U.S. INITIAL CONTRIBUTION OF $125 MILLION TO THE
UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES

The United States announces an initial contribution of $125 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for its 2001 Annual Programs. This contribution will allow the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, which is the lead UN agency responsible for protection and assistance of the world's refugees, to provide assistance to the nearly 23 million refugees and other persons of concern during the early months of 2001.

December 14th marked the 50th anniversary of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The United States wishes to take this opportunity to express its deep appreciation and commitment to the organization and its staff for their untiring work on behalf of refugees throughout the globe during the past 50 years.

The U.S. government's $125 million contribution to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees will be allocated regionally, as follows:

Africa $ 54.0 million Western Hemisphere $ 3.4 million
East Asia $ 5.5 million Global Operations $ 4.0 million
Europe $ 33.0 million Headquarters $ 6.0 million
Near East $ 4.3 million Unallocated $ 6.0 million
South Asia $ 8.8 million

The substantial allocation for Africa reflects our concern about the needs and standards of care for the millions of refugees in Africa.

The United States believes that the protection and care of refugees and the pursuit of permanent solutions for refugee crises are shared international responsibilities and calls on other donors to strengthen their efforts in support of the programs of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.