Mr. President,
I too want to thank Under Secretary-General Jan Egeland for his briefing on some of the continuing critical humanitarian challenges in Africa. We're grateful for his first-hand report on the initiative mediated by the Government of Southern Sudan to bring an end to the mayhem perpetrated by the Lord's Resistance Army. We also thank him for his report on the precarious situation in Darfur. We appreciate Under Secretary-general Egeland's intensive efforts to draw attention to these problems, including the restrictions imposed on those trying to deliver humanitarian assistance.
The United States supports the Juba peace process. We welcome the November 1 signing of the renewed Cessation of Hostilities Agreement first formulated on August 26. We urge adherence to the agreement as a step toward a peaceful solution to the longstanding conflict in northern Uganda.
The United States is providing considerable assistance to communities affected by the conflict. This has included $71 million this year to address the humanitarian crisis, peace initiatives, rehabilitation and development needs in northern Uganda. Much of this aid is food aid. The remainder focuses on HIV/AIDS programs, anti-malaria initiatives, education, training, and improving agricultural productivity. We will continue to assist the region, particularly as the internally displaced population returns home. Pending a successful peace agreement, we will support reconstruction efforts as well.
We are pleased that the international community has begun using the cluster approach in efforts to address the humanitarian needs of internally displaced persons in northern Uganda. However, we believe better coordination is needed among governments and agencies involved in these efforts.
Ending the violence in Darfur remains one of the highest priorities for the United States. We will continue to work closely with the United Nations, the African Union and our international partners to end the violence in Darfur, to hold individuals accountable for atrocities that have been committed, and to ensure the delivery of humanitarian relief. We hope the consensus reached at the November 16 meeting in Addis Ababa will lead to peace and security for the people of Darfur.
The U.S. provides significant humanitarian assistance to affected populations in Darfur and to Sudanese refugees in Chad. We also have funds in place to respond effectively should current refugee and IDP populations dramatically increase. In the last fiscal year, we provided over $500 million in humanitarian assistance in Darfur and eastern Chad. We are supporting numerous NGOs and international organizations involved which are providing assistance.
These humanitarian activities range from food aid to psychological assistance for victims of trauma. However, we remain convinced that this is not enough. In order to end the suffering and save lives in Darfur, an effective peacekeeping operation as elaborated in UN Security Council Resolution 1706 should be deployed under UN command and control.
Thank you, Mr. President.
