The UN refugee agency said Friday that its programs to help Iraqi refugees are at risk due to a grave funding crisis.
The Geneva-based United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it would be short of 127 million dollars by the end of the year for programs to help some 4.7 million displaced Iraqi refugees.
"We will not be able to help hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable Iraqi refugees and internally displaced if we do not receive funding for the remainder of 2008," High Commissioner Antonio Guterres said.
The commissioner said the humanitarian crisis in the wake of the Iraq war may become more serious amid concerns over soaring fuel and food prices.
In January, the UN agency appealed for 261 million dollars for aid but has only received 134 million dollars so far.
Apart from some 2.7 million Iraqis displaced within Iraq and about two million who have fled to neighboring countries, the agency also offers help for some 41,000 non-Iraqi refugees in Iraq, including Palestinians and Iranians.
Source: Xinhua
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