UNICEF grants sanctions waiver for aid project in N. Korea

SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) -- The United Nations has granted a sanctions waiver for one of its agencies to provide assistance to North Korea for its fight against malaria and tuberculosis amid the global coronavirus pandemic, a U.N. website showed Wednesday.

The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) received the exemption for its plan to send US$758,920 worth of medical equipment needed to treat patients suffering from such diseases, according to the website.

Subject to the exemption are oxygen concentrators, patient ventilators and other medical materials, such as resuscitation kits, the website showed. The waiver will be effective for a year until July 24, 2021.

The website said the exemption is for the "shipment of medical equipment essential for UNICEF's operations in the DPRK focused on mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tuberculosis and malaria."

DPRK is the acronym of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Humanitarian activities in North Korea are not banned under international sanctions, but related materials are subject to sanctions waivers from the U.N.

kokobj@yna.co.kr
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