UAE- Stockpiling of relief material on the rise

Date

11/14/2015 8:34:27 PM

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Officials at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) predicted that there will be a spike in delivery of relief items to various crisis zones by next month.

In recent years unprecedented number of humanitarian situation across the world have led to a significant increase in UNHCR's Dubai stockpile.

Mario Pajarillaga the Associate Global Supply Officer at UNHCR's global stockpile in Dubai told Khaleej Times that this rise is however common in the month of December.

According to statistics from last year the overall volume of core relief items increased by 35 per cent in 2014 compared to 2013.

"This year however due to the refugee crisis in Syria and Europe as well as the upcoming harsh winter months the number of shipments is expected to increase further" said Pajarillaga.

Since the beginning of January 2015 the mission has sent out 141 40 feet and 10 20 feet containers out by sea. It has sent out 155 trucks and 19 air shipments.

"This year we've had shipments going out to crisis areas almost every month" he said.

The relief material has been going to Jordan Lebanon Ethiopia Syria Yemen Djibouti Ukraine Nepal Greece Sudan Serbia and Tanzania.

Expensive shipment

Pajarillaga stated that shipment of core relief items via road and air is very expensive. "For example a one-time sea shipment to Yemen will cost us anything from $319000 to 32000. A road shipment of say 10 trucks costs $550000 and air shipments can cost anything from $200000 to $800000" he said.

According to Pajarillaga the situation is unpredictable at the moment and the stockpile in Dubai is preparing itself for the coming winter months.

"From my experience the need for core relief items always spikes during the month of December" he said. Some of the core relief items include blankets plastic sheets jerry cans a bucket and stainless steel utensils among other things. "The tents are essential for refugee families. It is 16 square metre floor area and 24 square metre total area" said Pajarillaga.

It can house a family of five to six members and it is provided to every refugee family that arrives in the various UNHCR camps.

"This year 4543 units of these tents were sent out to Djibouti Afghanistan and Serbia."

The kitchen utensil set consists of five stainless steel plates spoons cups forks knives cutting knife a steel scrubber and a big pan and saucepan to cook food. The families are also provided with two jerry cans and a plastic bucket. "There are also five mats one big tarpaulin plastic sheet and two mosquito nets" he said.

A majority of these core relief items are manufactured in China India Pakistan Vietnam and Thailand.

"The mosquito net is made in Vietnam" added Pajarillaga. Solar lamp cum phone charger is an important essential given to the refugees.

Designed in Norway the lamp comes with several solar panels and can provide up to eight hours of power. -

Sajila Saseendran

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.