New York, Apr 29 2010 1:10PM
The top United Nations humanitarian official today arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for a five-day visit intended to highlight relief priorities and urge improved protection of civilians in the central African country where persistent conflicts have created one of the world's most complex humanitarian emergencies.
John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, will travel to three of the country's provinces most affected by armed conflict – South Kivu, Orientale and Equateur, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.
He will assess humanitarian priorities and necessary responses, in a context of increasing insecurity for humanitarian workers in some areas. Protection of civilians is one of the main concerns he will discuss with local authorities, the UN Mission in the DRC (<"http://monuc.unmissions.org/">MONUC), and humanitarian officials in the country.
"The scale of the humanitarian needs and the lack of protection of the population continue to be of huge concern," Mr. Holmes said. "I have come to see for myself how the situation is evolving," he added.
During a meeting today with Alexis Thambwe Mwamba, Foreign Minister of the DRC, Mr. Holmes acknowledged the efforts made by the Government in promoting stability, and in working with the international community to address humanitarian needs and protection concerns.
Mr. Holmes and Mr. Mwamba also discussed the peace process in the east of the country, insecurity caused by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency, and the safety of humanitarian workers.
Despite the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to some areas, almost 1.9 million people remain homeless after having run away from their villages due to violence. Most of them have continuing and significant humanitarian needs, according to OCHA.
Each of the three provinces Mr. Holmes will visit has been affected by complex emergencies with different root causes. "We must continue to tackle the humanitarian consequences of these crises," said Mr. Holmes. "But the underlying issues also need to be dealt with urgently, so that transitions to development and recovery can start in earnest."
Apr 29 2010 1:10PM
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