Logistics of Humanitarian Aid in Iraq and Afghanistan - Essay Example

2003, including $1.6 billion worth of oil industry spare parts and equipment.” (Office of the Iraq Programme Oil-for-Food, 2003) “Afghanistan is in the midst of a profound humanitarian crisis resulting primarily from long‐standing armed conflict, a devastating drought, and massive population migration. The economy, government, and health care system are in shambles. Currently, as many as 5 million Afghans are in camps either as refugees in neighbouring countries or as internally displaced persons within Afghanistan.

“(Challenges and Opportunities for Humanitarian Relief in Afghanistan, 2002) Even though both countries have American supported governments now, the reconstructions work and humanitarian aid were marred by so many problems. The relief works were not coordinated well in these countries. The lack of organizing and centralized control over relief work made the things further complicated Looting and burglary is a common issue in both the countries. The humanitarian workers don’t have enough protection to execute their mission.

The supply chain of the humanitarian aid Because of lack of funding most of the aid works are slowing down in these countries. Though humanitarian aids coming from both public and private organizations, because of the heavy damages caused by the fights, nothing seems to be enough for the affected people. Moreover the availability of relief workers to work in these countries is also less. Nobody wants to risk their lives in these countries. Most of the relief agencies offering special pay scale for the relief workers in order to make them work on these countries.

“Currently, the United Nations (U.N.) and international aid organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), including nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), are coordinating and providing humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people. (Coipuram, 2003) The logistic issues surrounding such large-scale humanitarian aid efforts in countries