SRI LANKA: Northern development faces $200m shortfall

Photo: Amantha Perera/IRIN

Food security is a growing concern in Sri Lanka's north

COLOMBO, 5 October 2011 (IRIN) - The Joint Plan for Assistance (JPA) for Sri Lanka's war-torn Northern Province is facing a US$200 million shortfall, according to the UN. 

Of the JPA's $289 million appeal, only $76.5 million, or 26 percent, has been received, the latest Joint Humanitarian and Early Recovery Update released on 27 September states. 

Officials at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) declined to comment in detail on how the funding shortfall would affect operations. But a mid-year assessment of the plan showed only 13 percent of humanitarian, 32 percent of urgent early recovery and 16 percent of early recovery requirements had been met. 

UN officials indicated it was highly unlikely the full appeal would be met this year. Further constraints were avoided in May when Valerie Amos, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, released $4.9 million to the priority sectors: food security, agriculture, protection, shelter, water and sanitation, nutrition and health. [ read more ]