MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
I am pleased to announce Australia will contribute a further $17 million in
reconstruction assistance and emergency relief for Afghanistan, bringing total
Australian assistance to $40.3 million.
This additional assistance from Australia is being announced today by the
Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Chris Gallus MP, at the
international donors meeting in Tokyo.
Australia's assistance to Afghanistan is focused on addressing some of the
most pressing needs of the Afghan people. Our assistance to date has been
well-received as timely and appropriate.
Critical areas of assistance in the initial stages of Afghanistan's recovery
will include food aid, establishing essential infrastructure, and resettlement
assistance for displaced people.
These areas have been addressed in the assistance announced today. Complete
details of the $17 million are still being finalised, but initial allocations
will include an additional $1.5 million to Australian non-government
organizations to provide technical assistance in rebuilding Afghanistan and $2
million for food aid. It will also include $500,000 to UNICEF for women and
children's winter survival, immunisation and nutrition, and $3 million to the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for assistance to displaced
Afghans.
Other assistance to international agencies will include $1 million to the
United Nations Development Program's Regional Humanitarian Coordinator's Office,
$500,000 to the United Nations Drug Control Programme to combat opium
production, $500,000 for mine action activities and, as announced in December,
$1million to the United Nations Development Program's Trust for the Afghan
Interim Authority
I am also releasing today details of the remaining $10 million from the $23.3
million Afghanistan assistance package announced last year. A major proportion
of this, $7 million, will assist the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees to develop sustainable solutions, protection programs and integration
activities for displaced Afghans in South West Asia, bringing to $14.3 million
Australia's additional aid to UNHCR. The funds also include $2 million to assist
the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Afghanistan,
including $500,000 for family reunification, and $1 million to the International
Organisation for Migration for assistance with resettlement and
migration.
Media contacts:
Matt Francis (Ministerial) 02 6277 7500 / 0419 206
890
Greg Clough (AusAID) 02 6206 4220 / 0417 683 126