Australian High Commission
Canada
Address: Suite 710, 50 O'Connor Street, Ottawa, ON K1P 6L2 - Tel: 613-236-0841 - Fax: 613-236-4376

AUSTRALIA GIVES $1 MILLION AID FOR KENYA

Australia is to provide $1 million to support international groups helping to meet the immediate needs of people affected by the terrible post-election violence in Kenya.

Announcing the aid deal, Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Stephen Smith, said that the aid would be channeled trough Australia’s international aid agency, AusAID, and directed to the International and Kenyan Red Cross groups and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Mr. Smith said that these organisations had the relevant expertise and also had teams of professional local staff in Kenya providing vital food, medicines, shelter and protection to those affected and displaced by the violence.

The International Committee of the Red Cross is working to reunite families and, through the provision of relief services, helping bring calm to communities and also resolve and prevent further conflict.

Australia would continue to closely monitor the situation, and consider further humanitarian and conflict prevention support should this be required,” Mr. Smith said.

Canberra
08 January 2007