A snapshot of the Consolidated Appeal for Southeastern Europe for 2000

How much is required?
Total of US$ 659.8 million for:

Human Rights, Protection & Promotion of Solutions: US$ 85 million; Food Security: US$ 157.8 million; Health, Education & Community Services: US$ 116.3 million; Shelter/Non-food items & Rehabilitation: US$ 154.5 million; Multi-Secotral Assistance & Programme Support: US$ 141.8 million; Headquarters SEO & LO Western Europe/Regional Coordination: US$ 4.1 million

WHERE IS IT HAPPENING?

  • For the purpose of the Consolidated Appeals Process, the Southeastern Europe region includes five countries, Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia & Hercegovina, Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, including the UN administered province of Kosovo. During 1999, the volatility that has characterized this region for a decade became evident as the Kosovo crisis threatened to engulf the European continent. For the year 2000, humanitarian agencies expect to address emergency and protection needs of thousands of refugees, internally displaced persons, host communities and other war-affected populations in the region. The humanitarian community will also support initiatives aimed at addressing the causes of the crises as a basis for efficient linkages between emergency operations and rehabilitation and development programmes.
  • The focus of humanitarian activities varies from country to country. In Albania and the former Republic of Macedonia emphasis will be placed on providing assistance to the remaining Kosovar refugees, assisting host communities to recover from the massive incursion of refugees from Kosovo and linking relief activities to development initiatives. In Bosnia & Hercegovina and Croatia priority will be given to (a) promoting durable solutions for returnees, IDPs and refugees; (b) implementing rehabilitation & local capacity building initiatives; (c) supporting peace-building and community rehabilitation. In the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (excluding Kosovo) humanitarian agencies are faced with a looming humanitarian crisis resulting from economic decline and lack of reform, the impact of which has been exacerbated by bomb damage to infrastructure and industries. In addition to the nearly 700,000 refugees and IDPs hosted in Serbia and Montenegro, a growing number of social cases are expected to require assistance. In the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia including Kosovo, the focus of humanitarian programmes is (a) the provision of emergency aid to returnees, IDPs and vulnerable members of the resident population; (b) the re-establishment of basic services following the destruction caused by the summer conflict; (c) the promotion of human rights and the re-establishment of basic services.

WHAT IS OUR COMMON HUMANITARIAN ACTION PLAN?

  • To (a) continue to address the emergency needs of vulnerable groups; (b) support increasing rehabilitation and national recovery efforts; and (c) support initiatives to reinforce local social safety nets.

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR CONSTRAINTS WE FACE?

  • Unpredictability & volatility: which limits the effectiveness of any planning that is undertaken.

WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

  • Protect and assist vulnerable populations affected by conflict and the difficulties associated with economic and social transition in the region.
  • Assist in the return or resettlement and reintegration of refugees and internally displaced persons.
  • Protect and assist other economically or socially induced vulnerable groups while retaining the capacity to identify new groups at risk.
  • Support the reestablishment of basic services and the required local capacity to ensure the continued availability of services.
  • Promote the integration of international standards of human rights and the rule of law into national and regional instruments as well as peace and reconciliation.

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DO NOT GET THE RESOURCES?

Albania

  • Humanitarian agencies would be unable to continue providing relief to the remaining Kosovo refugees in Albania nor to the host families and communities whose coping mechanisms were stretched to the limit during the Kosovo crisis.
  • Relief organizations would lose the opportunity to support the strengthening of national capacities to respond to emergencies.
  • Refugee-affected communities would not have their essential services rehabilitated by humanitarian agencies and development actors.

Bosnia & Hercegovina

  • Thousands of IDPs, returnees and new refugees would be deprived of durable solutions.
  • Opportunities for peace and reconciliation through community based initiatives would be lost.
  • Capacity-building projects would be halted.

Croatia

  • Relief agencies would be unable to establish conditions for the expected return of some 30,000 refugees during 2000. They would also be unable to support durable solutions and provide protection to some 112,000 refugees, IDPs and returnees requiring humanitarian aid.
  • The most vulnerable groups would lose the opportunity of having access to life-saving and life-sustaining activities.
  • Humanitarian organizations would be hindered from assisting in the rehabilitation of basic services and the development of a national capacity to run the reestablished services in the long run.

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (excluding Kosovo)

  • Humanitarian agencies would be unable to address the urgent basic needs of some 700,0000 refugees and IDPs nor of the increasing number of social cases. The ability to provide much needed shelter, food aid and basic services especially during the critical winter period would be severely restricted.
  • Relief organizations would lose the capacity to continue to undertake detailed assessments to determine the scale and character of existing and potential humanitarian needs.

Kosovo

  • Returnees, internally displaced and vulnerable members of the population would not have access to life-saving emergency assistance through the winter nor to longer-term rehabilitation and development initiatives that could greatly enhance their ability to rebuild their homes, communities and livelihoods.
  • Humanitarian organizations would be hindered from promoting the respect of basic human rights, the establishment of a secure environment and the protection of all people in Kosovo.
  • Relief agencies would face severe difficulties in retaining the necessary capacity to respond to possible massive population movements in the event of increased instability in the region.

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

  • Humanitarian agencies would be severely restricted in their ability to protect and provide emergency aid to refugees still in FYROM and assist both host communities and local authorities to recover from the massive influx of refugees resulting from the Kosovo crisis. Families still hosting refugees would lose access to assistance from relief agencies to retain their coping mechanisms.
  • Efforts to ensure that emergency interventions are linked to rehabilitation and development programmes would be lost.

Please find more information on the Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeals for 2000 at http://www.reliefweb.int/appeals