UN appeals for US$ 877m for Rohingyas in Bangladesh

GBNEWS24 DESK//

United Nations agencies and NGO partners today launched 2020 Joint Response Plan (JRP) seeking 877 million US dollars for the need of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas as well as host community in Bangladesh.

“Building on the efforts and success of previous years, the appeal aims to raise US$ 877 million to respond to the needs of approximately 855,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar and over 444,000 vulnerable Bangladeshis in the communities generously hosting them,” a UNHCR press release said today.

The UN body said Bangladesh government and its people have shown immense solidarity in welcoming the Rohingyas displaced from Myanamr.

This year marks the third year of exile for most Rohingyas in Bangladesh, following their flight from Myanmar in 2017, the release said, adding health, protection, education, site management, energy and environment continue to be critical to ensuring the safety and dignity of Rohingyas and the well-being of local Bangladeshis.

“The Rohingya are clear that they want to go home, but only when they and their families will be safe, when they can access to basic rights and services and see a pathway to citizenship in Myanmar,” said the UHCNR.

Support of the 2020 Joint Response Plan is essential to safeguarding the well-being of Rohingyas – both now in Bangladesh and once it is safe and sustainable for them to return home to Myanmar, the UN said.

“Until then, the world must stand by the Rohingya and by the government and people of Bangladesh who continue to host them.” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on the occasion.

He laid emphasis on hearing the Rohingya voices and understanding their hopes and vision for the future.

The 2020 JRP places a clearer and stronger emphasis on areas that have most impacted host communities, including public service infrastructure and delivery, access to sustainable livelihoods, rehabilitation of the environment and energy initiatives.

“From the moment the international community responded to the crisis in August 2017, we committed ourselves to a long-term investment working with the government to create sustainable, dignified living arrangements for all until such time as they could safely return home, and to provide meaningful support to host communities,” said IOM Director General Ant>nio Vitorino.

The 2020 JRP’s focus on infrastructure, livelihoods, protection and the environment are extensions of the work completed to date.

The objectives are closely aligned with the longer-term Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it added.

The 2020 JRP will also allow humanitarian partners to seize the important opportunity offered by the Bangladesh government’s decision in January to authorize use of the Myanmar school curriculum for Rohingya refugee children.

Through the 2020 JRP, the UN said the government and humanitarian community will build upon solid work and lessons learned over the past two years in emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction efforts.