UN seeks $2.3 billion aid for Sudan in 2008

December 11, 2007 GENEVA) — The United Nations launched an appeal Tuesday for 2.29 billion dollars (1.55 billion euros) to fund its humanitarian and development work in Sudan in 2008.

Sudan is the largest of all the UN’s humanitarian operations, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement, adding that some 20 percent of the Sudan appeal has already been secured from donors.

The UN runs 959 different projects across twelve sectors in the vast East African country, where nearly four million people have been affected by the conflict in the western region of Darfur.

“Overall in Sudan, an estimated 24 percent of the population is undernourished while 30 percent are without access to safe drinking water,” OCHA said.

Sudan remains wracked by bitter conflict and the UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator for the country, Ameerah Haq, said it was important the money was spent in an honest and effective way.

“2.29 billion is a huge sum. There is a great need for the money to be spent transparently and responsibly, so it gets through to the population,” Haq told journalists.

“We must continue to invest in Sudan to ensure a smooth transition from a conflict-affected nation to one capable of providing for the needs of its population,” she said.

(AFP)

The full document is available at: http://www.unsudanig.org/workplan/