UNAMET: Briefing Summary for Wednesday, 22 Sept

Briefing Summary for Wednesday, 22 September 1999

An inter-agency mission left for Dili at noon today on a World Food Programme chartered passenger aircraft. (Agencies include UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, WHO, OCHA, MSF, CARE, Interaction, IOM, UNDP, CIDA, Caritas and World Vision). The delegation will meet with the donor mission (see below) to present a preliminary appeal for East Timor. They are expected to return later today along with Mr. Kevin Kennedy, the Director of the Emergency Liaison branch in OCHA. (A press conference on humanitarian issues is scheduled to take place at the airport today between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.).

An 18-person donor mission arrives in Dili today. The mission includes Ms. Julia Taft, United States Assistant Secretary of State for Humanitarian Affairs, the Indonesian Minister for Social Services, the Australian Minister for Development and Cooperation, the European Union's Counsellor for Development, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Thai Deputy Permanent Secretary, the British Head of the Department of Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs and Japanese ministers.

Mr. Ian Martin is expected to meet with the donor mission before returning to Darwin later today.

The UN Permanent Representatives from Indonesia and Portugal will be holding talks on Thursday and Friday this week at UN Headquarters in New York. The Secretary-General will be hosting a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia and Portugal on 28 September.

Three planes carrying humanitarian daily rations (HDRs) will be going to three areas in the eastern region of East Timor (Baguia, Umori, and Lura).

To date, the World Food Programme has made five airdrops delivering over 50 metric tons of food.

The WFP has launched a major logistical humanitarian appeal for $8 million for a six-month period. So far, Japan has donated one million dollars, which will be used to purchase trucks. Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom have also donated trucks and personnel. Negotiations are underway with Australia, Norway and Denmark who are committed to donating money and personnel to WFP needs.

A WFP chartered ship is leaving for Darwin from Brunei today carrying approximately 2,600 metric tonnes of food. In addition, two Sikorsky helicopters are due to arrive in Darwin today for WFP use.

ENDS

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