ICRC News 14 / 12-Apr-01


Republic of Guinea
End of emergency assistance for internally displaced

Since the beginning of the year, some 83,000 internally displaced citizens
of the Republic of Guinea have received food and other relief items from
the ICRC. In total, 96,000 people have benefited from such aid since
fighting broke out in September 2000.

The aid has been distributed mainly in south-eastern Guinea, but also in
Kindia, Forecariah and Haute-Guinee. In the next few days, nearly 2,000
more people will receive food and the emergency phase of the operation
will come to an end.

During the next phase, tens of thousands of people in the most vulnerable
categories (single-parent families, the elderly and unaccompanied
children) will be given food and basic necessities. People are now
starting to return to Gueckedou, an important commercial centre situated
four kilometres from the Liberian border. The town had been subjected to
repeated attacks, forcing its 90,000 inhabitants to flee.

Since the start of the year, the ICRC has increased its operational
capacity in the Republic of Guinea, where it now has 20 expatriates
covering Conakry, Kissidougou, Nzerekore and Kankan

Further information: Juan Martinez, ICRC Geneva, tel. ++41 22 730 22 81


During the days 13 and 14 April, for all information please call the press
officer on duty, Antonella Notari, on (mobile) ++ 41 79 217 32 80,
and
the 15 and 16 April,  please call duty press officer 
Francoise Derron  on ++ 41 79 217 32 64 (mobile)