The top United Nations relief official has called for the immediate and unconditional release of an aid worker kidnapped today in Kabul and deplored the killing of an Afghan citizen shot while trying to prevent the incident.
Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes strongly condemned the abduction of the aid worker, who serves as a consultant for Amitié Franco-Afghane (AFRANE), a non-governmental organization (NGO) active in education and development in Afghanistan.
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks against civilians in the strife-torn nation. Just two weeks ago Gayle Williams, who worked for the Christian NGO known as SERVE Afghanistan as a volunteer on projects assisting the disabled, was shot dead in Kabul on her way to work.
Mr. Holmes, who is also Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, voiced his deep concern about the worsening trend of killings and abductions of both civilians and aid workers in Afghanistan.
In a statement issued in New York, he “reminds the Government of Afghanistan and all parties to the conflict of their obligation to protect civilians, including all aid workers.”
(VN: New York, 3 november 2008)
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VN eist onmiddellijke vrijlating van ontvoerde hulpverlener uit Frankrijk in Afghanistan
Posts tonen met het label john holmes. Alle posts tonen
Posts tonen met het label john holmes. Alle posts tonen
woensdag 5 november 2008
zondag 3 augustus 2008
UN emergency aid funds hands out 30 million dollar to projects in seven countries
The United Nations relief chief announced last week that the world body's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated $30 million to support UN agencies conducting vital aid work in seven countries.
Projects in Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Iraq, Sri Lanka and Syria will all receive money as a result of the announcement, which marks the second round of allocations this year from CERF for under-funded emergencies.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said funds given by CERF "are often the last source of hope" for people facing crises.
"Millions of people affected by some of the less visible crises around the world often have to endure great deprivation," said Mr. Holmes, who is also the Organization's Emergency Relief Coordinator.
The largest funding recipient will be UN agencies in Chad, where $6.8 million has been granted to help respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation that has resulted from the worsening insecurity and an influx of fresh refugees from the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR).
As many as 500,000 people, mostly in eastern Chad, now depend heavily on outside aid.
Iraq
UN agencies operating in Iraq will receive $5 million, while those working in Syria, which is now home to about 1.5 million increasingly impoverished Iraqi refugees, will be given $4 million from CERF to assist with food, health and other relief programmes.
Afghanistan
UN-backed programmes and projects in Afghanistan are slated to receive $4.6 million.
Sri Lanka
4 million dollar has been set aside for Sri Lanka, $3.6 million for Burundi and $2 million for the DPRK.
The funds go to UN aid agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and then through them to partners in the field, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The grants were selected according to the severity of needs, the availability of funding around the world and security constraints on aid delivery.
CERF was set up by the UN at the end of 2005 to provide a standby pool of funds so that more timely humanitarian assistance can be given when natural disasters, armed conflicts and other crises occur.
One-third of funds generated, from Member States, NGOs, local governments, the private sector and individual donors, are awarded to so-called "neglected crises."
Projects in Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Iraq, Sri Lanka and Syria will all receive money as a result of the announcement, which marks the second round of allocations this year from CERF for under-funded emergencies.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said funds given by CERF "are often the last source of hope" for people facing crises.
"Millions of people affected by some of the less visible crises around the world often have to endure great deprivation," said Mr. Holmes, who is also the Organization's Emergency Relief Coordinator.
The largest funding recipient will be UN agencies in Chad, where $6.8 million has been granted to help respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation that has resulted from the worsening insecurity and an influx of fresh refugees from the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR).
As many as 500,000 people, mostly in eastern Chad, now depend heavily on outside aid.
Iraq
UN agencies operating in Iraq will receive $5 million, while those working in Syria, which is now home to about 1.5 million increasingly impoverished Iraqi refugees, will be given $4 million from CERF to assist with food, health and other relief programmes.
Afghanistan
UN-backed programmes and projects in Afghanistan are slated to receive $4.6 million.
Sri Lanka
4 million dollar has been set aside for Sri Lanka, $3.6 million for Burundi and $2 million for the DPRK.
The funds go to UN aid agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and then through them to partners in the field, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The grants were selected according to the severity of needs, the availability of funding around the world and security constraints on aid delivery.
CERF was set up by the UN at the end of 2005 to provide a standby pool of funds so that more timely humanitarian assistance can be given when natural disasters, armed conflicts and other crises occur.
One-third of funds generated, from Member States, NGOs, local governments, the private sector and individual donors, are awarded to so-called "neglected crises."
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