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UN grants Tanzania 11 million USD to assist Burundian refugees

Xinhua, February 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

The United Nations has released 11 million USD to assist Tanzania to respond to the urgent needs of refugees fleeing from Burundi, the UN said in a statement on Monday.

More than 126,000 Burundians have sought refuge in Tanzania since April 2015 as a result of political unrest in Burundi.

With 64,000 Congolese refugees already in the country, Tanzania is now home to over 193,000 refugees.

At the weekly arrival rate of 1,500 individuals, it is anticipated that the refugee population may increase to 230,000 by the end of 2016.

"This situation poses significant challenges in providing adequate assistance and protection to refugees," said the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon.

The statement said the UN's contribution will be crucial in the provision of humanitarian assistance to Burundian refugees residing in Nyarugusu, Nduta and Mtendeli refugee camps in the east African nation's western region of Kigoma.

The statement said the money will also be used to host communities in urgent need of clean water, adequate sanitation, health care, food and shelter.

Part of the funding will also be used to address the on-going cholera outbreak that has severely affected 19 regions in the country, said the statement.

"This allocation will help sustain life-saving relief in emergencies where the needs of the most vulnerable communities are alarmingly high while the available resources for response remain critically low," said Alvaro Rodriguez, the UN Resident Coordinator in Tanzania. Endit