US/Human Rights/Refugees

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
Press Statement 
Press Statement by James P. Rubin, Spokesman
July 21, 1999 


Under Secretary Loy meets with UN High Commissioner;
U.S. to provide $61.7 million for Refugees
Under Secretary for Global Affairs Frank E. Loy met today with Sadako Ogata,
UN High Commissioner for Refugees, to exchange views on Kosovo and other key
refugee issues of concern to both the United States and UNHCR. Mrs. Ogata
was told that the Department will provide an additional $61.7 million to
UNHCR to aid refugees in Kosovo and elsewhere in the world. 

The officials agreed on the importance of ensuring that refugees in other
parts of the world, particularly in Africa, are not forgotten. Mrs. Ogata
recently visited the Great Lakes region of Africa, and told African leaders
that peace and development were the only hope to resolve the continent's
refugee crisis. 

The $61.7 million includes $50 million to support UNHCR's programs to assist
Kosovar refugees and displaced persons to return home and begin rebuilding
their lives and their communities. The remaining $11.7 million will support
the refugee agency's General Program in other parts of the world. 

The donation for Kosovo includes $10 million to establish a Kosovar Women's
Initiative. The initiative will support projects--counseling, job training,
microcredit--similar to those funded under the Bosnian Women's Initiative. 

The donation also includes $5 million for UNHCR to implement humanitarian
projects in Montenegro. The remainder of the U.S. funds would support other
components of UNHCR programs tied to the crisis in Kosovo. These include,
among others, repairing damaged shelters and preparing them for winter;
health and water services; logistical requirements and delivery of supplies;
protection (registration, measures to ensure physical security of refugees,
etc.), and food. 

The $11.7 million will provide support for ongoing refugee situations in
Africa and other parts of the world. The U.S. is the single largest donor
nation to UNHCR, providing $249 million in fiscal year 1998 and committing
$238 million to date in fiscal year 1999. Contributions are provided through
the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. 

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