Rudd commends Uniting Church in announcing Horn of Africa initiative

The Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, stood outside Tecoma Uniting Church in Melbourne to announce the Australian Government’s plans to support Australian NGOs, including the Relief and Development Unit of UnitingWorld, in their response to the Horn of Africa crisis.

The Australian Government’s Dollar-for-Dollar initiative will match each dollar donated to appeals run by AusAID-accredited non-government organisations working to alleviate the food crisis in the Horn of Africa from October 5 until November 30.

Speaking of the Uniting Church, Mr Rudd said, “I’m proud of the Uniting Church and what it does locally, nationally, and with partners overseas.”

As an AusAID accredited agency and a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct, UnitingWorld Relief and Development Unit’s Horn of Africa Crisis Appeal is eligible for this initiative.

The need for assistance remains acute.

• More than 13 million people require urgent humanitarian aid.
• In Somalia 750,000 people are at risk of starvation and 1.3 million children are acutely malnourished.
• Unprecedented numbers of people are fleeing their homes for neighbouring countries.
• The situation is being made worse by life-threatening cholera and measles outbreaks in the region.

The Rev. Dr Kerry Enright, National Director of UnitingWorld, attended the announcement and welcomed the Government’s commitment to the NGO efforts for the Horn of Africa.

To find out more about UnitingWorld’s Horn of Africa Crisis Appeal visit its website or call 1800 000 331.