative relevant to the meeting's issue, if needed.
The presidency of the local NGO Coordination is rotational. More information
is available in the reports.
Saso Klekovski, MCIC and Abdurauf Prusi, El hilal informed
about the activities for the internal displaced persons (IDP) undertaken
by local NGOs.
Swe MacIntyre, USAID/OFDA from Washington, is ready
to send a team for estimating the needs of the civilians. The government
should appoint contact persons considering the distribution of aid offered
by USAID/OFDA and to establish cooperation of any kind. USAID is ready
to provide aid for the collective centres and agriculture.
Philippe Gaillard, International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC), informed about the submitted written report of activities.
All ICRC activities are realised through the Macedonian Red Cross (IDP
registration and distribution of food, medical and non-food supplies).
Ljupka Petrovska, Macedonian Red Cross (MRC) emphasized
that MRC made internal action plan (adequate material and human resources)
in case of further escalation of the crisis.
Vladimir Kuculovski, UNDP, informed that UNDP will undertake
activities in shelter and water supply sector, and in cooperation with
other international organizations will prepare joint strategy.
Aldo Biondi, ECHO, explained that at the present they
have 11 projects related to the crisis totalling at 7 million Euros. Distribution
of food and non-food supplies will be conducted in cooperation with ICRC.
ECHO representatives in Macedonia received "green light" from
Brussels for 2.5 million Euros for reconstruction of destroyed facilities.
Reports for other sectors will be submitted additionally.
Ad. 2.
Amin Avid, UNHCR, emphasized two issues. First, it is
necessary to return IDPs' confidence to the Government and other institutions.
Considering the fact that at the present, 110,000 persons are displaced,
it is necessary to make maximum efforts for their safe return to their
homes. In case of new displacements of persons, there must be preparedness
for their on time acceptance. For this to be done, it is necessary to
have a good cooperation with the Macedonian Government and a strategy
and plan for such situation. Second, for improvement of the situation,
the presence of respective governmental representatives at the sectoral
meetings is essential. It is also necessary to establish new sector for
the return of the displaced persons in their homes.
Aldo Biondi, ECHO supported the idea of more open cooperation
with the Government and the presence of governmental, as well as domestic
NGO representatives at the sectoral meetings.
Saso Klekovski, MCIC, said that domestic NGOs have expressed
their will to participate at the sectoral meetings, but it would be much
better if there is translation into Macedonian language as well.
Philippe Gaillard, ICRC, explained that there are several
regional coordinations (Kumanovo, Tetovo) that should be taken in sight
when considering these issues.
Petar Dimovski, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized
the need of better information among the involved organizations and informed
about the request for submitting weekly plans to the Crisis Management
Centre.
Abdurauf Prusi, El hilal, opened the problem with paying
Value Added Tax (VAT), as well as Tax on financial transactions (only
to domestic entities).
Saso Klekovski, MCIC, said that it is necessary to make
clear mechanism for accessing conflict areas (procedure, authorization)
for the humanitarian organizations, as well as local inhabitants.
Several other participants emphasized the problem of
mobilization of employees from the humanitarian organizations, which causes
problems in conducting their regular activities.
After the discussion, the following issues and problems were concluded:
- Return of the IDPs' confidence to the government
It is necessary to return IDPs' confidence to
the government and other relevant institutions, among other, through
making efforts for their return in their homes, as well.
- Strategy and plan in case
of new displacement of persons
It is recommended that the Government and other institutions should
prepare strategy and plan for possible new displaced persons.
- Improvement of the coordination
Connecting the different coordination mechanisms among foreign organizations,
governmental institutions and domestic NGOs is essential for improvement
of the coordination.
This can be achieved besides through the National Humanitarian Coordination,
through participation of representatives from respective ministries
and domestic NGOs on the sectoral meetings at UNHCR as well, i.e. establishing
relations between the relevant ministries and organizations as follows:
- sectoral meeting for food, with the Ministry
of Labour and Social Policy;
- sectoral meeting for water supply and sanitation,
with the Ministry of Transportation;
- sectoral meeting for shelters, with the Ministry
of Transportation;
- sectoral meeting for health care, with the Ministry
of Health;
- sectoral meeting for logistics, with the Customs
Department and Ministry of Internal Affairs;
- sectoral meeting for hosting families, with the
Ministry of Labour and Social Policy;
- sectoral meeting for agriculture, with the Ministry
of Agriculture.
In order to improve the participation of domestic representatives
at the sectoral meetings, translation from English to Macedonian
should be provided.
- Improvement of the information
It is recommended to submit weekly plans of the organizations to the
Crisis Management Centre.
- Conflict areas access procedure
It is necessary to make clear mechanism for access in conflict areas
(procedure, authorization) for the humanitarian organizations, as well
as for local inhabitants.
- Exempt from mobilization
It is necessary to accept that the employees in the humanitarian organizations
are conducting tasks that are important for the situation in the country.
Their mobilization is harmful for the humanitarian organization.
The Ministry of Defence established mechanism for exemption of mobilization
of the employees in the humanitarian organizations conducting tasks
important for the humanitarian operations.
- Tax incentives for domestic
NGOs for purchases in the country
It is recommended to consider the possibilities of exemption of VAT
and Financial Transactions Tax of domestic NGOs for purchases in the
country.
- The meeting began in 13 o'clock and finished
in 14:20.
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