VISIT OF THE EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR TO CHAD

WHO: John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

WHAT: Mission to Chad

WHEN: 22-26 May

WHERE: N'djamena-Abeche-Farchana-Goz Beida-Mao

John Holmes, Emergency Relief Coordinator, will go on his third official visit to Chad from 22-26 May 2010 in order to assess the humanitarian situation in the country and the priority needs of the affected populations.

He will travel to Ouaddaï and Sila regions, in the east of the country, to get first-hand information about the situation of refugees, displaced people, returnees and host communities, and also to Kanem in the west to see for himself the scale of the food and nutrition crisis.

Mr. Holmes will have discussions with the Chadian authorities, aid beneficiaries, and humanitarian actors to better understand the living conditions of the populations, their humanitarian needs and the difficulties faced by humanitarian organizations.

At the end of his visit, John Holmes will give a press conference on Wednesday 26 May 2010 at 2:30 pm, at the Kempinski Hotel in N'djamena.

CONTACTS:

Katy Thiam, Information Officer, OCHA (N'djamena), +235 620 1542, thiamk@un.org
Stephanie Bunker, Spokesperson (New York), +1 347 244 2016 (mobile),
+1 916 367 5126 (office), bunker@un.org;
Nicholas Reader, Deputy Spokesperson (New York), +1 646 752 3117 (mobile), +1 212 963 4961 (desk), reader@un.org;
Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA (Geneva), +41 79 473 4570 (mobile), +41 22 917 2653 (desk), byrs@un.org