Humanitarian Response Plan for storm victims funded at just 25%, says UNOCHA Myanmar

By Admin 20 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
20 August 2023, Sittwe

The Humanitarian Response Plan and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal are only funded at 25 percent, UNOCHA Myanmar said in a statement on August 19.

UNOCHA Myanmar released the statement after the head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Martin Griffiths, met with junta boss Min Aung Hlaing on August 15.

“Successive crises in Myanmar have left one-third of the population in need of humanitarian aid,” Griffiths said in a statement.

“UNOCHA is meeting with the junta boss to make an international presentation to get the funds it needs. The military regime also met with the UN humanitarian chief to spread the word about what they are doing to the international community,” said U Than Soe Naing, a political analyst.

Griffiths’ visit to Arakan State came one day after he met junta boss Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw to discuss the provision of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar. The UN humanitarian chief also met officials from the Arakan State military council, residents and Muslim IDPs on August 16.

During the meeting with the UN humanitarian chief, Muslim IDPs asked for help because they could not rebuild their homes due to food and financial difficulties, said U Hla Kyaw, manager of Ohntawgyi (South) Muslim IDP camp.

Nearly 290,000 houses were damaged or destroyed in northern Arakan State by Cyclone Mocha, which made landfall on May 14. The cyclone ultimately affected more than 1.5 million people.

The cost of direct damages to buildings, infrastructure and agriculture from Cyclone Mocha in Arakan and Chin states, and Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay regions, is estimated at US$2.24 billion, the World Bank said in a report on August 7. More than 70 percent of the total damages occurred in Arakan State.