Geneva, Switzerland (BBN) – The United Nations on Tuesday appealed for more than $7.4 billion to provide humanitarian assistance to 50 million people suffering from the effects of conflicts and natural disasters in 28 countries over the coming year.
The amount sought for 2011 is the largest since the creation of the Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) in 1991. It comprises appeals for the West Africa region and 13 countries – Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Haiti, Kenya, Niger, the occupied Palestinian territory, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Zimbabwe.
“In 2011, tens of millions of people will need help to survive,” said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos, who chaired the launch of the appeal in Geneva. “Conflicts and natural disasters will cut them off from their homes, their livelihoods, and from access to essentials like drinking water and health care.
The CAP is the culmination of the efforts of some 425 aid organizations, including UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other international bodies, which come together to meet the world’s major humanitarian challenges in a strategic, coordinated, effective, and prioritized way.
In 2009, the UN appealed for more than $7.1 billion to assist 48 million people across 25 countries whose lives were wrecked by conflict and natural disasters.
BBN/SI/AD-01Dec10-12:40 am (BST)
