UN seeks millions to help fleeing Somalis [Archives:2007/1071/Local News]

SANA'A, 24 July -The UN's refugee agency UNHCR said Tuesday it needs 47.8 million dollars to help protect Somalis fleeing daily battles in their country, as the numbers of those needing assistance are set to increase by the end of next year. The united Nation said by the end of 2008, 478,000 people will need help as opposed to 312,000 now, but the world body attributed this rise to greater access to people displaced within Somalia.

Most of the money would be spent on the Somalis still in the country, including the 400,000 who fled bloody clashes in the capital Mogadishu this year, whereas the remainder would go toward assisting refugees in neighboring Ethiopia, Kenya, Yemen and Djibouti.

” $22.6 million is needed for internally displaced people in Somalia, $12.6 million for new refugees in Ethiopia, $7.5 million for new refugees in Kenya, $4 million for new refugees in Yemen and $776,000 for new refugees in Djibouti.” Said UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis. She warned that that the total number of people displaced may also rise to around 528,000 by end 2008 from 500,000 now.

“The program will include protection monitoring and tracking of population movements as part of an early warning system to improve future humanitarian responses.””

Last week the official news agency reported that the office of UNHCR in Yemen and the Immigration