To response to the growing humanitarian needs of the refugees around the world, the United States today announced a second contribution of $482.05 million toward the 2012 operations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The US initial contribution of $125 million was announced on December 29, 2011 toward emergency appeals this fiscal year for vulnerable populations from Syria, Sudan, South Sudan, and Mali.
These contributions are funded through the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, and help advance UNHCR initiatives worldwide.
U.S. funding supports refugee returns to countries such as Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo; local integration and resettlement; and protection and life-saving assistance.
U.S. funding also supports the provision of water, shelter, food, healthcare, and education to refugees, internally displaced persons, and other persons under UNHCR’s care and protection in countries such as Iraq, Yemen, Nepal, Pakistan, Georgia, South Sudan, Chad, and Kenya.
The contribution will support UNHCR’s Annual and Supplementary Program activities listed below:
Africa $ 218,425, 000
Asia and Pacific $ 61,800, 000
Europe $ 22,000,000
Middle East and North Africa $ 110,625,000
Syria Regional Response Plan $ 3,000,000
Western Hemisphere $ 15,525,000
Emergency Response activities $ 25,775,000
Global Operations $ 13,200,000
Headquarters $ 11,700,000
TOTAL $ 482,050,000
In 2011, the US contributed more than $690 million to UNHCR through multiple tranches, a figure which included funding for on-going operations as well as special appeals for emergencies.
In April 2011, the United States announcea a contribution of $126.8 million toward the 2011 operations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The United States continues to salute the vital work of UNHCR, its many NGO partners, and refugee-hosting countries in providing protection to protection to vulnerable people around the world.
For the United States, protection of refugees, IDPs, stateless persons, and other populations of concern is always part of its diplomatic and humanitarian agenda, even with nations with whom it may have disagreements on other issues.
The U.S. government continues to encourage governments with internally displaced populations to utilize the UN Guiding Principles, and to support UNHCR in its efforts to protect IDPs.
The US government applauds the adoption of the Convention on Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa and encourage its entry into force.
