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Karin Kneissl: "The mine clearance programme for Syria will create the conditions for refugees to return home"

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VIENNA, 19 DECEMBER 2018

Council of ministers resolves to provide over 6.4 million euros in humanitarian aid from the Foreign Disaster Fund

"The federal government is providing 2 million euros from the Foreign Disaster Fund for mine clearance and explosive ordnance clearance in north-eastern Syria," Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl announced following the council of ministers on 19 December 2018. According to information from the United Nations, 6.4 million people in Syria alone are at risk of being killed by mines, almost half of whom are children. "Our task is to make a tangible contribution to enabling refugees and displaced persons who wish to return to their homes to do so by clearing mines and removing explosives in north-eastern Syria, in ar-Raqqa. These 2 million euros from the Foreign Disaster Fund represent the first step. We want to use this money to begin a focussed effort together with other partners to provide humanitarian mine clearance in Syria," the Foreign Minister said.

"Today, the federal government resolved another comprehensive package to alleviate human hardship," Karin Kneissl said. The council of ministers resolved to provide humanitarian funds totalling 6.4 million from the Foreign Disaster Fund. This means that in 2018, 20 million euros were made available from the FDF, which is 5 million more than had originally been budgeted. One million euro from the Foreign Disaster Fund is being made available to the World Food Programme to alleviate the starvation crisis in Yemen. "In Yemen, 14 million people are currently threatened with starvation. The peace process that is just beginning offers hope, but the suffering of the people in Yemen will require our humanitarian commitment for a long time to come," the Foreign Minister said.

Financing from the Foreign Disaster Fund totalling 1 million euros will help the UNHCR to take care of Venezuelan refugees in Colombia. A further 1.4 million euros from the Foreign Disaster Fund are being made available to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Burkina Faso. In this country, which is one of the Austrian Development Agency's key regions, there is a threat of food shortages due to a long-standing drought. The problem is exacerbated by the precarious security situation. "We support the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, in taking care of affected children by providing food, water and vaccines," the Foreign Minister said.

The EU Trust Fund for Africa will receive 1 million euros, also from the Foreign Disaster Fund, for the North Africa region. "This is intended to help tackle the primary causes of irregular migration from Africa. The projects focus on improving employment in these regions, strengthening resilience, migration management and good governance in a total of 26 partner countries. They are also intended to support the humanitarian return of migrants," the Foreign Minister said by way of conclusion.