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Red Cross faces shortfall of â^¬88m
Irish Times
Sep 30, 2004
SWITZERLAND: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
yesterday appealed to donors to make up an â^¬88 million shortfall
in its operational budget for 2004, largely in response to a total
of 11 armed conflicts, some forgotten and others that are frequently
in the headlines.
The ICRC sought to draw special attention to the on-going humanitarian
needs arising from armed conflicts affecting millions of lives
in Afghanistan, Angola, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Ethiopia, Israel and the Palestinian territories, the Russian
Federation, Serbia and Montenegro, Sudan, Uganda and the countries
of the southern Caucasus (Armenia and Azerbaijan).
"It is vital for the ICRC to be able to respond impartially to needs
when and where they arise. The impact and credibility of our action
depends on our capacity to support people and communities caught up
in armed conflicts and internal violence around the world," said Mr
Pierre Krähenb'hl, ICRC director of operations, speaking at the
organisation's Geneva HQ. The shortfall represents 20 per cent of
its field budget for 2004.
ICRC said that public attention and commitments made by the
international community had not yet resulted in sufficient support
for the ICRC's operations in Sudan (Darfur and the southern part of
the country), where the organisation is â^¬13 million short of its
funding goal of â^¬25 million.
Sudan is currently the organisation's largest and most complex
operation, covering enormous swathes of territory, including Darfur
itself, which is the size of France. It was following a meeting
between the Sudanese president, Mr Omar El Bashir, and the ICRC
president, Mr Jacob Kallenberger, earlier this year that Darfur was
finally opened up to aid agencies in March. The organisation visits
thousands of prisoners of war throughout the country, including 700
government soldiers held by Sudanese rebel groups.
The ICRC is a private, Swiss, independent organisation which, in
accordance with the Geneva Conventions, has been visiting people
detained in connection with armed conflicts since 1915. In 2003, ICRC
representatives visited 450,000 detainees in 80 countries, including
all those for which this renewed appeal for funds has been launched.
Donor fatigue is particularly evident in terms of support for ICRC
operations in Israel and Palestine, Chechnya, Colombia and Uganda. All
of these operations in response to on-going conflicts are running
deficits of over 60 per cent.
The response has also been slow for operations in places like Angola
where fighting has ended, refugees are returning from neighbouring
countries but huge problems remain, particularly in the form of
landmines and other unexploded ordinance, and the restoration of
basic services to vulnerable populations.
"The ICRC continues to rely on timely, quality contributions from its
donor community to pursue its activities. While the overall level of
support for our work has been remarkable, major humanitarian operations
remain significantly underfunded. This financial shortfall needs to
be redressed", said Mr Krähenb'hl.
Irish Times
Sep 30, 2004
SWITZERLAND: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
yesterday appealed to donors to make up an â^¬88 million shortfall
in its operational budget for 2004, largely in response to a total
of 11 armed conflicts, some forgotten and others that are frequently
in the headlines.
The ICRC sought to draw special attention to the on-going humanitarian
needs arising from armed conflicts affecting millions of lives
in Afghanistan, Angola, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Ethiopia, Israel and the Palestinian territories, the Russian
Federation, Serbia and Montenegro, Sudan, Uganda and the countries
of the southern Caucasus (Armenia and Azerbaijan).
"It is vital for the ICRC to be able to respond impartially to needs
when and where they arise. The impact and credibility of our action
depends on our capacity to support people and communities caught up
in armed conflicts and internal violence around the world," said Mr
Pierre Krähenb'hl, ICRC director of operations, speaking at the
organisation's Geneva HQ. The shortfall represents 20 per cent of
its field budget for 2004.
ICRC said that public attention and commitments made by the
international community had not yet resulted in sufficient support
for the ICRC's operations in Sudan (Darfur and the southern part of
the country), where the organisation is â^¬13 million short of its
funding goal of â^¬25 million.
Sudan is currently the organisation's largest and most complex
operation, covering enormous swathes of territory, including Darfur
itself, which is the size of France. It was following a meeting
between the Sudanese president, Mr Omar El Bashir, and the ICRC
president, Mr Jacob Kallenberger, earlier this year that Darfur was
finally opened up to aid agencies in March. The organisation visits
thousands of prisoners of war throughout the country, including 700
government soldiers held by Sudanese rebel groups.
The ICRC is a private, Swiss, independent organisation which, in
accordance with the Geneva Conventions, has been visiting people
detained in connection with armed conflicts since 1915. In 2003, ICRC
representatives visited 450,000 detainees in 80 countries, including
all those for which this renewed appeal for funds has been launched.
Donor fatigue is particularly evident in terms of support for ICRC
operations in Israel and Palestine, Chechnya, Colombia and Uganda. All
of these operations in response to on-going conflicts are running
deficits of over 60 per cent.
The response has also been slow for operations in places like Angola
where fighting has ended, refugees are returning from neighbouring
countries but huge problems remain, particularly in the form of
landmines and other unexploded ordinance, and the restoration of
basic services to vulnerable populations.
"The ICRC continues to rely on timely, quality contributions from its
donor community to pursue its activities. While the overall level of
support for our work has been remarkable, major humanitarian operations
remain significantly underfunded. This financial shortfall needs to
be redressed", said Mr Krähenb'hl.