More Resources for Iraq Response Needed [EN/AR/KU]
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(Dohuk, 24 October 2014): More resources are urgently needed to address the needs of 5. 2 million people across Iraq, a joint mission by the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) concluded.
“Helping people is a fundamental pillar of Islam,” Hesham Youssef, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs for the OIC, said in Dohuk. “There are huge needs on the ground. It’s vital that we help the people of Iraq.”
His comments come at the end of a three-day mission to the conflict-affected country where he was able to see first-hand the depth of the humanitarian crisis, hold high level meetings with the Government, as well as speak to many ordinary Iraqis directly affected.
“Over the past few days I’ve seen so much suffering. Much work has already been done, but more resources are urgently needed,” he said.
On 23 October, the United Nations launched the third revision of the Strategic Response Plan (SRP) which aims to address the protection and humanitarian needs of 5.2 million people across Iraq through 2015.
Included in this are 1.8 million people displaced since January 2014, 1.5 million within communities hosting many of the displaced, and 1.7 million living in conflict areas outside Government control.
The US$2.2 billion multi-sectorial plan covers the provision of assistance in non-food items/shelter, protection, health, food, water, sanitation and hygiene, education, and logistics until the end of December 2015.
To date, more than $600 million has been contributed to the 2014-2015 Iraq SRP, including a major contribution by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in July. An additional $1.6 billion, however, is now needed for activities over the next 15 months; with early contributions essential with the onset of winter. “Winter is just weeks away. It’s imperative we step up our efforts,” Rashid Khalikov, Director of OCHA Geneva, said, echoing the need for further resources.
Approximately 800,000 people are in urgent need of emergency shelter assistance and 1.26 million are in need of some form of winterisation assistance.