§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the UNHCR on refugees fleeing the Ivory Coast into Liberia. [87092]
§ Clare Short[holding answer 16 December 2002]: The UN launched an appeal on 11 November for humanitarian assistance as a result of the conflict in Cote d'lvoire, including for support to Liberian refugees wishing to return home. We are still considering our response to the appeal.
As an initial response we have provided 2,000 tents, 30,000 blankets and 200 rolls of plastic sheeting from our emergency relief stockpile to boost UNHCR's regional stockpile in Accra, Ghana. We have also contributed towards an urgent airlift of UNHCR relief items to Liberia.