disarmament COMMENCES IN LIBERIA, PAVES WAY FOR GREATER

HUMANITARIAN ACCESS, ASSISTANCE

MONROVIA, 16 April (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) -- Ex-combatants of Liberia’s three armed factions took forward steps yesterday towards contributing to the future peace and stability of the war-torn country by surrendering their weapons, during the resumption of disarmament activities administered by United Nations peacekeeping forces.

UNITED NATIONS ISSUES APPEAL FOR DARFUR, SUDAN

(Delayed in transmission.)

Under-Secretary-general ENCOURAGED BY PROGRESS

ON CEASEFIRE NEGOTIATIONS FOR DARFUR, SUDAN

NEW YORK, 8 April (Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs) -- “I am encouraged by the positive signals that a humanitarian ceasefire may soon be signed by parties to the conflict in Darfur, Sudan”, said United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING URGENTLY NEEDED FOR ZIMBABWE

HARARE/GENEVA/NEW YORK, 2 April (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) -- The United Nations in Zimbabwe is urgently seeking additional funds to meet massive humanitarian needs, especially for health care, safe water, sanitation, education, and recovery at household and community levels.

UN LAUNCHES APPEAL FOR SUDANESE REFUGEES IN CHAD

New York, 2 April (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) -- Today, the United Nations launched a new appeal for over $30 million to provide aid to Sudanese refugees in Chad during 2004.

Because of the ongoing conflict in Darfur, some 110,000 Sudanese refugees are estimated to have fled to Chad from fighting in the Darfur region of western Sudan.

RETURN VISIT OF SPECIAL ENVOY TO ERITREA

ASMARA, Eritrea, 30 March (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) -– Martti Ahtisaari, the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa, arrives in Asmara, Eritrea, on 31 March 2004 for a two-day visit.  Mr. Ahtisaari’s mandate was recently extended for six months.

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION WORSENS IN DARFUR, SUDAN

New York, 30 March (OCHA) -– Civilians in Darfur, Sudan, who continue to be attacked by armed groups, also now face shortages of water and outbreaks of communicable diseases such as measles.

EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR CONDEMNS KILLING OF AID WORKER IN SOMALIA

NEW YORK, 23 March (OCHA) -– The international humanitarian community is condemning an attack in Somaliland which has left one aid worker dead and two others injured.  On 19 March, staff of the German Agency for Technical Assistance were ambushed outside Berabera in Somaliland.

UN LAUNCHES APPEAL TO AID MADAGASCAR CYCLONE VICTIMS

(Reissued as received.)

ANTANANARIVO, 19 March (UN Information Service) -- The United Nations today launched a flash appeal to raise $8.7 million to assist the Government of Madagascar to address the urgent relief needs of some 309,500 people affected by Cyclone Gafilo, which struck Madagascar twice in the last 10 days.