Côte d'Ivoire Plus Five Appeal launched in Abidjan

(New York: 29 April 2003)- In Abidjan today, the United Nations launched the Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for $85 million on behalf of 3 million people. The Appeal is designed to meet the humanitarian needs of people affected by the war in Cote d'Ivoire for the rest of the year both in Cote d'Ivoire as well as in five neighboring countries: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, and Mali. The appeal focuses on providing aid in the following priority sectors: food security; health, water and sanitation; education; human rights protection; and coordination.
The crisis in Cote d'Ivoire---which erupted in September 2002--- has resulted in a large-scale exodus of Ivorians seeking refuge in neighboring countries. In addition, large numbers of "third country nationals"-many of them who had lived and worked in Cote d'Ivoire for years, have fled home or to neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali. There have also been massive population movements within Cote d'Ivoire's borders, as an estimated 750,000 people have sought shelter in other parts of the country. The crisis has also caused social services to cease operating in many areas, as population movements strain health and education services. The breakdown of law and order has led to vigilantism in the south of the country, and serious human rights violations in the north and west.

The effects of the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire are felt throughout the region. Before the current crisis, Cote d'Ivoire represented about 40% of the gross national product of the Franc of the African Financial Community (CFA) and 15% of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS). The conflict has brought Cote d'Ivoire to an economic standstill, drastically reducing neighboring countries' access to markets and sharply reducing the flow of revenue that came from migrant workers in Cote d'Ivoire.

The Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal seeks $17.5 million for humanitarian programs within Cote d'Ivoire; $6.9 million for programs to assist populations affected by the conflict in Cote d'Ivoire in Liberia; $8.9 million for Guinea; $3 million for Burkina, Faso; $3.8 million for Mali; and 8.3 million for Ghana. Humanitarian efforts to address problems such as food security, repatriation of third country nationals and health care at the sub-regional level require $21.5 million.