More Funding for Iraq's Minorities

 

In July 2015, at the behest of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, and with the support of the Global Coalition¹ to Defeat ISIS, the United Nations Development Programme established the Funding Facility for Stabilization², or FFS. USAID provided the initial outlay³ of $7 million, and since then, 23 donors⁴ have contributed over $507 million in funding.

The goal was to meet the immediate⁵ needs of Iraq's civilian⁶ population as ISIS–held areas were liberated⁷, and to create conditions that would allow the return of those who had fled the violence. This is a herculean effort. It means clearing land mines left by ISIS, repairing or rebuilding critical infrastructure⁸ such as electricity, water and sewage systems, and rehabilitating⁹ schools, health centers and municipal buildings. It means employing youth to remove rubble¹⁰, opening transport routes, and revitalizing the city.

But as is common with such difficult tasks in such complex security environments, they take place only as security conditions allow and focus on areas where they can do the most good for the most people. Because of these challenges, thousands of displaced Iraqis, including Christians¹¹, Yezidis and Sunni Muslims, continue to struggle rebuild their lives.

Last July, the United States pledged $150 million to FFS. The money would be transferred in two payments of $75 million, but the second delivery was to be contingent¹² on the U.N. Development Programme completing enhancements in the stabilization fund's accountability and transparency.

In an effort to hasten relief to northern Iraq's minorities, the United States has announced that $55 of the $75 million for the UN's Funding Facility for Stabilization will be allocated¹³ for projects in minority communities in the Ninewa Plains and Sinjar.

"The U.N. still gets some of its money for this,” said State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert. “But we will look for other avenues in which to more efficiently¹⁴ fund these types of religious minorities so that they can eventually return back home."

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

3 outlay   

n.费用，经费，支出；v.花费

参考例句：

• There was very little outlay on new machinery.添置新机器的开支微乎其微。
• The outlay seems to bear no relation to the object aimed at.这费用似乎和预期目的完全不相称。

4 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

6 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

7 liberated   

a.无拘束的，放纵的

参考例句：

• The city was liberated by the advancing army. 军队向前挺进，解放了那座城市。
• The heat brings about a chemical reaction, and oxygen is liberated. 热量引起化学反应，释放出氧气。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 rehabilitating   

改造（罪犯等）( rehabilitate的现在分词 )； 使恢复正常生活； 使恢复原状； 修复

参考例句：

• a unit for rehabilitating drug addicts 帮助吸毒者恢复正常生活的机构
• She was more concerned about protecting the public than rehabilitating the criminal. 她比较关心保护百姓，而不大关心改造罪犯。

10 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

11 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

12 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

13 allocated   

adj. 分配的 动词allocate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The Ford Foundation allocated millions of dollars for cancer research. 福特基金会拨款数百万美元用于癌症研究。
• More funds will now be allocated to charitable organizations. 现在会拨更多的资金给慈善组织。

14 efficiently   

adv.高效率地，有能力地

参考例句：

• The worker oils the machine to operate it more efficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。
• Local authorities have to learn to allocate resources efficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。