Agencies plan for possible influx

Guinea's National Humanitarian Action Service (SENAH - Service National d'Action Humanitaire - SENAH) has estimated at 200 the number of Guineans returning daily from Cote d'Ivoire in October and November, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported. By 5 November, some 8,600 Guinean returnees had been registered, OCHA said in its situation report for 15 October - 15 November. The border between Cote d'Ivoire and Guinea was officially closed, except for the evacuees. OCHA said that the UNHCR branch office in the southern town of N'Zerekore had identified six possible camp sites for the temporary location of refugees in case of an influx from Cote d'Ivoire. "UNHCR estimated that up to 20,000 refugees may arrive," OCHA said. MSF Belgium, MSF Switzerland and Action Contre la Faim, were developing a contingency plan covering water, sanitation and health emergency supplies for at least 13,000 people. OCHA reported that inter-agency preparations for the relocation of more refugees from the Kouankan camp, near N'Zerekore, to Albadaria in the center of the country, were ongoing. In Tekoulo transit camp near Gueckedou, southern Guinea, MSF Belgium reported 1,300 persons stranded under critical conditions due to poor road conditions. A permanent OCHA field presence, the report added, had been established in N'Zerekore region. "A field visit to N'Zerekore ... indicated that some of the most vulnerable IDPs (women, girls and young children) had not yet returned to areas of origin in fear of lack of security and basic living conditions. This situation may have long-term impact on the quality of life for those IDP families," OCHA said. The OCHA report also said tension between Liberia and Guinea remained high. In a recent statement, Liberia accused Guinea of supplying weapons to anti-government dissidents. [Reports on OCHA Guinea's activities are available at www.reliefweb.int. ]