On Sunday, June 23, 2019, the Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC) and NGO Coordination Committee for Iraq (NCCI) held the quarterly coordination meeting with the national and international NGOs in the Kurdistan Region. The meeting chaired by the JCC Director General Mr. Hoshang Mohamed and co-chaired by the Executive Director of the NCCI Mr. Aoron Moore to discuss the humanitarian crisis, priority needs, return of the IDPs as well as challenges and gaps in the Region.
Mr. Hoshang gave detailed update on the humanitarian situation in the Kurdistan Region as well as the needs and gaps facing both the IDPs and refugees and return of the IDPs to the liberated areas, stating that the return has stopped and people feel very reluctant to decide to go back to their areas of origin mainly due to the increased security threats and activities by ISIS, lack of services and livelihood opportunities, lack of trust in the local administration, social and tribal problems as well as blocked areas.
In addition, Mr. Hoshang talked about the priorities that the JCC has been working on, including, strengthening the crisis response and management institutional capacities such as establishing volunteering system, threat matrix, GIS and establishment of rapid response units.
Mr. Hoshang expressed the JCC’s readiness for any support that the NGOs may require in their daily work to support IDPs and refugees inside and outside of the Kurdistan Region. He highlights several priorities and requested NGOs to consider including:
- Making greater efforts to mobilize required funds for the refugees and IDPs in Kurdistan. We as the government is still suffering from the lack of required funds.
- Making greater efforts to continue supporting the education of the refugees in Kurdistan as it is under direct threat due to the lack of funding.
- Continue supporting camp administrations technically and financially.
- Upgrading the camps and improving the camp infrastructures.
- Increasing their presence in the camps to provide services.
- Paying more attention to the livelihood projects and especially job creation and job opportunities.
Mr. Aoron, the Executive Director of the NCCI thanked the JCC and Ministry of Interior for the continued cooperation and facilitation for the NGOs in the Kurdistan Region and thanked JCC for its leading role and continued efforts in responding to the humanitarian crisis and supporting the international NGOs.
Then, the representatives of the NGOs updated the meeting about their latest activities and programs and the floor was opened for questions and comments.
Finally, Mr. Hoshang on behalf of the Ministry of Interior and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) thanked all the NGOs for their presence and continued efforts to support the IDPs, asserting on the importance of providing support to the returnees.
The meeting concluded with several recommendations such as holding a technical training for NGOs and JCC staff on the access letters and be organized jointly by NCC-I and JCC.
