Over $2 billion sought to help millions worldwide

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Tuesday launched consolidated interagency appeals for US $2.26 billion designed to alleviate the suffering of more than 35 million people around the world. “That is less than the world spends on military purposes in a single day,” Annan said in New York. “The people on whose behalf I speak do not want hand-outs: they want a helping hand in their efforts to help themselves.” Annan emphasised the importance of well-funded and coordinated humanitarian action, citing the example of East Timor where a rapid and generous response by donors helped to avert a crisis last year. But he noted that this year the UN had received only 55 percent of the funds it sought. Flagging support for UN appeals risked marginalising the organisation’s efforts while increasing the enormous burden borne by countries affected by humanitarian emergencies. “In Tanzania, towns and villages are doing their best to assist some 484,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in the Great Lakes region,” Annan said. “I could give many other examples. Surely these communities and people deserve our help.” The President of the General Assembly, Hari Holkeri of Finland, called on member states to take heed of the appeals to meet the needs of the victims of conflict and natural disasters and to contribute generously. “This is an opportunity to show our commitment to help those who need help and who have scarce resources for their sustenance,” he said. He added that special attention should be given to those countries which had “received poor response in recent years”. Wars of greed and grievance had intensified in many places around the world, Annan said, and many of the new conflicts were in fact old conflicts flaring up again where warmongers targeted civilians as a “strategic objective”. “During this last year, people forced to flee conflict areas in the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan and Burundi had the additional burden of facing unprecedented drought,” he added. The theme of the launch was “women and war” and Annan noted that projects in the consolidated appeals focused on women’s practical needs - including protection, food and health services - and also their strategic needs such as their role in decision-making. Executive Director of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Noeleen Heyzer said that women and children comprised some 80 percent of displaced civilians and that protection and assistance must be targeted to their specific needs. “Another day must not pass where items as basic as sanitary napkins and as critical as reproductive health services are not provided as essential humanitarian relief items,” she said. “Where special protection is not given to refugee and displaced women, where mine action does not reach women in affected communities. And where psycho-social support is not provided to women who have witnessed and experience terrible atrocities.” In his statement, Annan said that violence against the UN and other relief workers had risen dramatically and that they needed safety and security to carry out their assignments. He said that the cost of security had been included in the appeals. “These requirements are only a minute fraction of overall budgets, but they do provide the best assurance now available for safer operations and access to vulnerable populations,” Annan said. The appeals cover the following countries and regions: Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Great Lakes Region, Maluku (Indonesia), Northern Caucasus (Russian Federation), Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Southeastern Europe, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda and West Africa. They are available at: http://www.reliefweb.int/appeals/2001.html