§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian situation in the refugee camps in Montserrado county in Liberia. [100001]
§ Clare ShortOur information on the humanitarian situation in Liberia is from reporting by the UN and other agencies such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).
There are six camps in Montserrado county. Health and other services in three camps are supported by MSF Belgium, and in one each by MSF France, ICRC and World Vision. Another camp is being established by a Liberian NGO. We understand that the general condition of those civilians displaced and those living in camps, as well as the resident population, is poor but as yet not critical.
We have recently committed £450,000 to MSF Belgium for primary health care and £550,000 to ICRC for humanitarian programmes in Liberia.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the number of Liberians who have fled into Sierra Leone following the upsurge of hostilities between Liberian Government forces and Liberian rebels; and what financial allocation has been made for the provision of shelter for Liberian refugees in Sierra Leone. 100002]
§ Clare ShortUNHCR estimates that, since the most recent outbreak of fighting in mid-February, 7,000 refugees have crossed into Sierra Leone.
We recently committed £1.4 million for humanitarian assistance in Sierra Leone. £900,000 of this has been earmarked directly for assistance to Liberian refugees. £500,000 will provide emergency assistance, care and maintenance through UNHCR; and £400,000 will contribute to a UNICEF programme to control vaccine preventable diseases among refugees and the civilian population, in the east and north of Sierra Leone.