KABUL, 25 June 2009 (IRIN): The Afghanistan Humanitarian Action Plan (HAP) 2009 launched on 3 February in Geneva by John Holmes, the UN under-secretary-general and emergency relief coordinator, requested US$625 million and is just under 70 per cent funded, but little HAP funding has gone to NGOs.
Most of the funding has gone to projects proposed by UN agencies, according to NGOs and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Thirty-five local and international NGOs, which had proposed dozens of humanitarian projects under HAP, had received zero funding from donors by 22 June, according to OCHA’s Financial Tracking System (FTS).
Four major international NGOs – CARE International, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR) – have received funding for their projects.
DACAAR tops the list with 100 per cent of its projects funded; CRS projects are 64,2 percent funded; NRC 20.90 percent; and CARE International 0.9 percent. The Czech-based People in Need (PIN) NGO’s requirements have been 69 per cent covered, according to FTS.
– Oxfam Great Britain has received no funding for its 8.328.000 US dollar[HAP] appeal, Lynn Yoshikawa, Oxfam’s humanitarian policy and advocacy specialist in Kabul, told IRIN.
Shah Liton, acting country director of Save the Children UK (SC-UK), also said his organization had received no pledges/commitments from donors for the requested over 3.5 million dollar under HAP.
HAP objectives:
To provide relief to conflict-affected and disaster-affected (principally drought-affected) groups and individuals, including reintegration or resettlement support for IDPs, returnees, deportees and host communities
To monitor and advocate for the protection of civilians and for the respect of international humanitarian, human rights, and refugee law
To mitigate food insecurity and treat malnutrition
To improve preparedness for disasters and disease outbreaks, and related response
To improve overall humanitarian access and response, including through strengthened humanitarian coordination and capacity at national and regional levels.
Oxfam International said it needed the requested funds to provide emergency food, water and sanitation aid to over 150,000 beneficiaries in Badakhshan, Daykundi and Kandahar provinces.
– The good harvest expected this year is not enough for communities to recover from high food prices and years of drought. Their needs will not be met without additional funding,” said Oxfam’s Yoshikawa.
Donors
According to OCHA, over 45 per cent of the funds received so far have come from carry-overs (funds not utilised in the past year and carried over to the next), where donors are unspecified.
Japan, the Netherlands and Canada are the top three donors with 16,7 per cent, 13 per cent and 4,6 percent of funding respectively.
The USA was the 11th biggest donor, providing 5.269.296 dollar, while Ireland – with 396.825 dollar- was the smallest HAP donor. In total, 20 countries and six organizations, individuals and entities have responded to the 2009 HAP so far.
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