12/21/2004

These refugees have not received any organized food distribution in six weeks. Despite the United Nations' assessment that host communities in Liberia were unable to provide sufficient food to support the influx of approximately 6,000 refugees from Côte d'Ivoire, the United Nations High Commission on Refugees and the World Food Program have failed to distribute food for six weeks.

The UN interagency approach in Liberia has been plagued with infighting and lack of communication. While the failures in providing proper support to IDPs may be explained by the absence of clear mandates and a confused and bureaucratic planning process, the UN failure to provide for Ivoirian refugees is more difficult to understand. UNHCR and WFP have sufficient staff and resources, and a clear mandate to help these people.

Refugees International is calling on the UN agencies to distribute food immediately to the thousands of Ivoirian refugees in Liberia.