MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
I am pleased to announce that Australia will provide
$2 million in emergency humanitarian relief to the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea (DPRK).
The contribution reflects our humanitarian concern to
help prevent a worsening of serious food shortages in North Korea. It follows an
earlier contribution of A$3.5 million in August 1997 and takes Australia's total
contribution for the DPRK to A$9.5 since the crisis began.
While the food shortages are partly the result of
severe flooding in 1995 and 1996, followed by drought and a tidal wave in 1997,
natural disasters are not the only cause of the shortages. Australia therefore
urges the DPRK to make the appropriate economic adjustments to boost food
production and distribution.
Australia is providing $2 million through the United
Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF).
- $1.5 million is to be provided to WFP to purchase
an anticipated 8,000 tonnes of cereals to meet the immediate needs of the
people in the DPRK. - $500,000 to is to be provided to UNICEF for a
nutrition and health intervention program. UNICEF has a key role in this
support through the provision of medicines, vaccines, supplementary feeding
and assistance with health and nutrition services.
Australia welcomes the increased cooperation the DPRK
has extended to international aid agencies and in particular its decision to
permit a doubling of WFP staff working in the DPRK. This will allow improved
monitoring of WFP contributions and help ensure that food assistance reaches its
intended beneficiaries.
Media contacts:
Innes Willox (Minister's office) 02 6277 7500/0411 414 695
Geoff Adlide (AusAID) 02 6206 4967/0417 683 126