16:27,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS. The United Nations launched a final report on the humanitarian Inter-Agency Response to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between October 2020 and December 2021, the UN Office in Armenia said.

More than 40,4 million USD were mobilized and allocated to implement the Inter-Agency Response Plan (IARP) activities that comprehensively addressed the needs of the 90,000 persons who arrived to Armenia as a result of the escalation of the conflict in and around Nagorno-Karabakh (NK).

As the co-coordinators of the inter-agency response, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency -, together with the United Nations (UN) Country Team, Partners, and Representatives of the Government of Armenia presented the final report on the implementation of the 2021 Armenia Inter-Agency Response Plan (IARP). At the very outset of the NK conflict, the UN and Partners conceived the IARP to complement the efforts of the Government of Armenia, to provide humanitarian assistance including shelter, health services, food and cash and protection support to the 90,000 individuals (88 per cent being women and children) from in and around NK in Armenia. 

The IARP partners coordinated efforts within five humanitarian thematic working groups and in close coordination with national and local authorities such as municipalities as well as other stakeholders. Assistance provided under the IARP directly benefited both the refugee-like population and the host communities.

At the official launch, the results and achievements documented in the final report were presented to both Government and partners, including the UN agencies, international and national NGOs, intergovernmental organizations, government entities, and international organizations.

In his welcoming remarks Deputy Foreign Minister, Vahe Gevorgyan, expressed gratitude for the effective cooperation with the UN and all the partners during the inter-agency response and highly appreciated the work done.

“Humanitarian and development partners together with the UN in Armenia have made an important difference to the well-being and lives of those displaced: 71,218 individuals benefitted from basic assistance; 45,745 individuals – from seasonal items; 26,730 individuals/6,051 households reached through protection monitoring; 8,383 children and adolescents – various activities enabling a good learning environment, etc. The IARP and the underlying coordination architecture created a platform for coordinated mobilization of critical support and channelling solidarity through enhanced humanitarian donor engagement,” noted Ms. Lila Pieters Yahia, UN RC a.i. in Armenia, at the launch.  

“UNHCR sincerely thanks the donor states for their commitment and support for the vulnerable displaced population in Armenia.” said the UNHCR Representative in Armenia, Ms. Anna-Carin Öst. Built on the effective coordination and cooperation between the state and NGO partners, the 2021 multi-donor contribution enabled the UN Family in Armenia to ensure timely and crucial support to the displaced families. It improved the protection environment and eased the burden-sharing of the communities which have warmly welcomed and hosted the displaced families with vulnerable women, children and elderly,” Ms. Anna-Carin Öst concluded.

Donors and implementing partners shared their feedback and commended on the effective crisis response.