From WEEKLY NEWS 25/00 22
June 2000
Recent reports show that the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia is now one of the poorest countries in Europe, only
marginally better off than Albania. Simultaneously, donor support for Federation/Yugoslav
Red Cross relief programmes has reached a critically low level. The Economic
intelligence unit of the British magazine the Economist estimated in September
1999 that 63% of the population was living in poverty, while the Belgrade
Institute for market research claims that less than 10% of the people there
could afford more than food and the bare necessities. For some, fresh milk,
flour and even bread cannot be purchased. And with 498,400 refugees (registered
by UNHCR), the Federal Republic hosts the highest number of refugees and
displaced people in Europe. A decade of embargo, the disintegration of
Yugoslavia, environmental degradation and the Kosovo crisis have all led
to a widespread humanitarian disaster, with severe economic and psychological
consequences. At the end of March 2000, the Yugoslav Red Cross (YRC) was
assisting some one million beneficiaries, or one tenth of the population,
not counting Kosovo. More than 17,890 tonnes of food and relief items were
distributed this month. The International Federation has placed a priority
on strengthening the YRC's distribution network as it is the main vehicle
for humanitarian assistance in the country, even being used by most of
the agencies operating there. A vulnerability assessment carried out in
early June for the Red Cross will enable the YRC to further adapt their
services for the most vulnerable people. Moreover, the Red Cross social
welfare programme will expand its psycho-social support projects in order
to assist growing needs. In 2000, a staggering 400,000 social assistance
contacts have been made so far. However, the diminishing level of donor
support to the International Federation's programmes could rapidly threaten
the quality of the Red Cross response in Yugoslavia.
WEEKLY NEWS IS PUBLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES
17 Chemin des Crêts, Geneva
Tel: (41 22) 730 4222
Fax: (41 22) 733 0395
E-mail: weeklynews@ifrc.org