UN stresses desperation of displaced people

The UN has indicated that with the peace initiative underway, there is now a possibility of Burundi “making the delicate transition from conflict to stability”. In its Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal launched on Tuesday, the UN noted that Burundi’s problems had been exacerbated by drought in the region. “Donors continue to largely limit their funding to emergency assistance programmes, further hampering the government’s ability to improve social service delivery,” the document stated. “Under the current circumstances, the resettlement of refugees, displaced and regrouped Burundians remains difficult...Sustainable success will depend on donors’ willingness to make longer-term commitments to Burundi’s future.” It warned that as a result of low donor contributions, the overwhelming humanitarian needs of some one million internally and externally displaced people remained desperate. The rest of Burundi’s 5.7 million people continued to suffer from insufficient access to food, basic social services and economic opportunities. [Click here for document: http://wwww.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/480fa8736b88bbc3c12564f6004c8ad5/acb758116a388205c125699700583deb?OpenDocument