18 March 2002 Media Statement

$1 Million to Afghanistan, and Palestinian refugees

Aid Minister Matt Robson announced today that New Zealand would provide $1 million for rehabilitation assistance in Afghanistan, and to the emergency appeal recently launched by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).

“The people of Afghanistan still require the world’s help. New Zealand has pledged to remain engaged and to work with other countries to help rebuilt Afghanistan. This further assistance demonstrates our commitment”, says Mr Robson.

New Zealand will contribute $600,000 towards rehabilitation and construction assistance for Afghanistan. Of this amount, $400,000 will be directed towards projects identified in the United Nations Immediate and Transitional Assistance Programme for the Afghan People 2002 (ITAP).

Areas where the New Zealand contribution may assist include: primary education, basic health services and de-mining.

“New Zealand NGOs and their Afghan partners have also make an outstanding contribution to assisting the people of Afghanistan. We acknowledge their engagement in humanitarian and rehabilitation activities, by announcing that a further $200,000 will be made available for New Zealand NGO’s to continue their work in Afghanistan”, says Matt Robson.

Palestine

The violence in the Arab / Israel conflict has escalated since mid-February. It is estimated that of the approximately 1, 300 lives that have been lost since the Palestinian uprising began in September 2000: over 200 in the last few weeks.

“In view of the escalating violence in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, New Zealand will contribute a special contribution of $400,000 towards the emergency relief appeal recently launched by UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).

The contribution will assist in fields such as recruiting trauma counsellors/social workers and medics to handle emergency situations as well as primary health care and engineers to assess damage and supervise reconstruction”.

New Zealand’s contribution comes from New Zealand Official Development Assistance Programme (NZODA), administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

ENDS

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