- UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR IN BELARUS
HAS TRANSMITTED TO DHA A REQUEST OF THE GOVERNMENT OF BELARUS FOR ASSISTANCE
TO MITIGATE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE ANTICIPATED HEAVY FLOODS THIS SPRING
DUE TO UNUSUALLY SEVERE WINTER AND VERY LARGE AMOUNTS OF PRECIPITATION
THIS YEAR.
2. ACCORDING TO THE GOB, THE THAW WHICH BEGAN IN LATE MARCH AND EARLY APRIL IS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN SEVERE FLOODS. THE MOST AFFECTED AREAS ARE EXPECTED TO BE STOLIN, PINSK, LUNINETS, ZITKOVICHY, PETRIKOV AND OTHER (ALL TOGETHER 17) DISTRICTS IN BREST, GOMEL AND MINSK REGIONS. MORE THAN 150 THOUSAND PEOPLE WOULD BE AFFECTED, OF WHICH 40 TO 60 PER CENT ARE THE ELDERS AND 10 TO 20 PER CENT ARE CHILDREN.
PREPAREDNESS MEASURES TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT
3. TO ENSURE AN ADEQUATE RESPONSE TO THE ANTICIPATED FLOODS, THE GOB HAS ALLOCATED 40 BILLION BELARUSIAN ROUBLES FOR THAT PURPOSE. EMERGENCY COMMISSIONS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE
4. DUE TO THE LIMITED NATIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR FIGHTING THE ANTICIPATED FLOODS, THE GOB APPEALS FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO THE POPULATION THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED.
5. THE MOST REQUIRED WOULD BE:
- MEDICAL SUPPLIES;
- BLANKETS;
- TENTS;
- FOOD;
- FODDER GRAIN.
DHA IS MONITORING SITUATION THROUGH CONTACTS WITH THE UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR IN MINSK, BELARUS.
7. FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES, DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM DHA-GENEVA, AS INDICATED BELOW, OF THEIR RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST PLEDGES, CONTRIBUTIONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING VALUE BY ITEM)
8. DHA IS PREPARED TO SERVE AS A CHANNEL FOR CASH CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE USED DURING IMMEDIATE RELIEF PHASE. FUNDS ARE SPENT IN COORDINATION WITH RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS OF THE UN SYSTEM. DHA PROVIDES DONOR GOVERNMENT WITH WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OF UTILIZATION OF FUNDS CONTRIBUTED.
9. DHA PISA WAREHOUSE CAN BE USED AS AN ASSEMBLY POINT FOR SHIPMENTS TO AFFECTED AREAS, WHETHER GOODS COME DIRECTLY FROM DONORS OR FROM OTHER WAREHOUSES.
10. TRANSFERS OF FUNDS SHOULD BE MADE TO DHA ACCOUNT NUMBER CO-590.160.1 AT SWISS BANK CORPORATION, CASE POSTALE 2770, CH-1211 GENEVA 2, WITH FOLLOWING REFERENCE: BELARUS - SPRING FLOODS 1996, DHA-GENEVA.
TEL No:+41-22-917-1234
EMERGENCY TEL NO: +41-22-917-2010 (EMERGENCY CALL ONLY)
DESK OFFICER: DMITRI BALABANOV TEL NO: +41-22-917-72827
PRESS TO CONTACT: MS M. MOULIN-ACEVEDO (DIRECT TEL
NO:+41-22-917-2856)
TELEX: 414242 DHA CH
FAX:+41-22-917-0023
E-MAIL: DHAGVA AT DHA.UNICC.ORG
DPR 310 BEL