UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK - The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) today welcomed the strong expression of support from the 133-member "Group of 77" developing countries, which sent a statement to the United States, urging it to restore its contributions to the Fund. The United States announced its decision in July to withhold $34 million appropriated for UNFPA by Congress. Africa's 53 countries in the United Nations made a similar appeal recently in a letter to the United States Secretary of State, Colin Powell.
"I am deeply gratified and moved by this strong support from the developing nations for UNFPA's efforts to help improve the health and well-being of millions of women, men, girls and boys in their countries," said Thoraya Obaid, the Fund's Executive Director. "I have been to Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and have seen the high demand for the health services we support. UNFPA will continue to support safe motherhood until motherhood is safe for all women in developing countries. We will continue to support the prevention of HIV/AIDS until its spread is reversed. We will continue to support access to quality and voluntary family planning services. We will continue to advocate for girls' right to education, until gender disparity in schools is eliminated."
The Group of 77 stated that the decision to withhold contributions to UNFPA would have "negative consequences for the global effort to prevent HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and achieve the goals of the International Conference on Population and Development related to reproductive health and family planning, among others."
They noted that a reduction in funding to UNFPA would "jeopardize programmes in many developing countries where UNFPA's support has been, and remains, critical for poverty eradication and for sustainable development". UNFPA is the only source of external population assistance for many developing countries, they added.
The Group of 77 urged the United States to reconsider its action since its independent investigative team found no evidence to back the allegations on which the decision was based and had recommended that the funds appropriated for UNFPA be released. Releasing the funds, they added, would help international development cooperation and efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, adopted by the world's leaders in September 2000. They include those to eradicate extreme poverty, reduce maternal death, halt the spread of HIV/AIDS and eliminate gender disparity in schools.
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UNFPA is the world's largest multilateral source of population assistance. Since it became operational in 1969, it has provided more than $5.6 billion in assistance to developing countries. The United Nations General Assembly has welcomed the Fund's contributions towards improving the quality of human life.
Contact Information:
Abubakar Dungus
Tel.: +1 (212) 297-5031
Fax: +1 (212) 557-6416
Email: dungus@unfpa.org