Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs

28 July 2006
Media statement

NZ aid for Darfur refugees

New Zealand is to contribute $1.5 million to the United Nations World Food Programme to support its humanitarian response in the Darfur region of Sudan, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today.

“A peace agreement was signed by some of the warring parties in May, but it may be some time before it is safe for those displaced by the conflict to return their home areas," Mr Peters said.

"In the meantime, half a million people depend on the World Food Programme for food assistance, and New Zealand’s grant will help provide for their needs.

“We will fund the distribution of food to camps in the region, with the focus on women and children. As people eventually return to their homes, the World Food Programme will continue to provide supplies to make the transition less difficult.

Ethnic conflict broke out in the Darfur region of west Sudan in 2003, and about 1.8m people have been displaced.

ENDS

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