Statement by OCHA Operations Director, John Ging, to the Security Council on Ukraine, New York, 6 March 2015

Mr. President,

On behalf of Ms. Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, I would like to deliver the following statement on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

One year ago Ukraine had no displaced people. Now, as a result of the conflict, there are almost 1.1 million people registered as internally displaced, more than 100,000 of them in the last month. And more than 670,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries.

Displacement continues as pauses in fighting in some locations have allowed some of those trapped, to flee. Over two million people are living in conflict-affected areas, the majority with limited access to basic services.

Only 180,000 people now remain in the city of Horlivka, compared to 276,000 before the conflict. Only 8,000 people remain in Dokuchaievsk, compared to 30,000 before the conflict. And in Debaltseve, where the pre-conflict population stood at over 25,000, now has fewer than 7,000 inhabitants. 5,000 of them are estimated to be living underground in basements and improvised bunkers.

Mr. President,

Five million people across the country are now in need of humanitarian assistance – two million in Government-controlled areas and three million in non-Government-controlled areas. Approximately 1.4 million people have no access to healthcare. Those remaining in conflict-affected areas, particularly in densely populated urban areas, face ongoing security threats due to military activities. Lives have been lost, basic life-saving services have been disrupted, access to banking and cash services are limited, food and non-food items are increasingly scarce and expensive, and there’s been an upsurge in lawlessness across the country.

Mr. President,

We welcome the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements, but continue to urge all parties to the conflict to adhere to the 15 February ceasefire and protect civilians.

The ceasefire remains fragile, but – where observed – has allowed a limited increase in humanitarian access. Most recently, 62 tons of humanitarian aid was delivered to Donetsk city by UN convoy on 19 February. Supplies included essential hygiene items, warm clothes, blankets, condensed milk powder, drinking water, and medicines.

Despite limited humanitarian access to affected areas due to insecurity and administrative obstacles, by the end of 2014 humanitarian actors had provided health kits to 2.6 million people, vaccinations for 30,000 people, clean water and sanitation facilities for over 100,000 displaced, and food supplies for 100,000. Despite these efforts, needs still far outweigh the combined capacity of the humanitarian community and the Government of Ukraine to respond.

It is imperative that humanitarian actors are able to reach those in need with life-saving assistance, and we call on all parties to the conflict to facilitate the safe and unimpeded passage of aid and aid workers, and to lift any administrative obstacles to this passage.

Mr. President,

The Humanitarian Coordinator, Neal Walker, is coordinating the humanitarian response of United Nations agencies and national and international NGOs, to ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most in an effective, efficient and timely manner. Coordination structures, including sector-specific clusters, have been put in place in Ukraine. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is present in six key areas across the country.

Mr. President,

Additional funding to address the immediate humanitarian needs of those affected by this conflict is urgently needed. Ukraine’s Humanitarian Response Plan, launched on 24 February, calls for $316 million to reach 3.2 million people in the most dire humanitarian need. To date, only 13% of this appeal – $42.2 million - has so far been either received or pledged.

We thank those Member States who have contributed generously, with the largest financial contributions so far coming from the United Kingdom, United States, European Commission, Germany and Denmark. Several Member States, most notably the Russian Federation, have generously provided significant material assistance.

Mr. President,

It is essential that the millions of civilians caught up in this conflict, many of whom have been traumatized by violence and severe hardship, are able to return to their homes and are given basic access to life-saving services. We call on all parties to the conflict to respect the ceasefire and put an end to the violence.

Thank you.