UN blames food crisis for shortfall in aid

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations blamed the global food crisis Wednesday for a $3.4 billion global shortfall in emergency humanitarian aid for 34 nations.

U.N. officials said that higher food and fuel costs, along with natural disasters and worsening conflicts, are making it more difficult to raise funds from donor nations, mostly Western governments.

“The donors will need to dig deep into their pockets to try to find that money,” said John Holmes, the U.N.’s humanitarian chief.

So far this year, $2.9 billion has been raised, representing about 46 percent of what’s needed to respond to the world’s most severe crises, Holmes said. But new donors are needed to step forward, he said, both among governments and the private sector, beyond the mainstays, the United States and the European Union.

“Rapid action by donors is more essential this year than ever,” Holmes said. “Higher food and fuel costs, an increasing number of food-insecure people, and the impact of climate change have already forced the upwards revision of several appeals.”

He said the main focus is on Sudan’s troubled Darfur region, where nearly $2 billion is needed to help 2.5 million people driven from their homes.

Thursday, AP