ANGOLA: Peace dividend needed: Oshima

U N I T E D N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
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ANGOLA: Peace dividend needed: Oshima

JOHANNESBURG, 19 July (IRIN) - Angolans most affected by the protracted civil war have yet to see a significant "peace dividend" and need a massive response to their urgent needs, Kenzo Oshima, UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs said.

Addressing the UN Security Council this week on his recent fact-finding trip to Angola, Oshima said that a significant increase in donor support was needed to help displaced people return to their homes and productive lives - a critical component in consolidating peace.

Since the 4 April ceasefire, the number of people found to be in need has grown from 1.9 million to three million.

The Angolan relief operation was one of the largest in the world involving over 400 national and international NGOs and 10 UN agencies. However, humanitarian workers were "painfully over-stretched and seriously under-resourced", Oshima said.

The current US $233 million UN Consolidated Appeal for Angola was being revised to raise more funds. This was expected to be presented at the end of July. So far only US $81 million had been pledged.

"Underfunding is now the major constraint on humanitarian action," Oshima said.

Donors have already been asked to provide US $614 million to respond to an unfolding humanitarian crisis in six Southern African countries outside Angola, which face critical food shortages.

Funding for food, health, water, sanitation and agricultural support was urgently required and the situation of the former UNITA combatants and their families assembled in the quartering areas required priority attention, he said.

"Moreover, now that the war had ended, the people of Angola deserve a peace dividend."

There was an expectation that help should come from within the oil-rich country, with the international community complimenting the government effort.

"We hope that the government will step up its efforts to continue to fulfill many of the commitments already made, and those new commitments that we expect will be made," Oshima said.

These include repairing road and bridge infrastructure, expediting customs clearance for humanitarian goods and simplifying visa requirements for humanitarian workers. And, with international partners, redoubling efforts to remove landmines.

The Angolan news agency Angop reported this week that the government had approved a six-month US $90 million plan towards the resettlement of displaced people.

[ENDS]

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