At mid-year, UN still needs $3.1 billion for humanitarian action

Six months after the United Nations launched its 2006 Humanitarian Appeal aimed at raising funds for relief efforts globally, the world body and its partners still require $3.1 billion to address the urgent needs of 30 million people struck by crisis in 31 countries.

Some 36 per cent of funding requirements for the year, has been used to great effect, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), noting that tens of millions of people have been fed, millions have been vaccinated, and hundreds of thousands have been provided shelter.

While heralding progress achieved so far, Yvette Stevens, Assistant Emergency Relief Coordinator, said more resources are needed. “The percentage of funds provided is still inadequate and there continues to be a delayed donor response,” she noted.

Of the 20 appeals, nine have received less than 32 per cent of requirements to date. Against the Horn of Africa regional appeal, which requires some $119 million, only $17.5 million has been committed. Less than one quarter of the $1.6 billion required for humanitarian assistance under the Sudan work plan has been received. The Burundi Appeal, which asks for $123 million, has also received just 25 per cent of requirements, while the Action Plan for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has less than $184 million of the $705 million required – just 26 per cent.

Other underfunded appeals include those for the Republic of Congo, Liberia, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and the occupied Palestinian territory.

“We must do better in terms of providing adequate levels of predictable humanitarian funding for our Appeals,” stressed Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “Doing as well as last year is not enough; we must strive to make progress over and above previous years.”