UN relief agencies and the Ethiopian government have drastically increased their appeal for funding to help the drought-hit country.
More than 325 million U.S. dollars are now needed to meet aid demands in Ethiopia, which is nearly five times the official estimate of 68 million dollars announced two months ago, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Thursday.
Emergency supplies of food and water, sanitation, health care and agricultural assistance are all priorities in the appeal, which is aimed at providing assistance to 4.6 million people, a leap from the estimated figure of 2.2 million several months ago.
John Holmes, under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs, warned that some 75,000 children suffering acute malnutrition and illness will deteriorate further unless the international community responds "quickly and seriously" to the crisis.
"The urgency of this launch cannot be overstated," said Holmes, who is also the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator.
"Humanitarian agencies are already on the ground helping the government of Ethiopia respond to the emergency, but limited resources are hampering the efforts of both the government and its humanitarian partners to help those in need," he added.
Agriculture in the northeast African country has been hit by poor rain and crop failures. Rising global food prices have also exacerbated the situation.
Holmes said he was confident that the Ethiopian authorities would facilitate the increased presence of UN agencies and non-governmental organizations to deal with the crisis.
Source:Xinhua
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