ORG/1429
6 January 2005
UN Staff Union Donates $100,000 to Aid Victims of Indian Ocean Tsunami
NEW YORK, 5 January (UN Staff Union) -- On 4 January 2005, the United Nations Staff Council met for the first time in the new year in a special session to discuss their contribution to the relief effort to aid victims of the earthquake and tsunami that has caused massive casualties of more than 150,000 and unprecedented damage throughout 11 countries along the coast of the Indian Ocean.
At that meeting, the Staff Council decided unanimously to exceptionally authorize a donation of $100,000 to be donated to the victims through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, noting the important role that the United Nations plays in the coordination of the international relief effort.
The day after the disaster the Union responded quickly by establishing a Staff Relief Fund and requested volunteers to collect funds, separately from the donation indicated above. Further discussions will be taken in the Staff Council, to determine other concrete measures that can be taken to aid the victims in this area.
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