Summary
Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and United States Presidential Envoy Brett McGurk hosted a Coalition Political Directors Coalition meeting focusing on Africa in Skhirat, Morocco on June 26, 2018. Twenty-two African countries and organisations attended in addition to representatives of The Global Coalition. The morning session focused on the threat posed by Daesh in Africa and responses to the threat. This was followed by information briefings on Daesh in the Maghreb, Sahel, Lake Chad Region and Horn of Africa. Updates on the military effort against Daesh and humanitarian and stabilisation assistance in Iraq and Syria were the focus of the afternoon meeting. Working Group Co-leads briefed the group on their new work plans and the Coalition welcomed Guinea and the Community of Sahel-Saharan States as its newest members, bringing the Coalitions membership to 77 countries.
Key Facts And Figures From The Meeting
- The Coalition has contributed $90 million since April to ensure stabilisation projects can continue across the one-third of Syria that has been liberated from Daesh
- Daesh extorts up to $400 million a year through ransoms and extortion
- 3.8 million people in Iraq and Syria have returned home
- The Coalitions goal is to secure an additional $300 million by the NATO Summit.
Work being done in Iraq:
- 31 locations have been cleared for projects.
- $806 million has been committed.
- 3.8 million people have returned home.
- Total of 2391 projects:
- 1040 projects are completed.
- 1034 projects are still in the planning stages.
- 317 projects are currently in the implementation stage.
Most projects still require funding.
In Raqqa:
Over 130,000 Raqqawis have returned home since the liberation of Raqqa from Daesh. Stabilization efforts will remain focused on the restoration of essential services and livelihoods to enable returning Syrians to get back on their feet and support the rebuilding of their communities. There is critical work remaining to prevent the return of Daesh and ensure Raqqa and other liberated areas do not serve as planning grounds from which attacks on Coalition member homelands originate.
- Explosive Remnants of War:
- Removed 20,500 landmines, unexploded ordinance and IEDs, cleared over 16 million square meters.
- In Raqqa and Tabqa City alone, Coalition efforts have enabled the clearance of over 317 critical infrastructures sites including hospitals, schools, electrical facilities, and irrigation canals.
- In addition to explosive remnants of war removal, Coalition efforts have provided mine risk education to more than 60,000 Syrian returnees to Raqqa city, many of them children.
- Explosive remnants of war contamination levels are historic and are the most serious impediment to our stabilization efforts; ongoing efforts to clear explosive hazards are in urgent need of additional Coalition funding.
- Stabilization:
- U.S. and Coalition-supported Early Recovery Teams have met locally identified needs in more than 45 villages across Raqqa and Deir Ezzor. These activities include water trucking, rubble removal and support for local bakeries.
- In partnership with the Raqqa Civil Council’s Reconstruction Committee, supported the establishment of an Interim Water Authority for Raqqa and rehabilitated three water pumping stations, now delivering clean water to nearly 100,000 people.
- In partnership with the Raqqa Civil Council’s Education Committee, refurbished 19 schools and provided 1800 heaters (one per classroom) for 350 schools in Raqqa/Tabqa districts. Aim to have 50 schools operable within Raqqa City’s environs by September.
- With civil society partners, support four child centers’ focus on psycho-social support (PSS) and remedial literacy training for 650 children, and fund mobile units to provide PSS at 162 schools reaching approximately 50,000 children.