UNITED NATIONS SEEKS $43.6 MILLION FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Press Release
IHA/599
UNITED NATIONS SEEKS $43.6 MILLION FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
19960606 NEW YORK, 6 June (Department of Humanitarian Affairs)-- The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Yasushi Akashi, today announced the launching of the United Nations consolidated inter-agency appeal for flood-related emergency humanitarian assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The appeal covers the period from 1 July 1996 to 31 March 1997, and requests a total of $43,632,935 to address the most urgent needs stemming from the severe and unprecedented floods that caused widespread devastation in that country in 1995.The Government estimates that 359,936 hectares of arable lands were seriously damaged or irreversibly eroded and lost under sand or gravel as a result of the torrential rains. Severe run-off erosion wreaked massive destruction, sweeping away entire villages, knocking out large bridges and dams and, in several cases, permanently changing the course of major rivers. Damage occurred to reservoirs, irrigation canals, pumping stations and irrigation equipment, roads, telephone and electricity lines, schools, health clinics and rural hospitals. Rice and maize crops were severely damaged, particularly in North and South Pyongan and North and South Hwanghae provinces, causing a dramatic drop in the production of cereals for the year. Approximately 1.5 million tons of grains were destroyed, including stocks in warehouses and households, and heavy losses in livestock and poultry were sustained.
The inter-agency consolidated appeal has been formulated on the basis of assessments, data and substantive contributions of the United Nations agencies involved in the provision of flood-related emergency humanitarian assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea -- the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) -- and in consultation with the Government of that country. It focuses on three priority sectors: food aid; the recovery of arable lands; and health.
Accordingly, the major portion of the funds requested, $26,804,365, will go for the procurement of food. Another $10,322,260 are being sought for the recovery of arable lands, in order to resume normal agricultural production and ease the shortages of food. The amount of $5,940,310 is being
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requested for the restoration of basic health services, which had been severely disrupted by the floods. Additionally, $566,000 are requested to ensure adequate monitoring and reporting procedures.
The principal target beneficiaries of the short-term, small-scale activities of the appeal are people and local communities in the most-affected provinces of Chagang, North and South Hwanghae, North and South Pyongan and Kangwon.
The activities in different sectors are coordinated, integrated and focused on the provinces most affected by the floods, ensuring a multi-sectoral approach, and establishing the linkage to longer-term sectoral rehabilitation activities and continuity with the United Nations agencies regular country programmes.
Mr. Akashi has called upon the international community to contribute generously and urgently towards this Appeal.
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