United Nations Humanitarian Fund gives an additional $5 million for Rakhine emergency in Myanmar

(Yangon, 26 April 2013): The United Nations (UN) Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has provided $5 million in additional funding to provide life-saving assistance to some 69,000 people displaced by the violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar.

This is the third allocation by the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos to help fund urgent humanitarian operations in Rakhine State following inter-communal violence that erupted in June and October 2012 in north-west Myanmar. The violence led to large-scale internal displacement and a marked increase in people fleeing by boat from the region. The violence caused not only displacement, but also a loss of life, livelihoods and property. Currently the UN estimates there are more than 140,000 people displaced throughout the State.

CERF has now allocated more than $15 million to the humanitarian situation in Rakhine since June 2012. With the onset of the monsoon season, the funds will go towards activities outlined in the recent Rakhine Preparedness / Contingency Plan (March 2013) which addresses immediate needs of the most vulnerable of the displaced in Sittwe, Pauktow and Myebon townships.

“Thanks to CERF’s immediate funding, humanitarian agencies are able to respond in a decisive manner to provide urgent life-saving aid such as emergency shelter, improved sanitation, water facilities, and healthcare. However, additional funding is still needed to meet all the needs,” said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar, Mr Ashok Nigam.

The $5 million will go towards the activities of four UN agencies and their humanitarian partners so they can carry out activities in health, shelter, water and sanitation.

The UN High Commission for Refugees says the $2.5 million in CERF funds will enable the organization to rapidly step up its operations with temporary emergency shelter assistance to 25,000 IDPs in Pauktaw and Myebon townships before the monsoonal rains in June. These funds will be used for the construction of 460 elevated long house emergency shelters, 104 ground level long house emergency shelters, 115 kitchen areas, and 91 elevated walkways in both townships.

Since its launch in 2006, CERF has provided $76 million in response to disasters and underfunded emergencies in Myanmar with Rakhine State receiving $37 million.

In 2013, CERF has allocated more than $70 million to 10 countries through the Rapid Response window. Another 12 neglected emergencies have received funds through the underfunded Emergencies window with an allocation of $99.6 million. It is funded by voluntary contributions from Member States, Non-Governmental Organizations, regional governments, the private sector and individual donors.