United Nations Radio

The United Nations is appealing for 7.1 billion dollars to finance its humanitarian operations around the world in 2010. An estimated 48 million people in 25 countries will receive humanitarian assistance. From Geneva Patrick Maigua sent us this report.

The 2010 United Nations humanitarian appeal focuses on 12 major humanitarian crises around the world. Sudan will be the biggest beneficiary with assistance to the country totalling 1.8 billion dollars. Assistance to Afghanistan is expected to reach 871 million dollars, DR Congo 828 million dollars and Somalia 689 million dollars. Speaking in Geneva during the launch of the appeal, United Nations Humanitarian Affairs chief John Holmes appealed to countries not to cut back on humanitarian donations despite the global financial and economic turmoil:

"Most government donations have remained fairly constant although private humanitarian donations have declined significantly in 2009. But obviouslywe are concerned that these aid budgets will be under even more pressure in 2010 because of the budget consequences of the stimulus packages. The most important message I want to get across to the donors is that it is vital that humanitarian assistance be insulated from these budget pressures because if not the price will be paid by the people who have been affected by these conflicts and natural disasters. The amount we are looking for is less that one per cent of the amount spent on financial bailouts and economic stimulus packages in 2009."

The 2010 humanitarian appeal will also cover relief operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Kenya, Chad, Zimbabwe, West Africa, Uganda, Yemen and the Central African Republic. Patrick Maigua UN Radio Geneva.

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