UN urges $3bn for world's needy

Recent hostilities forced thousands of people to flee eastern Congo

The United Nations is to urge wealthy nations to donate $3bn next year to save 45 million lives in crisis areas.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is due to launch the UN Humanitarian Appeal 2004 later on Tuesday.

The appeal aims to provide basic needs to the hungry and sick, and to protect the displaced, especially children, women and the elderly.

The campaign - on behalf of aid agencies worldwide - will mostly cover African crises. It excludes Iraq.

UN AID APPEAL 2004 Seeks $3bn Aims to save 45m lives Largest request - Sudan $465m 136 agencies appealing 1,086 projects proposed

"Some 45 million civilians are struggling to survive displacement, loss, and severe disruption to their lives in the world's wars, conflicts and natural disasters," Mr Annan said in a statement.

"I know that the world's wealthy nations understand their responsibility to help people in need.

"A world where - amid increasing global prosperity - millions still live in desperate conditions will not be a world at peace," Mr Annan said.

Each year, the secretary general requests financing for international aid agencies to provide food, medicine and shelter to the world's most needy.

The UN said that of the $5.1bn needed in 2003, only $3.3bn had been received.

Neglected crises

UN officials says that about 80 million people are currently living in the crisis-hit areas.

They hope that international donors - who recently pledged at least $33bn in aid and loans for the reconstruction of Iraq - will support this year's campaign.

"We hope that the world will be able to give on top of what it has already pledged to Iraq," the UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egeland, told BBC.

"The humanitarian needs in eastern (Democratic Republic of ) Congo... or northern Uganda are much bigger than those we currently have in Iraq," Mr Egeland said.

He said that the requested funds were "less than two-day military spending in this world" but would cover most of the needs of UN aid agencies and non-governmental organisations.

This year's campaign covers such regions as Chechnya and neighbouring republics (Russian Federation); North Korea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Palestinian territories, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Zimbabwe.