Staff Reporter :
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, on Friday sought for $83.7 million additional funds in a bid to help over half a million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh for the next six months.
It came up with the call through a press briefing in Geneva.
According to latest estimates, some 515,000 refugees have fled Bangladesh from Myanmar since 25 August, including people continuing to arrive this week.
The new arrivals have joined an estimated 300,000 refugees who were already in Bangladesh before the crisis.
“The emergency assistance is focused on refugee protection, shelter, water and sanitation and bolstering the capacity of the local host communities across bordering Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh,” said UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic.
Andrej Mahecic said UNHCR’s supplementary
appeal is meant to meet urgent additional requirements from September 2017 through to February 2018. It is vital, even at this stage that the response reflects mid- to long-term needs, while at the same time ensuring that voluntary return of refugees in safety and dignity remains a viable option.
“We are grateful for the prompt and generous initial response both from the governments and private donors so far, contributing already $24.1 million since the onset of the emergency,” he added.
While addressing the urgent and immediate refugee needs in Bangladesh, UNHCR is concerned about the continuing influx from Myanmar and stresses once again the need for the root causes to be addressed. Delivery and improving conditions remains our utmost priority.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, on Friday sought for $83.7 million additional funds in a bid to help over half a million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh for the next six months.
It came up with the call through a press briefing in Geneva.
According to latest estimates, some 515,000 refugees have fled Bangladesh from Myanmar since 25 August, including people continuing to arrive this week.
The new arrivals have joined an estimated 300,000 refugees who were already in Bangladesh before the crisis.
“The emergency assistance is focused on refugee protection, shelter, water and sanitation and bolstering the capacity of the local host communities across bordering Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh,” said UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic.
Andrej Mahecic said UNHCR’s supplementary
appeal is meant to meet urgent additional requirements from September 2017 through to February 2018. It is vital, even at this stage that the response reflects mid- to long-term needs, while at the same time ensuring that voluntary return of refugees in safety and dignity remains a viable option.
“We are grateful for the prompt and generous initial response both from the governments and private donors so far, contributing already $24.1 million since the onset of the emergency,” he added.
While addressing the urgent and immediate refugee needs in Bangladesh, UNHCR is concerned about the continuing influx from Myanmar and stresses once again the need for the root causes to be addressed. Delivery and improving conditions remains our utmost priority.
