UN appeals for US $200 million

The United Nations has appealed for nearly US $202 million to continue its humanitarian work in Angola over the coming year. The UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Angola 2001 report said the humanitarian situation in Angola remains serious and is likely to deteriorate if assistance is reduced either too quickly or significantly. During 2000 at least four million people, that’s one in four of the population, received UN aid of some kind. The appeal document highlights some positive developments in Angola over the past year. These include the saving of hundreds of thousands of lives, a drop in malnutrition rates and fewer people being displaced by the ongoing conflict. Some transit centres were closed and tens of thousands of displaced people were resettled on agricultural land. The report also noted that the Angolan government is spending more than ever before on humanitarian programmes. One of the most important factors affecting the humanitarian operation in 2000 was a change in military tactics, with a shift early in the year by UNITA to guerrilla warfare, the inter-agency report said. In 1999, shelling occurred frequently in major provincial capitals, this became less frequent during 2000. But in a disturbing new trend, several previously secure locations, where recovery activities were either underway or scheduled, were attacked. Access to populations in need also increased markedly during 2000. As in previous years, the main constraints affecting access were insecurity and logistics. On the logistical side, at least six major road corridors were opened, facilitating the transport of assistance by more cost-effective surface routes. The return of government administration in some areas also facilitated access to malnourished and or displaced populations. The report said that during 2001, displacement is expected to continue in areas with active warfare although overall numbers are projected to drop by one-third. State administration is also expected to further expand in some provinces, giving humanitarian agencies increased access to vulnerable populations and paving the way for pilot resettlement in secure areas. But humanitarian partners anticipate that insecurity will persist, limiting large-scale resettlement and return. The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance is projected at the same levels as 2000, although the number requiring emergency assistance is expected to drop to approximately one million. The 2001 appeal, prepared in consultation with the Angolan government, is for programme funds to aid self-sufficiency wherever possible. Only a minority of the programmes are emergency-orientated, reflecting the overall improvement in the situation. The humanitarian operation in Angola next year is expected to be flexible, to target the most vulnerable and to build local authority and NGO capacity. View the appeal document at: http://wwww.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/9ca65951ee22658ec125663300408599/b0703fbdf53da364c1256997003c525c?OpenDocument