Posted on 20-3-2003
UN
Pleads for Funds To Feed Iraq
AMMAN, Jordan, March 18, 2003 (ENS) - At least 10 million
people in Iraq will need food aid within weeks of military action
by the United States and its allies, according to the UN World
Food Programme. The world's largest food aid organization says
such an operation that would require massive donor support amounting
to hundreds of millions of dollars.
With the U.S. gun-th-the-head deadline passed the UN food agency
has asked donors for US$23.5 million to pre-position enough
food for the needs of two million people for one month. To date,
the agency has stored enough food to last one million people
for a month. So far, only US$7.5 million has been donated, about
one-third of the amount required - US$5 million from the United
States, $1.6 million from the UK, $578,000 from Denmark and
$326,797 from Canada.
The agency is expressing concern at the international community's
reluctance to contribute to contingency planning.
The food component of the United Nations Oil for Food program,
which until Monday allowed Iraq to export oil and use the proceeds
to provide basic necessities, costs over a billion U.S. dollars
every six months, the agency said. On Monday, UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan announced that the UN is suspending the Oil for Food
program and pulling out all UN personnel in advance of military
conflict, a move that leaves the Iraqi people with limited food
resources. Over a decade of economic sanctions has left almost
60 percent of Iraq's population dependent on the Oil for Food
program for their entire food supply. One million children below
the age of five are chronically malnourished, according to the
World Food Programme. Some 25 million Iraqis have been receiving
a monthly food ration of imported commodities purchased by the
Iraqi government using funds from oil sales under UN observation.
All revenue from sales of Iraqi oil was put into an escrow account
managed by the UN, which is then used to buy food and humanitarian
supplies for the Iraqi people.
The United States is working through the U.S. Agency for International
Development and other agencies to assemble and train a U.S.
humanitarian rapid response team, which will be based in Kuwait
City. The U.S. agencies have pre-positioned stockpiles of emergency
supplies and commodities. In addition to food, these supplies
include wool blankets, rolls of plastic sheeting for emergency
shelter, personal hygiene kits, World Health Organization Emergency
Health Kits, plus water containers and treatment units.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC)
says the largest emergency deployment in its history in response
to a potential refugee crisis is now ready to take action. Relief
and medical supplies are being stocked in Iraq, while neighboring
Red Crescent Societies in Iran, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey are
preparing for possible population movements out of Iraq. Didier
Cherpitel, secretary general of the IFRC, said, The consequences
of conflict in the region will be disastrous for the most vulnerable,
particularly if the UN Oil for Food program is disrupted. This
is why we are placing so much emphasis on pre-positioning in
neighboring countries for any outflow of displaced people."
Thirty IFRC Emergency Response Units are on standby to provide
refugees fleeing into neighboring countries with life support
in the form of field hospitals, clinics, water and sanitation
services. These units can provide assistance to upwards of one
million people in a period of one month. The Emergency Response
Units are developed by and staffed with personnel from the Red
Cross Societies of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Japan, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Stockpiling of tents, blankets, heaters and mobile first aid
kits, and upgrading of telecommunications equipment are underway
across Iraq. The Iraqi Red Crescent Society aims to be able
to provide for the essential needs of 75,000 people for a 10
day period.
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