DRC: TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LIVES AT RISK DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING

(Kinshasa / New York / Geneva, 4 June 2010): The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the humanitarian community in the country have expressed great concern about the low level of funding available for humanitarian activities in 2010.

"The humanitarian crisis in this country requires much greater engagement by donors", said H.E. Mr. Ferdinand Kambere, Minister for Social Affairs, Humanitarian Action and National Solidarity. "I wish national solidarity to be a key component of humanitarian action, the Government being responsible in the first instance for the survival and the wellbeing of the affected populations".

The Minister has opened yesterday, in the capital Kinshasa, a workshop on the mid-year review of the Humanitarian Action Plan (HAP) for year 2010. The HAP forms the basis for humanitarian action in the country. For this year, the HAP focuses on four objectives: reinforce protection for civilians, reduce mortality and morbidity, provide particular assistance to displaced persons, and restore livelihoods.

Humanitarian activities in the country, envisaged in the HAP, are currently financed for US$ 249 million, or 30% of the total requirements of $ 828 million. Without counting carryovers from 2009 totalling $ 70 million, the amount actually received in 2010 is $ 179 million, or 22% of requirements.

"If resource mobilisation continues at this pace, total financing for 2010 is likely to be below $ 500 million, or less than 60% of requirements, with a shortfall of over $ 328 million", said Fidèle Sarassoro, Humanitarian Coordinator for the country. "This would have disastrous consequences for humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable", he added. Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including Save the Children - United Kingdom (SC-UK) and the International Medical Corps (IMC), have already reduced several activities in the country's east, due to lack of funding.

In 2009, funds received for the activities planned in the HAP enabled over one million people to access clean water, almost three million to receive food aid necessary to their survival, and 80% of children to be vaccinated. But if funding remains low, 350,000 people will not have access to clean water, and 200,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition will not be assisted. "This would put in danger the life of tens of thousands of children", said said Pierrette Vu Thi, Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in the African nation.

The HAP is part of the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP). It is a tool for operational planning and for financial advocacy, used in several countries that face serious humanitarian crises. It enables the Government, donors, and humanitarian actors to agree on priorities for humanitarian action and on activities to be undertaken, and to mobilise the funds necessary to implement them.

For more information, please contact: Maurizio Giuliano, +243 995 901 533, giuliano@un.org; Stefania Trassari, +243 99 2906637, trassari@un.org, Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1917 892 1679, bunker@un.org; Nicholas Reader +1 212 963 4961, mobile +1 646 752 3117, reader@un.org; Elisabeth Byrs OCHA-Genèva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile +41 79 473 4570, byrs@un.org