United Nations kicks off humanitarian action in 2007

(Geneva: 17 January): The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is today hosting the humanitarian community's annual "Programme Kick-off," an event organized in support of the Humanitarian Appeal 2007.

Today's event in Geneva provides donors with a key opportunity to share feedback on the individual, country-specific appeals included within the 2007 Humanitarian Appeal and to give early indication of priorities for humanitarian action, including funding, in the current year. Early funding is crucial for humanitarian agencies to be able to plan and start programmes in order for aid to reach those in need in time.

Originally launched on 30 November 2006 by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Humanitarian Appeal 2007 comprises thirteen country-specific consolidated appeals, which collectively require $3.9 billion to address the urgent needs of 27 million people affected by crises in 29 countries worldwide.

"What we request is only a few cents for every hundred dollars of national income. If some of the biggest economies improve their performance even partway to the level of the best, humanitarian action worldwide could be fully funded," noted Margareta Wahlström, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator.

Also attending Wednesday's event were: Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO); Toni Frisch, Assistant Director-General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Head of the Humanitarian Aid Department; and Toby Porter, Emergencies Director for Save the Children-UK.

Consolidated and Flash Appeal funding improved in 2006 compared to most previous years going back to 2000, in terms of funding as a percentage of requirements. The 63 per cent funding of the 2006 Appeals is better in year-to-date terms than any previous year except 2003 and 2005, each of which had a "headline crisis." In 2006, there was no comparable mega-disaster.

"To date, only 0.2 per cent of the CAP funding requirements has been covered. It may seem still early in the year to some, but people struggling to survive in Chad, Somalia, Zimbabwe, cannot wait", said Kasidis Rochanakorn, Director of OCHA-Geneva.

In 2006, 65 Governments contributed to the appeals -- slightly fewer than the 74 governmental donors in 2005, which was heavily influenced by the tsunami, but more than in previous years. Among other donors, the United States, European Commission, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Japan topped the list in 2006 in channelling emergency relief funding to crises through consolidated appeals. The United Nations is hopeful that, in 2007, this improvement can be built upon with a common commitment to reach 100 per cent funding of all appeals.

Full information can be found in the appeal documents, which are available on www.humanitarianappeal.net

For further information, please call:

Stephanie Bunker, OCHA NY, +917 367 5126;
Kristen Knutson, OCHANY, + 917 367 9262;
Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile +41 79 473 4570.