NGOs conf. for supporting Iraq endorses implementation programs in affected areas in Iraq

KUWAIT, Feb 12 (KUNA) -- Participants in the conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to support the humanitarian situation in Iraq recommended Monday to implement humanitarian and development programs, worth 335 million dollars, in Iraqi areas affected by armed conflicts.
In their final communique, participants emphasized on the need to have such programs distributed in areas of health, shelter, education, rehabilitation and other humanitarian fields, stressing on the need to respond to the humanitarian situation in Iraq, particularly in affected areas.
The officials stressed importance of setting up a mechanism to follow up on the outcome of the conference through regular meetings and follow-up on the implementation of these humanitarian programs, through quarterly reports in the coming years.
Participants also called for donor organizations to implement and supervise their programs in cooperation and coordination with Iraqi local authorities in order to promote the principle of transparency and to make maximum use of those affected by relief and development programs.
Participants stressed on the need as well to continue to consolidate and strengthen humanitarian partnership efforts in adopting relief programs to support basic needs of Iraqis, and to help displaced Iraqis in various areas.
Participants stressed the importance of prioritizing relief and development programs to the most affected areas without neglecting the rest of the affected areas indirectly and that contributing organizations follow-up through reports on progress they made.
The NGOs also called on the Iraqi Government to expand its support and facilities for NGOs to carry out their humanitarian responsibilities in the implementation of relief and development programs.
They called on Iraqi authorities to provide accurate information and data on the humanitarian situation in Iraq and to draw up plans, programs, and priorities regarding the humanitarian situation there.
Participants underlined the importance of working to strengthen Iraqi civil society capabilities.
NGOs called for condemning various forms of terrorism, fanaticism, extremism, and sectarianism, regardless of its source, and to uphold the values of tolerance, coexistence, religious and cultural diversity among all Iraqi people.
And finally, NGOs expressed their thanks and appreciation for the initiative by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to host this conference, expressing their hope that the conference will contribute to the revival and growth of Iraq once again.
Earlier, the NGOs conference was launched to discuss the latest humanitarian situation and response efforts there, within the framework of Kuwait International Conference for the Reconstruction of Iraq (KICRI), which is held from February 12 to 14. (Pickup previous) amn.fn.mab.mb