The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said Tuesday that it would need 225 million U.S. dollars in 2009 for humanitarian operations worldwide.
The organization plans to support its 186 member Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in reaching 150 million people in need, it said in a statement.
According to the Geneva-based organization, its plans for 2009 and 2010 will focus on "early warning, early action."
This entails proactively using existing knowledge and resources to better identify risks and to act before disasters happen.
This community-based, preventive approach not only significantly reduces the number of people affected by natural disasters but also achieves longer-lasting solutions, and reduces levels of spending on costly emergency response, it said.
"Early warning and early action brings significant savings and is an effective use of donations," said Bekele Geleta, IFRC secretary general.
"By privileging prevention and by working through our community-based volunteers, we are particularly cost effective," he added.
While the IFRC will focus on preventive action, it will continue planning for those made vulnerable by poverty, inequality, urbanization, migration, climate change, violence and the spread of disease, the statement said.
For now, that means further strengthening the organization's response capacity, which continues to be needed by an ever growing number of vulnerable people, it said.
Recent operations show that in just a few years the time needed to deliver essential relief items has been reduced by 70 percent while the number of families assisted every day has risen by 25 percent.
"These are very promising figures for us, and our mission to improve the lives of vulnerable people worldwide," added Geleta.
Source:Xinhua
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