Hon Murray McCully
Minister of Foreign Affairs

18 October 2016

NZ humanitarian support for Mosul

Foreign Minister Murray McCully today announced that New Zealand will provide $1 million to help meet the humanitarian needs of people affected by the military campaign to liberate Mosul from ISIL control. This funding will be provided through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

New Zealand will also support the United Nations’ work to coordinate the humanitarian response in Mosul, by funding an information management and mapping specialist to help track the flows of internally displaced persons.

“The campaign to retake Mosul is a watershed moment in the fight against ISIL,” Mr McCully says.

“Mosul is Iraq’s second largest city and one of ISIL’s remaining territorial strongholds. The campaign to liberate it from ISIL will not be easy, and in the worst case scenario could displace hundreds of thousands of civilians.

“New Zealand’s funding will help IOM and its partners develop emergency sites to provide shelter and essential assistance to those who choose to move out of the city,” Mr McCully says.

Today’s announcement brings New Zealand’s total humanitarian assistance to those affected by violence in Syria and Iraq to $25 million.

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