The United Nations (UN) launched a new humanitarian appeal for Iraq June 23, hoping to raise an additional $259 million to allow the international organization to help with the emergency rehabilitation of the country through the end of the year -- supplementing funds raised earlier at the end of the Iraq war.
Widespread looting and the destruction of hundreds of public facilities necessitated the organization's request for new funds, which will be added to the initial amount raised in April. The appeal has been developed in consultation with the Coalition Provisional Authority and senior Iraqi officials from ministries and municipal authorities have participated in the planning. For the first time since the end of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraqi officials are at the United Nations headquarters to discuss the future of their country.
A dozen Iraqi officials attended the all day meeting concerning the UN appeal and will participate June 24 in talks on long-term reconstruction plans sponsored by the UN Development Program (UNDP).
UN officials said that the food aid needs through the end of the year will be more than $1.5 billion and they are already being taken care of through a combination of donations and more than one billion dollars from the oil-for-food program. The officials are now hoping to raise the $259 million to meet other needs through the end of the year in areas such as health, nutrition, water and sanitation, refugees, shelter, mine clearance, education, human rights, emergency food aid, and infrastructure rehabilitation. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
