UNHCR: OVER US$120 MILLION IN AID TO MALIAN REFUGEES

      Algiers, 6 Rabiul Awwal 1434/ 18 January 2013 (MINA) – The financial needs for the aid operations of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for Malian refugees are estimated at more than US$120 million, including 63 percent that have been already allocated by international donors, the UN refugee agency said on Thursday.

 

       “The financial needs of UNHCR’s aid operations for Malian refugees in the neighbouring countries, following the recent developments in the Malian crisis, are estimated at US$123 million, including 63 percent that have already been allocated by international donors, representing a sum of US$77 million,” UNHCR’s Representative in Algiers Ralf H. W. Gruenert told Algeria’s Press Service (APS).

 

     To date, 144,000 Malian refugees have been recorded in the neighbouring countries, including 54,000 in Mauritania, 50,000 in Niger and more than 38,000 in Burkina Faso, he said.

 

     He added that other groups of refugees fled Mali recently to neighbouring countries, according to Bernama report received by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA), Friday.

 

      Regarding the Malian refugees recorded in Algeria, the same official said that the number is “less important.”

 

     “According to information from the Algerian government, more than 300 refugees are handled by the Algerian Red Crescent (CRA) and about 1,000 others were settled in the border regions,” he added. (T/R-020/R-006)

 

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)