Uzbekistan, Tashkent, July 13 / Trend D. Azizov /
U.N. Office in Uzbekistan Resident Coordinator Anita Nirodi sent a letter Monday to Uzbek President Islam Karimov, praising the country's "effective efforts in response to the humanitarian crisis after the violence in Kyrgyzstan in June." The violence led to a massive influx of refugees into Uzbekistan's eastern regions.
"The U.N. Office in Uzbekistan is deeply grateful to Your Excellency and the Uzbek government for its close, effective and timely cooperation with U.N. agencies," she wrote in her letter. "They received immediate access to the refugee camps set up in Uzbekistan after the first wave of cruel riots in Kyrgyzstan."
The letter notes that U.N., UNICEF and WHO representatives visited the refugee camps upon the Uzbek government's invitation, reeived first-hand information about their situation and were amazed by the high-level commitments and measures taken by the Uzbek leadership.
Following consultations with the Uzbek government, U.N. agencies, including UNHCR, UNICEF, the U.N. World Food Program, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the WHO, and the U.N. Fund for Population Activities, sent staff and humanitarian assistance to the refugees.
After their return home in late June, the humanitarian aid was transferred to Kyrgyzstan.
"We express our gratitude to the Uzbek government for supporting our work," Nirodi said.
She also stressed her hope for further cooperation.
Roughly 100,000 citizens were provisionally accepted and placed in Uzbekistan's Andijan, Namangan and Ferghana regions clashes in southern Kyrgyzstan June 11-15.
The Uzbek government took all the measures to maximize the operational and targeted delivery of aid for temporary migrants from Kyrgyzstan, Nirodi said. They received the necessary assistance from Uzbek government, enterprises and institutions, public organizations and the general public. About 50 camps were equipped in border areas for the temporary migrants.
The Uzbek government also provided its own humanitarian aid to the refugees, totaling 4.034 billion soum. National organizations and companies allocated funds in excess of 3.1 billion soum.