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UN and Qatar highlight global humanitarian needs in 2012 [EN/AR]

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(Doha/New York, 5 April 2012): The United Nations and the State of Qatar today urged the international community to sustain and increase its help to the millions of people in the world affected by humanitarian disasters and emergencies by supporting the global Humanitarian Appeal for 2012.

The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, and Qatar’s Assistant Minister for International Cooperation, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Jabr Al Thani, jointly chaired a meeting in Doha to highlight the needs of 51 million people in 17 countries in the world needing urgent help. Ms. Amos drew particular attention to Sudan and Somalia which have the two largest appeals this year.

“Millions of people are affected by emergencies caused or worsened by the impact of climate change, insecurity over food and water, economic and political crisis, migration and urbanization,” said Ms. Amos. “Our appeals provide a good basis for a co-ordinated response so that humanitarian needs are met in an effective and timely way.”

“The State of Qatar attaches the utmost importance to responding to humanitarian disasters and crises around the world,” said Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohamed Bin Jabr Al Thani. “This briefing clearly reflects the State of Qatar’s continued interest in mobilizing international efforts to discuss humanitarian challenges, particularly in Somalia and Sudan, and to encourage all countries to fulfill their commitment and coordinate with one another to mitigate the effects of disasters and conflicts.”

Humanitarian action in Sudan this year will support up to 4.2 million people. “Despite the scale and the complexity of the humanitarian challenges in Sudan, the UN continues to work with all partners to assist the Government in delivering relief where it is most needed,” said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Mr Ali Al-Za’tari.

The humanitarian crisis in Somalia is also one of the largest in the world. “Famine conditions are no longer present, largely due to the ongoing delivery of aid. However, the gains are very fragile and will be reversed without continued assistance,” said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Mark Bowden.

The Humanitarian Appeal 2012 comprises the coordinated plans of 466 aid organizations - United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations and other international organizations - that have united to meet these major humanitarian challenges in a strategic and coordinated way.

For further information, please contact:

Clare Doyle, OCHA New York , Tel +1 212 963 5009, Cell +1 646 288 6331

Vanessa Huguenin, OCHA Geneva, Tel +41 22 917 1891, Cell +41 79 444 4065

Jens Laerke, OCHA Regional Office, Cairo, Cell +20 1095558662

OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.