Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
February 28, 2003

U.S. Contributes an Additional $50 Million to the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees

The United States is pleased to announce an additional contribution of $50 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for its 2003 Annual Programs. This funding fulfills $115 million of our initial $125 million pledge to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees announced in Geneva on December 3, 2002. The remaining $10 million will be contributed next month.

The United States $50 million contribution to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees will be allocated as follows:

Africa $35 million South Asia $5 million
Europe $ 5 million East Asia $1.5 million
Near East $1 million Western Hemisphere $1.5 million

Global Operations $1 million, $450,000 of which is in support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees HIV/AIDs activities.

This contribution will allow the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, which is the lead United Nations agency responsible for protection and assistance of the world s refugees, to provide assistance to the nearly 20 million refugees and other persons of concern during the early months of 2003.

The U.S. contribution to UN High Commissioner for Refugees annual budget is the largest of any donor state, approximately 25 percent each year. We urge other donors to do their share and support UN High Commissioner for Refugees crucial work.
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