Minister Kitt announces funding of €6.7 million for UN Humanitarian Appeal
The Minister of State for Development Cooperation and Human Rights, Mr. Tom Kitt T.D., announced a special package of humanitarian assistance at the global launch of the 2004 UN Consolidated Appeal held in Dublin today.
€6.7 million in assistance was announced in response to natural and man-made disasters in some of the world's poorest countries. The grant was pledged for immediate delivery.
The launch was attended on behalf of the United Nations by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Ruud Lubbers, the UN Goodwill Ambassador, Professor Seamus Heaney, and senior UN personnel.
€5.5 million of the grant will be provided directly to UN agencies, with at least €1 million being provided each to: the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; UN High Commission for Refugees; UNICEF; and the UN Relief and Works Agency. €500,000 will be provided to UNDP and €400,000 to both the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the International Organisation for Migration.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of State highlighted the lack of international assistance for so called “forgotten emergencies” such as Angola, Sierra Leone, the Sudan and the Congo. He noted that of the 21 countries worst affected by humanitarian disasters in the world, 17 were in Africa, and went on to say -
“…yet in 2001 for example, total aid flows to Africa amounted to a little over sixteen billion US dollars. This is a stark comparison to the thirty three billion US dollars recently pledged to Iraq. Surely, the energy and commitment rightly devoted to the humanitarian and recovery needs of Iraq should equally be bestowed on the countries of Africa. Surely their needs are equally pressing. Surely the most vulnerable in Africa deserve the same commitment, the same energy and the same support as those in other parts of the world.”
Note for Editors:
On 19 November the United Nations Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) will be simultaneously launched in five cities around the world; Washington, Geneva, Ottawa, Copenhagen and Dublin. The CAP is the chief UN mechanism for addressing humanitarian needs in crisis regions. The CAP documents provide an overview of the situation in 21 countries affected by humanitarian disasters and detail the specific responses required of UN agencies and other bodies as well as the funds needed from donor countries to make it happen.
Further details are available on the website of Development Cooperation Ireland: http://www.dci.gov.ie
