United Nations
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Belgrade

Review of Urgent Assistance Needs for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Excluding Kosovo)

Winter/Spring 2000/2001

December 5, 2000

The total population of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in FRY is approximately 718,300 of whom 395,000 require material assistance, provided primarily by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and Red Cross organizations as well as some through international and local NGOs and municipal authorities. Key practical requirements of this group include adequate accommodation (including heating for the winter) and opportunities to earn an income.

Less than 10% of refugees and IDPs live in collective centres; the remainder are temporarily accommodated with relatives, other host families, or in rented housing. The immediate practical conditions and needs of refugees and IDPs are broadly analogous with those of the local population. For instance, the refugee/internally-displaced population also use (and place an extra burden on) health, education, social welfare and other public services and are therefore affected by poor conditions in these sectors. Similarly, lack of income, which is a common problem in the local population, is a particularly serious constraint for this group. The vast majority has great difficulty paying for items such as food and other material assistance, medicine, electricity and heating fuel.

Durable solutions in the form of return, local integration or (on a very small scale) resettlement will be pursued in the coming year. However, regardless of their eventual citizenship and location, the most vulnerable among the displaced will continue to require assistance in order to meet their basic needs. In the longer term many of these people will probably be transferred to the social welfare system in whichever place they settle permanently. Costs related to urgent needs for refugees and IDPs over the next six months amount to about US$ 50 million, of which about half has been pledged by donors. Table 7 shows a breakdown of needs, donor contributions and gaps.

Table 7 (US$ Millions)

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