30 March 2009

Concern Over Halting of Gaza Medical Patient Referrals
(Jerusalem) The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, together with the World Health Organization (WHO) for West Bank and Gaza have expressed serious concerns about the halting of medical patient referrals out of the Gaza Strip. | English | Arabic

19 March 2009

UN Opens Conference on Iraqi Women’s Rights
Baghdad/ The Dead Sea- 19 March 2009: The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) today opened a conference “Still Paying the Price, Iraqi Women after Years of Wars, Sanctions and Internal Conflict” on strategies to promote women’s rights in Iraq. | English | Iraqi Women Facts and Figures

17 March 2009

Humanitarian partners launch a revised emergency appeal of USD 575 millions to respond to escalating humanitarian needs in Kenya
Members of the humanitarian community with support from the Government of Kenya yesterday presented the 2009 revised Emergency Humanitarian Response Plan (EHRP) for assistance ofthose most in need in Kenya. | English 

16 March 2009

The United Arab Emirates Red Crescent donates US$ 6 million to UNRWA to improve the living conditions of Palestine refugees in Lebanon
Abu Dhabi, 16 March : Dr. Ali Abdullah Al-Kabi, Chairman of the Board of the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent (UAERC) and Mr. Peter Ford, Representative of UNRWA's Commissioner-General, signed today two agreements for the rehabilitation of shelters and relief activities in Palestinian camps in Lebanon. | English | Arabic 

8 March 2009

The United Nations Calls for a Renewed Commitment to Promote Women’s Rights in Iraq
Baghdad/Amman, 8 March 2009 - On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the United Nations calls for both commitment and effective practical measures to protect and promote rights of Iraqi women. | English | Arabic | Iraqi Women Facts and Figures

24 February 2009

Reporting Workshop on International Humanitarian Law
(Dubai, 24 February 2009): The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN), in partnership with the Dubai Press Club and sponsored by the International Humanitarian City (IHC), today opened a two-day training programme on ‘International Humanitarian Law’ for journalists reporting on conflicts. | English | Arabic

23 February 2009

Qatar Gives $40 Million for UN Humanitarian Aid
(New York, 23 February 2009): Qatar today announced a donation of $40 million to the United Nations for its humanitarian programmes worldwide. Thirty million dollars have been pledged for emergency operations in Gaza while $10 million will go through the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF),making Qatar the ninth-largest contributor to the Fund for 2009. | English | Arabic

24 January 2009

UN Humanitarian Chief Stresses Need for Sustained Access to Gaza
(New York , 24 January 2009): Yesterday, on the third day of his visit to the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel , Under-Secretary–General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) John Holmes briefed donors on his visit to Gaza and the forthcoming Flash Appeal to meet immediate and rehabilitation needs, which will be launched in early February. The ERC also discussed the situation with UN agencies and NGOs in Jerusalem. | English 

22 January 2009

Heart-Breaking Suffering and Destruction in Gaza: UN Humanitarian Chief
(New York, 22 January 2009): On the second day of his visit to the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel, Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes travelled to Gaza. The ERC, with the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry, kick-started the assessment of the most immediate humanitarian and early recovery needs after the three-week military operation in Gaza. | English 

22 January 2009

Joint Statement of the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator and the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process
Further to the request of the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Mr. John Holmes, and the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Mr. Robert Serry, visited Gaza on 22 January 2009. This marked the launch of the humanitarian needs assessment of the civilian population in Gaza. | English 

21 January 2009

UN Humanitarian Chief Visits Gaza In Wake of Military Operation
((New York, 21 January 2009): United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes arrived in Jerusalem today for a fourday mission to review humanitarian needs in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) in the wake of the recent military operation in the Gaza Strip. | English 

14 January 2009

UN Humanitarian Fund Allocates $7 Million for Life-Saving Operations in Gaza
(New York, 14 January 2009): As part of United Nations efforts to meet the rapidly growing humanitarian needs of civilians caught in the fighting in Gaza, John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, today allocated someseven million dollars in funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund. | English 

2 December 2008

OCHA Launches Campaign on Humanitarian Impact of Climate Change
(New York, 2 December 2008): The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today launched a campaign to raise awareness of the humanitarian implications of climate change and to call for improved disaster preparedness and response measures in countries that suffer most from extreme weather events | English 

1 December 2008

UN and Partners In Kyrgyzstan Appeal for Assistance to Avert Humanitarian Consequences in Winter
(Bishkek/Dubai/New York/Geneva, 1 December, 2008): In response to significant energy shortages at the start of Kyrgyzstan’s tough winter season the United Nations, in consultation with the Government of Kyrgyzstan and other humanitarian partners, has issued a Humanitarian Flash Appeal for US$ 20 Million to ensure backup power systems for critical facilities and to meet the basic needs of the 800,000 most vulnerable people in the country. | English | Arabic

24 November 2008

2009 Humanitarian Appeal Seeks US$ 7 Billion to Aid 30 Million People
(Abu Dhabi, 24 November 2008): His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of UAE and President of the UAE Red Crescent Authority, today hosted a global launch of the 2009 HumanitarianAppeal, in partnership with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). | English | Arabic

20 November 2008

Launch of the Humanitarian Appeal 2009, preceded by a press conference
(Abu Dhabi, 24 November 2008): The 2009 Humanitarian Appeal seeks US$7 billion to help 30 million people in 31 countries around the world living in severe and ongoing humanitarian crises. A total of 360 non-governmental organisations, United Nations agencies, and other international organisations have come together to build coordinated, strategic humanitarian action plans to alleviate suffering and prevent death in each country. | English | Arabic

20 November 2008

UN Officials Praise Abu Dhabi Initiative to Host Global Launch of 2009 Humanitarian Appeal
(20 November 2009, Abu Dhabi): UN officials today praised the initiative taken by the Government of the UAE, in cooperation with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to host the launch of the 2009 Humanitarian Appeal, in addition to the traditional launch at the United Nations office in Geneva. | English | Arabic

11 November 2008

Saudi Arabia announces a $5 million donation to the UN Refugee Agency in support of Iraqi Refugees in Syria and Jordan
(RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, November 11, 2008):  (UNHCR) - The UN Refugee Agency welcomes a $5 million donation by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in support of its operations for Iraqi refugees in Syria and Jordan. | English | Arabic

10 November 2008

Humanitarian Agencies Appeal for $11.5 Million to Help Flood Survivors in Yemen
(New York, 10 November 2008): United Nations agencies in partnership with non-governmental organizations today appealed for $11.5 million to enable them provide humanitarian aid to an estimated 650,000 people affected by the recent severe floods in Yemen. | English 

10 October 2008

Concern About Rising Numbers of People Displaced by LRA
(New York, 10 October 2008): The Lord’s Resistance Army appears to have resumed its brutal activities in several countries. The number of those who have fled their homes due to attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Sudan has now increased to 23,000, a total that continues to rise. | English 

30 September 2008

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon Calls on Member States to Use Disaster Risk Reduction for Climate Change Adaptation
(New York, 30 September 2008): Disaster impacts and losses continue to rise globally, and weather related disasters are affecting millions more people around the world. The cyclone in Myanmar, floods in India and the current hurricane season in the Caribbean are recent examples of weather extremes that are predicted to worsen with climate change. | English 

27 September 2008

Abu Dhabi World Security Forum sells out four weeks ahead of event
Dubai, 27 September 2008 – Delegate tickets for the World Security Forum – Abu Dhabi 2008, have completely sold out some four weeks ahead of the conference, according to the organisers. | English | Arabic 

26 September 2008

Aid agencies in Somalia responding to civilian displacement and emergency needs in Mogadishu
(Nairobi, 26 September 2008) Despite a dire security situation, aid agencies in Somalia are intensifying their response efforts for vulnerable populations in and around Mogadishu after shelling and fighting over the past five days displaced an estimated 15,000 people in the capital. More than 80 civilians werereportedly killed and hundreds more are suspected wounded in the conflict. | English 

10 September 2008

130,000 Flood-Affected West Africans Need Continued Support
(New York, 10 September, 2008): An estimated 130,000 people in several countries in West Africa have been affected by severe flooding following several months of heavy rainfall, and are in need of continued assistance. Villages have been submerged and homes, crops and infrastructure destroyed. Thousands of people have been exposed to water-borne diseases. | English

3 September 2008

United Nations Humanitarian Chief Meets With Key Officials on Ethiopia’s Food Crisis
(Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 3 September, 2008): On the final day of this three-day visit to Ethiopia, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes chaired a meeting with the head of the Ethiopia commodity Exchange, World Bank representatives, key UN agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to discuss the effects of rising food prices in that country. | English

1 September 2008

United Nations Humanitarian Chief Visits Drought-Affected Areas In Ethiopia's Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ Region
(Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1 September, 2008): On the first day of this three-day visit to Ethiopia, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes travelled to Ethiopia’s Konso Special Woreda in Southern Nations Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) to review humanitarian efforts to reach victims of Ethiopia’s drought and food crisis. | English

28 August 2008

UN Special Humanitarian Envoy Visits Somalia, Meets Somali Refugees in Kenya, and Calls for Muslim Solidarity as Ramadan Begins
(Nairobi, 28 August 2008) - United Nations Special Humanitarian Envoy, Mr. Abdul Aziz Arrukban, on Wednesday witnessed first-hand the humanitarian suffering afflicting the Somali people during his visit to Wajiid in South Central Somalia. He also had the opportunity to see the Dagahaley refugee camp in north-eastern Kenya, home to more than 55,000 Somali refugees. | English

22 August 2008

Climate Change: Joint Study Identifies Humanitarian Hotspots and Warns of Dire Consequences Unless World Leaders Act Now
(GENEVA/NAIROBI, 22 August, 2008) - India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Indonesia are among the pivotal states identified as climate change “hotspots”-- countries particularly vulnerable to the increase in extreme drought, flooding, and cyclones expected in the coming decades—according to a new report commissioned by humanitarian relief agency CARE International and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). | English

18 August 2008

Humanitarian Agencies Seek $ 58.6 Million In flash Appeal for Georgia Crisis
(New York, 18 August 2008): Relief agencies today issued a joint Flash Appeal for $58.6 million to fund the emergency effort to help tens of thousands of people affected by the crisis in Georgia. | English

13 August 2008

UN Humanitarian Chief Deplores Killing of Aid Workers in Afghanistan
(New York, 13 August 2008) – United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes today deplored the tragic killing of four aid workers from the organization International Rescue Committee (IRC) in an ambush in Afghanistan. | English

30 July 2008

Seven Underfunded Emergencies Receive $30 Million from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund
[New York, 30 July 2008]: United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, today announced the allocation of $30 million to support agencies carrying out life-saving aid programmes in seven crisis countries in need of an injection of aid funding - Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iraq, Sri Lanka and Syria. | English

22 July 2008
 
UN Humanitarian Chief visits Myanmar Cyclone-Affected areas
[Yangon, 22 July] Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, arrived in Myanmar today for a three-day mission to assess the situation of cyclone survivors as well as progress in relief and early recovery operations since his visit at the end of May. | English

21 July 2008

Comprehensive assessment of Cyclone Nargis impact provides clearer picture of relief and recovery needs

[Singapore, 21 July 2008] Today, the Government of the Union of Myanmar, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations (UN) released the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJA) report. | English

16 July 2008

At mid-year $3.4 Billion still needed for consolidated Humanitarian Aid Appeals

(New York/Geneva, 16 July): Six months into 2008, United Nations agencies, the International Organisation for Migration, and 239 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) still require USD 3.4 billion to respond to the world’s most severe crises through this year’s Consolidated and Flash Appeals. | English

10 July 2008

Humanitarian agencies seek $303.6 Million for Myanmar cyclone survivors

(New York, 10 July 2008): Humanitarian agencies today appealed for a further $303.6 million to fund efforts to continue assisting an estimated 2.4 million people who were severely affected by Cyclone Nargis, which struck the Yangon division and parts of the Ayeyarwady Delta in Myanmar in early May, leaving nearly 140,000 people either dead or missing. | English

30 June 2008

UNOCHA/ IRIN hold HIV/AIDS reporting workshop, in partnership with the International Humanitarian City and the Dubai Press Club

( Dubai , 30 June 2008): The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN), in partnership with the International Humanitarian City (IHC) and the Dubai Press Club, today hosted a unique training programme designed to provide journalists with practical guidance on reporting on the often sensitive issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. English | Arabic

27 June 2008 

Top UN Humanitarian official visits returnees in Afghanistan

( New York , 27 June 2008): United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes today arrived in Jalalabad, in Nangarhar Province in eastern Afghanistan on the second day of a five-day visit to the country. | English

26 June 2008

Top UN Humanitarian official visits Afghanistan

( New York , 26 June 2008): United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes arrived in Kabul , Afganistan, today for a five-day visit during which he will review the humanitarian situation in order to improve response to the humanitarian needs of the Afghan population. | English

20 June 2008

Joint assessment team completes data collection from Myanmar 's cyclone affected area

(Yangon, 20 June 2008): Some 250 members of the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJA) team return to Yangon today after completing data collection in 30 affected townships across Yangon and the Ayeyarwady Delta.  Over the next few days, the team will continue with the next stages of data entry and early analysis. | English