SUSTAINED ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN IS REQUIRED, UNITED NATIONS, DONORS

25 June 1999

Press Release
AFG/98
PI/1152

SUSTAINED ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN IS REQUIRED, UNITED NATIONS, DONORS

19990625 ISLAMABAD, 25 June (UN Information Centre) -- Opening her remarks at the weekly United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) briefing, United Nations Spokesman for Afghanistan Stephanie Bunker noted three of the main concerns expressed at the Afghanistan Support Group meeting held in Stockholm on 21 and 22 June. Above all, she said, participants had stressed that the lack of national reconciliation in Afghanistan negatively affected donors' willingness to commit resources. They also reiterated the need for a political solution to the conflict. Thirdly, expressing concern over forced repatriation of refugees from Iran, the Group had appealed to the governments of Iran and Pakistan to reaffirm their commitment to refugees' rights to asylum and protection.

On the issue of funding, donors agreed on the definite need for sustained humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. They stated their desire to keep Afghanistan in the public view, and to seek ways and means to ensure funding. There was a general recognition that many opportunities to address rehabilitation in this war-devastated country still exist at the community level. Building the capacity of individuals and communities inside Afghanistan will help the people take an active role in solving their own problems, said the participants to the meeting.

The Group was concerned about the relatively low level of response to the 1999 Consolidated Appeal for Afghanistan. So far, only 41 million dollars have been pledged out of 112 million identified as high priority funding. And of these 41 million, only 29 come in response to the Appeal -- about one quarter of what is needed. "The shortfall in priority funding comes to some 84 million dollars", said Ms. Bunker. As an example, she indicated that while donors have committed to fund refugee return movement in full, assistance for refugee reintegration has reached only 3 per cent of the target spelled out in the Appeal. She pointed out that reintegration funding provides essential assistance such as shelter, water, sanitation, health, education and agricultural assistance.

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At the next Afghanistan Support Group meeting in Ottawa in December, the group agreed to study, among other issues, the Human Rights Plan and the Gender Action Plan.

In a separate matter, she provided an update on an outbreak of acute diarrhea in Afghanistan, which has resulted in over 4,700 known cases in Ghazni, Kabul City, Kandahar, and Kunduz in the last three weeks. Fifty-one patients have died so far. The World Health Organization (WHO) is conducting analyses to determine whether the outbreak is cholera, but no confirmed results are available yet.

To ameliorate the health situation, Cholera Task Forces are being set up in every region to coordinate the investigation and control the outbreak. Both the campaign and the task forces are joint efforts between the Ministry of Public Health, United Nations agencies, including WHO and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and non-governmental organizations. In addition, an Oral Rehydration Therapy Campaign will begin next week to help people understand how to prevent and control diarrheal diseases.

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