Zimbabwe /
Humanitarian crisis remains grave
HARARE, Zimbabwe, February 27, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Daily press briefing by the office of the spokesperson for the UN secretary-general
A United Nations humanitarian mission to Zimbabwe wrapped up its work and reported that the country’s humanitarian crisis remained grave and called on both the Government and the international community to support efforts by the humanitarian community to strengthen its work there.
Some of the most acute manifestations of Zimbabwe’s complex humanitarian crisis include one of the world’s worst outbreaks of cholera and up to 7 million people in need of food aid.
Catherine Bragg, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, who led that mission, said, “Despite tremendous efforts by both the Government and the humanitarian community in Zimbabwe to contain the cholera epidemic, major challenges remain.”
She spoke of the need for continued food assistance and resources to help Zimbabweans improve food security.
The mission stressed that the welfare of the people was largely the responsibility of the Government of Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, according to the World Food Programme (WFP), the food crisis in Zimbabwe has reached its peak. WFP is aiming to provide monthly relief rations to 5.1 million of the most vulnerable people in both February and March -– the two hardest and hungriest months before the annual maize harvest starts in April.
SOURCE : United Nations – Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General
