7 May 2008
The "Pooled Fund" which was established by the international community in 2006 and is coordinated by the United Nations has allocated $60 million to 163 humanitarian projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The financial aid will be used to support the humanitarian work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and UN agencies in the country. Some $55 million will go toward interventions across DRC, while $5 million will be held in reserve to provide a rapid response in case of humanitarian emergencies.
The Pooled Fund is aimed at improving health and education, food security, water and sanitation, nutrition and protection for the vast African nation's population.
Last month, the UN mission in DRC (MONUC) reported that a large proportion of the country, which is as big as Western Europe, remains at peace, but that enormous challenges remain, such as human rights violations, high infant and maternal mortality, and what was described as an "epidemic" of sexual violence.
So far $205 million from the Pooled Fund has supported more than 400 projects in the country, reaching 20 million of the most vulnerable people.
This year's donors to the Pooled Fund are the United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden.
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