ACT-Caritas Darfur Emergency Response Operation (DERO) Appeal
Source: ACT/Caritas - Darfur
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14 December 2006
Thirty months have passed since ACT and Caritas came together to deliver emergency support to displaced and vulnerable people in Darfur and to host communities. By combining the financial resources from 60 donor member organisations, and by harnessing our human resources and advocacy activities under a single management structure, the ACT-Caritas Darfur Emergency Response Operation (DERO) has become one of the largest humanitarian programmes in South and West Darfur and has proven its capacity to deliver services over a long period in this challenging area. We are now approaching our donors for their support as the operation enters a new critical period in 2007.
There were hopes that the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), signed in Abuja in May 2006, would bring some peace to the region and permit the process of rehabilitation and recovery to start. Unfortunately, this has not happened, and the humanitarian environment has deteriorated steadily. Further violence has led to new displacements. The U.N. estimates that in total over 200,000 people have been killed, more than 2 million driven from their homes to live in camps, and more than 3 million directly affected by the conflict. The violence has spread across the border into Chad, and there is a clear risk of a regional conflict breaking out. In this extremely difficult situation, it has become even more important to sustain a humanitarian operation in response to the needs of the most vulnerable people.
During 2006, the Darfur Emergency Response Operation (DERO) achieved a great deal. It continued to deliver essential services to 325,000 people, it underwent a strategic planning process which set the main policy for the period 2006-10, and developed a clear role for itself in advocacy and communication. In view of the unpredictable situation in Darfur, DERO is eager to enhance its response capacity and to build flexibility and resources into the programme to enable the team to adapt to changing circumstances. DERO will continue to develop the capacity of the national partners with a view to enabling them to take a stronger role in the management of the programme in the years ahead.
Throughout 2007, ACT and Caritas will continue to implement a joint response to the Darfur crisis. The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) is acting as the facilitating agency for the Caritas Network in Sudan, and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is the legally registered base in Sudan for both ACT and Caritas. The Sudan Council of Churches (SCC), Sudanaid and the Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO) are the national members and partners implementing programmes on behalf of ACT-Caritas DERO.
Project completion date: 31 December 2007
Summary of appeal targets, pledges/contributions received and balance requested
Total appeal target
US$12,894,759
Less pledges/contributions received
US$0
Balance requested from ACT and Caritas networks
US$12,894,759
For the full appeal, please visit the following site: http://act-intl.org/actcaritas/appeal/index.html
Signed,
John Nduna
Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office and Chair of DERO
Jose Maria Gallardo
Head of International
Cooperation Department,
Caritas Internationalis and Co-Chair of DERO
Action by Churches Together
Geneva, Switzerland
Callie Long, Communications Officer: + 41 22 791 6039 or
Stephen Padre, Information Officer + 41 22 791 6711
Caritas Internationalis
Vatican City
Nancy McNally, media officer:
+39 06 698 79 752
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