16 September 2009: The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator has allocated nearly $1.2 million to support emergency programmes in Guinea.
Chronic poverty, rapid economic decline, and political instability have led to a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Guinea. Food security is a major concern, particularly as malnutrition rates have increased by 50 percent in the past five years and over 2 million people, out of a population of 10 million, are now food insecure. Some 3,000 refugees are fully dependent on humanitarian assistance, but refugee camps are underfunded, poorly staffed, and lack adequate medical resources.
From this allocation, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will receive $200,000 to prevent severe malnutrition for 5,000 children under five years old. Another $200,000 has been allocated to the World Health Organization (WHO) to improve the capacities of local hospitals to treat severe malnutrition in an additional 6,000 children. Through $300,000 allocated to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 35,000 people will receive emergency agricultural assistance, addressing major food security needs. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has been allocated some $170,000 to provide medicine and medical supplies to 3,298 Ivorians currently residing in a refugee camp. Another $300,000 will enable the World Food Programme (WFP) to continue Humanitarian Air Services to transport personnel from UN agencies, NGOs, and local governments throughout the country to provide continued humanitarian service.