Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Integrated Regional Information Networks - December 13, 2006
NAIROBI, 13 Dec 2006 (IRIN/PLUSNEWS) - The humanitarian appeal to donors for the Great Lakes region for 2007 is aimed at alleviating the suffering of thousands in the region and improving emergency preparedness and response, a senior United Nations official said on Wednesday.
The US$84 million appeal focuses on the provision of humanitarian aid including food security, health and nutrition, HIV/AIDS and gender violence, the head of the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Regional Office for East and Central Africa, Besida Tonwe, said.
The funds will also be used for education, coordination and support services, emergency preparedness and response, and early recovery and transition, Tonwe said.
The priorities were identified in mid-September during a meeting between stakeholders and representatives of the donor community.
The largest portion of the appeal is $54.5 million required for food assistance for 2.5 million people, including refugees in Rwanda and Tanzania, while $13.8 million is required for protecting refugees and returnees.
The funds are expected to provide food aid to at least 584,000 returnees and refugees in the region, "which is emerging from deadly conflict", Tonwe said.
According to the Vice-President of the international NGO, World Vision, Wilfred Mlay, humanitarian actors must invest more in the region by coming up with multi-dimensional approaches as the region is in transition after decades of conflict.
However, Mlay said: "Good governance will do more good for the region than any relief aid, in the short term."
The humanitarian community should also aim to strengthen the region's ability to recover, the UN Resident Coordinator for Nairobi, Elizabeth Lwanga said. "Even as we address crises, we should also look at addressing recovery."
In 2006, the region saw a continuation of the trend towards peace and governance with the successful elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a peace initiative between the government of Uganda and the rebel Lord's Resistance Army.
In Burundi, the political transition was sustained with the September signing of a peace agreement between the government and the Forces Nationales pour la Liberation, the country's last remaining rebel group.
However, due to high structural poverty, lack of infrastructure and vulnerability of the people in the region, humanitarian needs remain high.
OCHA estimated that at least four million people were displaced, either within their national borders or in neighbouring countries, by mid-2006, with 700,000 returnees expected in the region by the end of the year. Tanzania continues to host 346,000 refugees, the largest number in the region.
Providing basic needs assistance and protection to these populations remains a major focus of humanitarian assistance. New challenges are also emerging around the return and reintegration of an estimated 120,000 displaced people and 38,000 refugees in Burundi and thousands more in the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda.
Moreover, just as the region is turning the corner towards peace, it faces other challenges, Mlay said: "The life-blood of the people is also being sucked by the HIV/AIDS virus." HIV/AIDS is one of the eight priority themes in the appeal.
Overall, the 2007 appeal represents a drop from last year's $154.5 million, focusing on recovery efforts and emergency relief. The 2006 appeal reached the 70 percent funding average at the beginning of December.
The regional appeal is a supplement to country-specific appeals, which will be launched separately. The total humanitarian appeal for 2007 involves 29 countries and requires $3.9 billion to help 27 million vulnerable people worldwide receive aid.
The appeal's launch coincided with the ongoing Second Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region in Nairobi, which aims to facilitate the re-establishment of peace, security and development in the region.
The appeal covers the region's core countries of Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
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