§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the structure, aims and methods of the UN Greater Darfur Initiative are; what the projected total funding needs for the UNGDI are; how much of this has already been pledged, and by whom; how much of the pledged UK funding has614W already been contributed; how far the setting up of the UNGDI has progressed since its launch; and if he will make a statement. [133339]
§ Hilary BennOn 3 September, the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Liberation Army agreed a ceasefire for Darfur in western Sudan. The UN estimates that some 500,000 people have been displaced in Darfur; 300,000 of which as a result of the recent conflict. It is estimated that there are about 70,000 refugees in Chad. High rates of malnutrition have been reported in Darfur. The UN responded with an Initiative to mobilise funds for the region.
The objectives of the UN Greater Darfur Special Initiative (GDSI) are: to help the most seriously affected populations; defuse local tensions; and begin to address the underlying causes of the conflicts in the Greater Darfur region of Sudan. The Initiative includes accelerated humanitarian relief and longer-term assistance. The GDSI has not only raised the profile of the situation in Darfur, but also improved access to vulnerable groups in the region.
The total funding requirement for the UN GDSI is $22.8 million (approximately £15 million). The UK responded to the Initiative with a pledge of £1 million. We are currently in the process of committing this pledge against specific proposals recently circulated by the various UN agencies, the Red Cross and non-governmental organisations. We stand ready to respond further, as the situation in Darfur determines. We have already committed £0.5 million to Save the Children UK to provide humanitarian assistance to displaced people and other vulnerable groups in North Darfur. Norway has pledged $0.75 million (approximately £0.5 million) to the GDSI. Others donors, including US Agency for International Development and the Humanitarian Aid Office of the European Commission (ECHO), are also contributing to the provision of humanitarian assistance in the region.