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In response to an outflow of refugees from Liberia into neighbouring countries, the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) asked donors on Friday for US $10.4 million to fund its emergency relief operations in the region.
The bid for funds "comes amid increasing concern over the condition of tens of thousands of displaced Liberians and Sierra Leonean refugees caught up in the conflict", UNHCR spokesman Rod Redmond said in Geneva. "It also follows the arrival of more than 76,000 fresh Liberian refugees in neighbouring countries since the beginning of this year - an exodus continuing."
According to Redmond, the agency hopes to use the funding to help up to 100,000 Liberian refugees in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire.
The emergency appeal covers a variety of sectors, including the rehabilitation and construction of camps, domestic needs, transport and logistics, water, sanitation, health and nutrition, and protection monitoring.
"A quick response to this new US $10.4 million appeal is absolutely crucial if we're to help the new Liberian refugees," Redmond said. "The needs are enormous in a region already struggling to cope."
The agency has called for particular attention to the plight of thousands of refugees who fled the camp of Sinje in northwestern Liberia on 20 June following an attack by Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions