“In order to tackle the most serious humanitarian crises, we have arranged for a 9-million-euro humanitarian aid package through the Italian Cooperation service to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population Afghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan and Palestine,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Angelino Alfano, specifying that the aid interventions are to be carried out by “the United Nations and International Red Cross Agencies, which are in the forefront in humanitarian efforts, and by Italian civil society organisations present in the Countries involved.”
More specifically, the allocation by the Italian Cooperation service will enable the financing, with 4 million euros, of a programme to reinforce the resilience of the most vulnerable segments of the Palestinian population (Gaza Strip, West Bank and East Jerusalem), which will be implemented by numerous Italian NGOs present in the Territories and by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
In Afghanistan, through a financing of 2 million euros, the Italian Cooperation service will assure the supply of humanitarian relief materials (tents and blankets) to vulnerable families in the North of the Country and emergency obstetric services to refugee and dislocated women.
In Somalia, the Italian Cooperation service will contribute 1 million euros to the UNHCR programme to repatriate Somalian refugees from Kenya that the UN High Commissioner has launched pursuant to the Tripartite Agreement (Kenya, Somalia and UNHCR) signed in 2013. The funds will be used for the refugees’ socio-economic re-integration in their Country of origin.
Lastly, the Italian NGOs operating in South Sudan will implement a 2-million-euro programme with a strong social impact. The activities will focus on the border areas around and inside Uganda, the Country that hosts the largest number of South Sudanese refugees. The fund is part of a 5-million-euro pledge in favour of South Sudan announced by Italy at the Donor Conference held last 23 June in Kampala.
“The funds allocated today do not put an end to Italy’s humanitarian commitment in the Countries concerned,” added Minister Alfano.