Millions of people already suffering because of armed conflicts are likely to be particularly hard hit by the current increase in food prices, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned on Tuesday.
"The recent rise in food and fuel prices is making life even harder for poor people already struggling to cope with the effects of war and internal violence," said ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger in a statement.
"This is especially the case in countries such as Chad, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Haiti," he said.
In its annual report on 2007, which was released on Tuesday, ICRC announced a total expenditure of 944 million Swiss francs (about 917 million U.S. dollars), with 45 percent of field expenditure last year going to Africa and 21 percent to the Middle East.
The welfare of people forced by fighting to flee their homes continued to be a priority for the ICRC.
In 2007 it assisted more than 4 million internally displaced people - around half a million more than in 2006 - especially in places not covered by other organizations on security grounds.
Kellenberger expressed concern that in many armed conflicts, civilians are being specifically targeted, with effects that devastate the lives of millions of men, women and children.
"This report draws attention to the countless violations of international humanitarian law that we witnessed throughout the world last year and it documents the ICRC's efforts to put a stop to those violations," he said.
"Greater respect for the law would mean fewer civilians being killed or wounded, fewer women and girls being raped, and fewer people forced to leave their homes," he added.
Source:Xinhua
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