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Humanitarian priorities set

    ABIDJAN
    UN Humanitarian Coordinator Kinglsey Amaning told IRIN on Tuesday that an initial list of priorities had been drawn up by humanitarian agencies for discussion by the newly formed Implementation Committee (IC). The three areas identified include the safe transport of food aid to Bo and Kenema in eastern Sierra Leone, access for assessment missions by relief agencies to the north, north-east and north-west and a nationwide polio immunisation campaign coordinated by the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). RUF and government nominations for the IC are expected later on Tuesday, said Amaning who is in Lome for the peace talks between the Sierra Leonean government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). The IC was formed after both sides reached agreement on Thursday on guaranteeing “safe and unhindered access” for humanitarian agencies. The IC will assess the security of routes to be used by humanitarian agencies and review complaints that may follow the implementation of the agreement. Other representatives of the IC, to be chaired by Amaning in coordination with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, include civil society and the UN Observer Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL). Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Monday that it had delivered food aid to Bo, the first such delivery in five months.

    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

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