US to provide $125 million for UNHCR 2012 operations

Funds will be used to help care for refugees and internally displaced people in Pakistan along with the countries.

WASHINGTON DC: The United States said on Thursday it will contribute an initial $125 million to the UN refugee agency's 2012 operations, including support for refugees returning to Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as internally displaced refugees in countries such as Pakistan.

The State Department said the funds for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will also help care for refugees and internally displaced people in Iraq, Yemen, Nepal, Pakistan, Georgia, South Sudan, Chad and Kenya.

"US funding supports the provision of water, shelter, food, health care, and education to refugees, internally displaced persons, and other persons under UNHCR's care and protection" in such countries, it said in a statement.

Some $50.4 million goes toward UNHCR operations in Africa, $15.5 million dollars to the Asia and Pacific region, $4.0 million to Europe, $40.6 million to the Middle East, and $2.9 million to the Western Hemisphere, it said.

Another $4.0 million will go toward global operations, $4.1 million to emergency response activities and $3.5 million to UNHCR headquarters.

In 2011, the United States contributed a total of more than $690 million dollars to UNHCR operations, including for emergencies.

Late in 2011, the US stopped some UN funding after one of its organisations working on children, admitted Palestine as a member.