ID :
64078
Wed, 06/03/2009 - 18:05
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/64078
The shortlink copeid
UNICEF aid flowing steady in N. Korea: Pyongyang chief
SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. children's agency said Wednesday its
humanitarian aid operations in North Korea remain steady amid diplomatic
tensions, and that Pyongyang will soon sign an agreement to allow a nationwide
nutritional survey.
"The situation with regard to access and monitoring is the same as it has been in
the past," Gopalan Balagopal, UNICEF representative in Pyongyang, said in an
email interview.
"UNICEF undertakes regular field visits to monitor progress of work and holds
periodic review meetings with counterparts," he said.
Regional tensions further rose after North Korea conducted its second nuclear
test on May 25 and later fired a series of short-range missiles. As the U.N.
Security Council was discussing ways to punish the North for the nuclear blast,
Pyongyang warned of further "self-defense counter-measures."
As part of efforts to improve the health of North Korean children and mothers,
the agency will soon sign an agreement with the North Korean government to
conduct a nutritional survey across the country, set to start in October,
Balagopal said.
"We are finalizing a memorandum of understanding with the government shortly for
going ahead with a multiple indicator cluster survey, which will have a nutrition
component," he said.
Another aid agency, the U.N. Development Program, is also preparing to restart
its program in North Korea after a two-year hiatus, he said. Four UNDP members
came to Pyongyang on May 19, and two of them are staying there, keeping "busy
with work for restarting their program," Balagopal said.
UNDP withdrew from Pyongyang in early 2007 after suspicions arose over North
Korea's misappropriation of development funds.
June is a typically lean period in the North in terms of food security, and
UNICEF sees increasing numbers of malnourished children in nurseries and
hospitals, according to the official.
North Korea's harvest this year is expected to fall 1.17 million tons short of
food needed to feed its 24 million people, according to the Seoul government.
Even if the North's own imports and Chinese aid are counted in, the net shortage
will likely surpass 500,000 tons, it said.
Balagopal said his agency has secured about half of its US$13 million target
budget for operations in North Korea this year.
He noted there are "some indications" that access to the provinces in the
northeast may be restricted to the U.N. agencies. He did not elaborate and said
the U.N. will stop its assistance if the access is not guaranteed.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
humanitarian aid operations in North Korea remain steady amid diplomatic
tensions, and that Pyongyang will soon sign an agreement to allow a nationwide
nutritional survey.
"The situation with regard to access and monitoring is the same as it has been in
the past," Gopalan Balagopal, UNICEF representative in Pyongyang, said in an
email interview.
"UNICEF undertakes regular field visits to monitor progress of work and holds
periodic review meetings with counterparts," he said.
Regional tensions further rose after North Korea conducted its second nuclear
test on May 25 and later fired a series of short-range missiles. As the U.N.
Security Council was discussing ways to punish the North for the nuclear blast,
Pyongyang warned of further "self-defense counter-measures."
As part of efforts to improve the health of North Korean children and mothers,
the agency will soon sign an agreement with the North Korean government to
conduct a nutritional survey across the country, set to start in October,
Balagopal said.
"We are finalizing a memorandum of understanding with the government shortly for
going ahead with a multiple indicator cluster survey, which will have a nutrition
component," he said.
Another aid agency, the U.N. Development Program, is also preparing to restart
its program in North Korea after a two-year hiatus, he said. Four UNDP members
came to Pyongyang on May 19, and two of them are staying there, keeping "busy
with work for restarting their program," Balagopal said.
UNDP withdrew from Pyongyang in early 2007 after suspicions arose over North
Korea's misappropriation of development funds.
June is a typically lean period in the North in terms of food security, and
UNICEF sees increasing numbers of malnourished children in nurseries and
hospitals, according to the official.
North Korea's harvest this year is expected to fall 1.17 million tons short of
food needed to feed its 24 million people, according to the Seoul government.
Even if the North's own imports and Chinese aid are counted in, the net shortage
will likely surpass 500,000 tons, it said.
Balagopal said his agency has secured about half of its US$13 million target
budget for operations in North Korea this year.
He noted there are "some indications" that access to the provinces in the
northeast may be restricted to the U.N. agencies. He did not elaborate and said
the U.N. will stop its assistance if the access is not guaranteed.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
