Brussels, 02/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - Five United Nations agencies (Unicef, the FAO - Food and Agriculture Organisation - the World Food Programme, the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Population Fund) stressed on 30 April that the international sanctions on North Korea - including the sanctions of the EU - have had a negative impact on the funding of humanitarian aid operations in the country. The agencies state in a press release that, even if the sanctions exclude humanitarian aid, they have a negative impact on the level of funding of humanitarian operations. The five agencies regret receiving only a little more than a quarter of the $147 million needed for the year, and have launched an emergency appeal for $29.4 million so as to fund food and medical aid. In the agencies' opinion, the financial situation is very difficult and poses a challenge to the continuation of their activities in North Korea.
European sanctions try to avoid affecting the population. The spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton told EUROPE that the EU sanctions “are directly targeted at North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programmes and to persons and entities involved in these programmes” and that they “foresee clear exemptions to mitigate any unintended effect on the population, including with regard to humanitarian assistance”. The spokesperson added that the impact of the EU's autonomous measures is assessed beforehand “to avoid any adverse effect on the population”. However, the United States has imposed sanctions on North Korea's foreign trade bank - North Korea's main institution for international transfers, used by all NGOs, UN agencies and embassies. Although the UN and EU have not set up such a sanction, many banks respect it - which impacts on the finances of the UN agencies. (CG/transl.fl)