RIYADH, 31 December 2004 — The local chapter of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has intensified its efforts to help the victims of the tsunami disaster that struck coastal areas of southern Asia.
Mamoon Muhsen, UNHCR’s external affairs officer, said here that “the UNHCR is currently in touch with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) including the Saudi Red Crescent Society to ensure delivery of aid and relief materials to the Asian countries. We will also work with the Gulf NGO Network (GNN), which was set up by this UN agency recently, with a mandate to coordinate efforts in times of conflicts and emergency situations like the one in Asia”.
He pointed out that the GNN, which has 17 major Gulf NGOs as members, “is currently working on an ambitious project for regional stockpiling of humanitarian relief materials to cater for the needs of people”. The official said that “international aid is urgently required for a growing number of displaced people in the Asian countries especially in the coastal areas. Most of the displaced persons have no access to clean drinking water, food, medicine and clothes during these winter days.”
