NETHERLANDS GIVES UN POPULATION FUND ADDITIONAL $4.7 MILLION FOR 1999
Press Release
POP/745
NETHERLANDS GIVES UN POPULATION FUND ADDITIONAL $4.7 MILLION FOR 1999
19991111NEW YORK, 11 November, (UNFPA) -- Responding to a special appeal from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Government of the Netherlands has pledged an additional 10 million Dutch guilders (approximately $4.7 million) to UNFPA for 1999.
The Netherlands is UNFPAs second largest contributor, after Japan. It has already provided 78.5 million guilders ($38.2 million) in general resources this year -- 15 per cent of the Funds core funding -- and 4.2 million guilders ($2 million) in funds earmarked for particular projects. In addition, the Government, this year, hosted The Hague Forum, a UNFPA-organized review of progress since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development.
According to Eveline Herfkens, the Netherlands Minister for Development Cooperation, the additional support reflects her Governments favourable evaluation of UNFPAs activities. In a letter to the Funds Executive Director, Dr. Nafis Sadik, Ms. Herfkens said, I am willing to reward organizations who receive a positive assessment. She added that she hoped the contribution will enable UNFPA to respond adequately to increasing demands for assistance.
Last month, UNFPA reported it faces a $72 million shortfall for 1999 due to a four-year decline in donor contributions. As a result, country programmes are making serious cutbacks which could lead to hundreds of thousands of additional unwanted pregnancies, induced abortions and unwanted births, resulting in thousands of maternal deaths and tens of thousands of infant and child deaths (see Press Release POP/742 issued 26 October).
In her reply to Ms. Herfkens letter, Dr. Sadik noted that UNFPAs accomplishments would not have been possible without your Governments strong collaboration and continued support and partnership. In recent weeks, there have been encouraging indications that several governments may increase their contributions to the Fund next year, she reported. Nevertheless, UNFPAs resource situation remains critical.
Contact: Alex Marshall, marshall@unfpa.org, tel: (212) 297-5020; Corrie Shanahan, shanahan@unfpa.org, tel: (212) 297-5023; William A. Ryan, ryanw@unfpa.org, tel: (212) 297-5279; fax: (212) 557-6416
* *** *