UN emergency fund provides over $2 million for projects in strife-torn Guinea
The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has released $2.35 million for urgent humanitarian activities in Guinea, where the political and security situation has seriously deteriorated following a month of national strikes and deadly clashes.
The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has released $2.35 million for urgent humanitarian activities in Guinea, where the political and security situation has seriously deteriorated following a month of national strikes and deadly clashes.
The funds will be used to buy medicines and other medical supplies for the injured and to support essential telecommunications and a common humanitarian air service to the country’s remote areas, UN spokesperson Michele Montas said today.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will carry out the medical-related projects and the World Food Programme (WFP) will work on improving telecommunications and the air service, according to a statement issued by CERF this week. The two UN agencies will be assisted by non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Aid agencies have been on alert amid fears that the continuing unrest in Guinea could provoke a humanitarian crisis. The impoverished West African country is already home to thousands of refugees, mostly from neighbouring Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire.
At least 110 people have been killed since 10 January, when a general strike began, and the majority of those deaths have occurred in the past week amid popular protests over President Lansana Conte’s choice of Eugene Camara as Prime Minister.
On Tuesday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the Government and the country’s labour leaders to step back from their confrontation and resume their dialogue so that stability can be restored.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban urged the Government and the security forces “to exercise maximum restraint and to scrupulously uphold the rule of law and respect for human rights” while urging the labour leaders “to refrain from inciting violence and the destruction of property.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour condemned the reported killing of civilians and called on the Government – which has imposed a state of emergency – to adhere strictly to its human rights obligations.