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UN gets money for Chad, CAR
25/12/2007 14:31 - (SA)
New York - An initial $3.5m has been pledged for a UN trust fund set up to help civilians and promote law and order efforts in Chad and the Central African Republic - two impoverished nations grappling with the spill-over from the violence in Sudan's Darfur province.
The contributions, announced on Monday by the UN, are an extension of the world body's efforts to ease difficulties confronting those two countries as they grapple with Darfur refugees and others displaced by the fighting in southern Sudan.
The pledges come several months after the Security Council in late September authorised 300 UN international police and 50 military liaison officers as well as civilian personnel to help protect thousands in the countries.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon established a UN trust fund to support the activities of the UN mission in Chad and the Central African Republic to assist the two countries "to build law and order capacity to ensure the security of refugees and internally displaced persons made vulnerable by the spill-over of violence from Darfur", the UN spokesperson's office said in a statement.
Japan has contributed $2.2m to the trust fund, Norway $1m and about $360 000. "Discussions are advanced with the European Commission for a contribution of €10m," the statement said.
Ban welcomed "the generous donations" and appealed to other countries to support the trust fund.
The nearly 5-year conflict in Darfur has left more than 200 000 dead and uprooted 2.5 million from their homes. It has spilled over Sudan's border into the northeast Central African Republic and eastern Chad, leading to a serious deterioration of security in the region.
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