UN: The United Nations has appealed for a record $4.7 billion (€4bn) to ease major humanitarian crises around the world in 2006, with about a third planned for Sudan and the conflict in its Darfur region.
The appeal, which covers 31 million people mainly in Africa and southeast Asia, is worth the equivalent of 48 hours of worldwide military spending or the cost of two cups of coffee for the planet's one billion richest people, the UN said.
"In a world of plenty, continued suffering is a terrible stain on our conscience," said UN secretary general Kofi Annan. "It is inexcusable that we not strive, with every resource at our disposal, to eliminate suffering."
The UN has never asked for so much money in its initial appeal to start the year. In the past, the UN traditionally split away major disasters and crises for their own fundraising.
In addition, improved stability in Congo has made much of the country more accessible, raising the amount needed to about $1.17 billion dollars (€1.4bn), while relief officials now have a better idea of what is needed and where, UN humanitarian relief co-ordinator Jan Egeland said.
Countries covered include a host of African nations that have long been in crisis, including Chad, Congo, Liberia, Somalia, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Also on the list are Russia's breakaway region of Chechnya, the Palestinian territories, Colombia and Nepal.
The aid sought for Sudan reflects the grave nature of the problem in Darfur, where humanitarian work is threatened by continued clashes between government-backed Arab militias and rebel groups, Mr Egeland said.
"It's not going well in Darfur at all. We are stretched to the limit. We're hanging in there by our fingernails." Donors around the world met just 57 per cent of last year's worldwide appeal.
A chronic problem is that 90 per cent of aid comes from just 10 nations, including the US, Japan and several Scandinavian countries. Middle East and Persian Gulf states continue to eschew the appeals, Mr Egeland said. "We expect the oil-rich countries to give more to us than they are giving now on average."
This year's humanitarian appeal would cover work by 18 UN agencies and 113 non-governmental organisations operating around the world. He said that if other disasters arise as they did in 2005, the appeal could top six billion dollars (€5.1bn).