For relief of displaced persons of Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Malakand Division, Germany has increased its emergency assistance to Pakistan to a total of Euro 22.6 million. According to an announcement of the German Embassy here on Friday, stressing its solidarity with the Pakistani people, Germany's Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier declared.
"I am greatly concerned about the situation in North-West Pakistan and the fate of over 1 million IDPs. While the fight against religious fanatics is necessary, it should not take place at the expense of innocent civilians. We must therefore, do all we can, together with Pakistan, to help the civilian population which is suffering," Steinmeier added.
During her visit to Pakistan in April 2009, Germany's Minister for Economic Co-operation and Development, Heidemarie Wiezcorek-Zeul, met IDPs on the outskirts of Islamabad to obtain a personal impression of their situation and to underline Germany's commitment to support them.
Germany's emergency assistance addresses the following needs: Euro 12.6 million will be used to support securing the immediate humanitarian needs of displaced people inside and outside of camps in NWFP, including food, shelter, protection and medical care through the United Nations World Food Programme (€5 million), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Euro 6 million), the International Committee of the Red Cross (Euro 1 million) and Pakistani partners of German non-governmental organisations (Euros 6,00,000).
The remaining 10 Million Euros are provided to support the United Nations Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) Programme. Under this programme, UN agencies and the Government of Pakistan will cooperate to restore and improve social services and local infrastructure in communities hosting refugees and IDPs, press release added.-PR