Moscow, 5 July 2006. – In launching the mid-year Update to the 2006 Inter-Agency Transitional Workplan for the North Caucasus, the UN Resident Coordinator and the Humanitarian Coordinator in the Russian Federation thanked donors for their generous support to programs implemented by the United Nations and NGOs under that Workplan. They announced the beginning of a gradual reduction of humanitarian relief in the North Caucasus, but drew attention to the significant remaining humanitarian and recovery assistance needs.

At mid year, the 2006 Transitional Workplan has mobilized US $ 35 million from a range of donors for projects being implemented by the UN and NGOs. This covers 43% of US$ 81.9 million programming requirements budgeted in the 2006 Transitional Workplan. The Workplan activities include support for food security and agriculture, protection, shelter, health, economic growth, education, governance, peace and tolerance, and water and sanitation.

The Russian Government representatives, including from the affected republics, today expressed their own priorities for the coming year. Voicing gratitude for the ongoing support of humanitarian organizations to the vulnerable population of Chechnya and its neighboring republics, they asked the donors, UN agencies and NGOs to do even more in terms of socioeconomic recovery and long-term development of the region’s economy. The UN and NGO representatives offered technical assistance in support of a strategic government plan for reconstruction and development.

The Update to the 2006 Inter-Agency Transitional Workplan for the North Caucasus illustrates how recovery-oriented transitional programming has progressed. While noting that humanitarian needs remain, it documents the first overall reduction in emergency humanitarian relief since the first inter-agency humanitarian appeal of 1999. This is compensated by an increase in projects in socioeconomic development. The document and today’s event recognized the improvement of the security situation in Chechnya over the past several years, which has allowed more access and activity by the aid community. On the other hand, protection of civilians remains the principle humanitarian concern and requires a joint UN-NGO-Government strategy. The Special Adviser to the Emergency Relief Coordinator on Internal Displacement, Mr. Dennis McNamara, called on government and civil society to fully actualize the responsibility to protect vulnerable civilians.

You can find the full text of the Update here

For additional information, please contact:

Ms Victoria Zotikova, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office Communications Analyst, at 787 21 15

Ms Tatiana Khabarova, Coordination/Communications Officer, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, at 956 64 05