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Australia provides further Humanitarian Assistance to Zimbabwe
Australian Embassy Harare, Zimbabwe
May 24, 2006

Australia is to provide close to 10 million Rand in further humanitarian relief assistance in Zimbabwe, where continued economic decline has put an estimated 4 million people at risk from hunger and HIV/AIDS.

While Australia has suspended development cooperation with Zimbabwe, an exception continues to be made in order to provide humanitarian assistance to ordinary Zimbabweans.

The country's commercial agriculture sector has collapsed following policies of the Government of Zimbabwe which have caused severe food shortages and hyper-inflation. As conditions deteriorate Australia is providing around 5 million Rand to the World Food Programme for food aid and almost 2.5 million Rand to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation for agricultural relief activities.

A further 2.5 million Rand will be provided to Mercy Corps, an international consortium of non government organisations (NGOs), to provide food, primary health care and welfare services in both rural and urban areas. This brings Australia's support to international relief efforts for vulnerable Zimbabweans to around 15 million Rand in the current financial year.

Australia will continue to monitor closely the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe and other Southern African countries and respond to priority needs in coordination with other donors.

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