United Nations Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS
OCHA coordinates international humanitarian responses,
including contingency planning when appropriate.
When a major complex crisis arises, OCHA consults
with the UN Country Team through the UN Resident
and/or Humanitarian Coordinator in the country/ies
concerned and undertakes inter-agency consultation
at UN headquarters in Geneva and New York to reach
agreement on the main humanitarian priorities for
action. OCHA then provides support for the coordination
of activities in-country. It also assists in resource
mobilization by launching inter-agency appeals and
monitoring the progress of relief efforts.
It provides the humanitarian community with support
in policy development. OCHA also tries to ensure
that major humanitarian issues are addressed, including
those that fall between the existing mandates of
humanitarian organisations.
OCHA also provides information and analysis to
help raise awareness and enhance understanding of
humanitarian issues, through its website and electronic
mail.
Any UN member state is free to participate in OCHA
operations/activities (no membership costs are involved).
South Africa is not a member of the Governing Body.
GENERAL COMMENTS
The main benefit of South Africa's association
with OCHA, is that it provides humanitarian assistance
to civilian victims of conflicts and natural disasters,
and, if necessary, protection. In 1998, an estimated
US$2,160 billion of humanitarian assistance was
requested to support 12,8 million people suffering
as a result of complex emergencies (world-wide).
The victims of 61 natural and environmental disasters
were assisted in 1998, and the international community
provided over US$1 billion in aid (including bilateral
aid).
During March 1998 OCHA contributed humanitarian
relief amounting to $3,6 million to the victims
of floods in Mozambique.
