Rome 27 November 2008 - Acting on the instructions of Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, the foreign ministry in Rome has arranged for an additional voluntary contribution of 570,000 euros for the United Nations humanitarian assistance plan for the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Italian contribution will be used to fund the activities being carried out by UNICEF in the areas affected. It is intended specifically for the protection, medical treatment and re-integration of children caught up in the humanitarian crisis in Kivu region.
This humanitarian response, coordinated by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), envisages the involvement of Italian and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) already in the area.
Actions envisaged include the delivery of emergency supplies along with emergency medical treatment and food and nutritional care for children and other displaced persons. Also envisaged are vaccination campaigns, the installation of sanitation services and the distribution of water purification tablets to help prevent the spread of cholera. The project also envisages initiatives to disarm former child soldiers and street children and return them to their communities and families.
This new contribution brings the total humanitarian aid arranged by the foreign ministry for the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 5.87 million euros in 2008. Of this total, 2.04 million euros will tackle the humanitarian crisis that has erupted in recent weeks.