$10 Million Towards Refugee Emergency in Congo

PRESS STATEMENT
Richard Boucher, Spokesman
Washington, DC

U.S. Contributes $10 Million Towards Refugee Emergency
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The United States is deeply concerned about the humanitarian impact of the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has displaced nearly two million people and generated over 327,000 refugees. Inside Congo, war has in large measure stymied relief efforts for the displaced and the 330,000 refugees that Congo itself is hosting from its neighbors -- Angola, Burundi, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, and Uganda.

The United States Government will provide emergency funding of $10 million for assistance to refugees and conflict victims, allocated as follows:

$3.5 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for Congolese refugees in neighboring states and refugee populations within the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
$2.5 million to the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund for the procurement and distribution of essential pharmaceuticals in Congo.
$2.0 million to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to ensure field coordination and to fund quick impact projects in Congo.
$1.5 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross for emergency assistance programs to internally displaced persons.
$500,000 to the United Nations Security Coordinator for the deployment of field security advisors to help ensure safe working conditions for United Nations and
Non-Governmental relief workers

The United States remains gravely concerned about the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and calls on all parties to abide by the Lusaka cease-fire agreement.

This assistance package complements ongoing U.S. Government emergency programs in the DRC that totaled $32.6 million in Fiscal Year 2000. 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 humanitarian assistance programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.