Brussels, 26/11/2001 (Agence Europe) - On 27 November the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, the European commissioner for development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid, Poul Nielson and the Belgian State Secretary for Development Co-operation Eddy Boutmans launched a joint appeal in Brussels to the international community to provide 2.5 billion dollars in aid to more than 33 million people who are directly affected by humanitarian crises around the world. The consolidated Inter-agency Appeal emphasises on the need to reach "the vulnerable" and focuses on the:
The African Great Lakes Region where more than one million refugees and three million people are displaced within their own country. The appeal in Burundi has a special focus on promoting the peace process, whereas the appeal for the Democratic Republic of the Congo emphasises the need to revive local economies.
South-eastern Europe, particularly the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Southern Serbia focuses on the necessity of protecting refugees and displaced persons and promoting human and minority rights.