United Nations, Dec 01: The United Nations has appealed for USD 7.1 billion to provide urgent humanitarian aid to 48 million people in 25 countries in 2010.
The 2010 Humanitarian Appeal is the largest ever since the creation of the Consolidated Appeal Process in 1991.
The appeal covers 12 of the world’s most severe, prolonged crises — Afghanistan, the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, the Palestinian territory, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, West Africa, Yemen and Zimbabwe.
“On behalf of 48 million people in 25 countries needing urgent help, I appeal for 7.1 billion US dollars to be provided without delay and as a common sense investment in global stability and well being,” UN Chief Ban Ki-moon said in the foreword to the 2010 Consolidated Humanitarian Appeal.
“Our aim is to help people survive the coming year, and start working their way out of vulnerability towards the dignity, safety and self-sufficiency to which every human being has a right,” he said.
The Secretary-General said that the needs of 2010 will be “at least as great” as the world copes with climate-related disasters and prolonged conflicts.
“The global recession has raised inevitable concerns that humanitarian funding may decline in 2010. I urge member states and private donors to keep that from happening,” he said.
–Agencies