UN EMERGENCY COORDINATOR SAYS $80-$100 MILLION STILL NEEDED FOR DARFUR, FOLLOWING GENEVA DONORS MEETING

Un emergency coordinator says $80-$100 MILLION STILL needed

FOR DARFUR, following geneva donors meeting

Geneva, 4 June (OCHA) -- Yesterday, the United Nations and key humanitarian organizations met with representatives of 36 countries, including the Government of the Sudan, and representatives of the African Union, European Union, and the League of Arab States.

The Chairs of the meeting concluded that the humanitarian and human rights crisis in Darfur is of extraordinary gravity, magnitude and urgency.  An estimated 2.2 million people will require assistance this year, following the grave violations of human rights of Sudanese civilians.  Over 1.15 million people have been forced to leave their homes.

The co-chairs emphasized that the Government of the Sudan must ensure the protection and security of its citizens, and actively implement the provisions of the Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement signed on 8 April 2004.  All parties to the conflict must also provide full and unfettered access to humanitarian organizations, whether or not there is a ceasefire.

The United Nations and its partners presented unmet requirements to the donor nations of some $236 million, for the period 1 June to 31 December 2004.  In response, pledges for this year amounted to approximately $57 million.  Additionally, the United States pledged $188 million, to be disbursed from today until the end of 2005.  No further information was forthcoming on how much of the United States pledge would be available for this year, but USAID officials indicated that at least $44 million of this pledge would be disbursed in the next four months.

Speaking after the meeting, Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland welcomed the positive response by the donors, and emphasized the importance of rapidly disbursing the pledges made.  Noting the urgency of the situation and the size of the crisis, he said, “The pledges made today are a good first step, but donors must continue to make commitments to fully fund the requirements of the UN and its partners.  Failure to do so is likely to significantly worsen the already terrible impact of this crisis on the people of Darfur.”  Depending on the rate of disbursement of these pledges, at least $80 million to $100 million in new commitments is urgently needed from international donors to ensure a basic humanitarian response through the end of the year.

For further information, please call:  Stephanie Bunker, OCHA New York, tel: (917) 367-5126, mobile: (917) 892-1679; Elizabeth Byrs, OCHA Geneva, tel: 41 22 917 2653, mobile: 41(0) 79 473 4570.

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