Truemors
is reporting from
Member
NP Rank:
NP Rank:
UN fund raises $420 million from Europe, Canada, developing countries
Share: 
by Barry ORegan | December 14, 2007 at 06:40 am
544 views | 0 Recommendations | 1 comment
Photos
Christmas will come early to Third World Nations most needy, unfortunately the Status Quo will most likely remain the same in that Despot Dictators will get the Lions share to squirrel away in Swiss Banks or other ventures and the people in dire need will get a pittance.
A price in what seems historically the UN is always willing to pay in the hopes that at least some of this aid gets to those who need it, even though it is a pittance.
My Final Thought
One would think the UN would insist a UN Government office he stationed in these countries solely to provide aid without any Government interference and no middle men.
Dictators then would be out of the loop, but then we all know that will never happen.
UN fund raises $420 million from Europe, Canada, developing countries
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations emergency fund collected $420 million Thursday in voluntary pledges for 2008 relief programs, led by aid from Europe, Canada and developing countries.
The Central Emergency Response Fund has distributed $595 million in food, water and medical assistance since it was established in March 2006 to assist victims of armed conflicts and natural disasters, UN officials said.
Britain topped the list of about 70 countries and non-governmental contributors with a pledge of more than $80 million. The Netherlands, Sweden and Norway each promised more than $55 million, while Canada said it would give about $40 million. More than one-half of the pledges came from developing countries.
The fund received no pledges from the United States or Russia.
The U.S. administration wants its Agency for International Development to evaluate the fund before it decides whether to make a pledge for 2008, said Benjamin Chang, deputy spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.
The United States, which remains the world's biggest contributor to UN humanitarian aid programs, donated $10 million to the fund in 2006 but did not contribute for 2007.
Russian officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Western Union pledged $100,000, becoming the first corporate donor to contribute to the emergency fund.
Africa has received two-thirds of the aid the fund has distributed, UN deputy secretary general Asha-Rose Migiro of Tanzania told donor representatives from dozens of countries and non-governmental organizations.
By far, the biggest recipient of aid has been the Congo, which received $90 million in the last two years for a humanitarian crisis that has recently displaced nearly 200,000 people.
Other major recipients include Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Kenya.
Advertisement
NowPublic on Facebook
What is NowPublic?
NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.
Crowd Power
These members have powered this story:
Barry ORegan
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
nike6
Dublin, Ireland
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (1)
at 09:54 on December 15th, 2007
one time i have read the information, that some organizations can require as much as 70 percent to administrate themselves, and to pay loans to their local workers.
another critics wrote "developement *orn", when addressing pictures of starving children.
i have some related materials on photobucket (african country), and will add them to the story.
it is not my objective to become personally, but does (your) political position defend the practice, to use up donation money for own purposes, and give the people in need a few peanuts? maybe this is just egoistic, or you write, dictature.
>>i have also edited the pictures, now hyperlink to full-size scans is included. it is an interesting story- covering similar topics. i hope it is of use.