UN still needs nearly $5 billion to help 53 million needy people in 34 countries
By APWednesday, July 14, 2010
UN appeals for nearly $5 billion to help needy
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations appealed Wednesday for nearly $5 billion to meet its commitment to help 53 million people in 34 countries who need humanitarian aid this year as a result of conflict and disasters.
The U.N.’s original appeal for 2010, launched last November, sought $7.1 billion but that increased to $9.5 billion with the earthquake in Haiti and the deepening of crises in Africa’s Sahel region, the Central African Republic and elsewhere.
U.N. humanitarian chief John Holmes launched the midyear appeal saying donors have pledged $4.53 billion — about 48 percent of the latest amount requested — but that the U.N. needs $4.98 billion more.
He praised the donors who maintained contributions “in the face of recession and pressure on budgets” and urged them “to keep up this effort to ensure that people struck by disaster or conflict receive the help they desperately need for the rest of the year.”
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, known as OCHA, said funding levels dropped slightly compared to recent years, but not as deeply as feared considering the global financial crisis. In mid-2009, it said, the U.N. had received $4.6 billion.
OCHA also said major donations to Haiti following January’s earthquake have affected funding for other crises, but only slightly.
To date, Haiti has received the highest funding — 64 percent of the $1.5 billion requested — followed by Afghanistan at 62 percent and Somalia, Kenya and Sudan at 52 percent.
Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kyrgyzstan, Guatemala and others have received less than 35 percent, with Mongolia getting just 10 percent, OCHA said.
