The United Nations called on donors on Tuesday to set a record by meeting in full its $1.0 billion appeal for immediate aid to victims of Asia's tsunami, and pledged to be open about how the money was spent. As more than 80 states met in Geneva to discuss the UN call, as well as longer term assistance to affected areas around the Indian Ocean, the head of the UN aid effort Jan Egeland said he was hopeful all the cash would come in.
"Today we may see that for the first time in history, we will have a flash appeal covered fully," he told journalists.
The international response to the December 26 tsunami, which killed over 150,000 people, mostly in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, has been unprecedented, with pledges of help topping $7.0 billion from both governments and private sources.
But only around $300 million has so far reached the UN and Egeland said he wanted more detail from donors on when and how the promised money would be made available.
Much of the pledges will be spread out over years and UN agencies like the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as non-governmental organisations, need money fast to feed the hundreds of thousands left homeless and prevent disease.
The so-called "flash" appeal for tsunami-hit states is for $977 million and includes over $200 million for housing and shelter, a similar amount for food and over $120 million for health services for six months.
Past disaster appeals, even those that have drawn big media attention, such as the December 2003 earthquake in Bam, Iran, failed to bring in all the money sought.
"It is very important we get money early on ... Hunger doesn't wait, disease doesn't wait. We need to be quicker," said Egeland, the UN's emergency relief co-ordinator.
Sixteen days after the earthquake and tsunami, the international aid effort appeared to have "turned a corner" with help getting through to most areas, Egeland said.
In Sri Lanka, where over 30,000 died, help will have reached all those in need this week, Egeland said.
There have been no reports yet of diseases such as cholera or significant cases of measles, which poses a particular threat to children.
"I fear for the tens of thousands of people along this devastated coastline who have fled into the hills with nothing. We must reach all of them - and very soon," Egeland said. Given the huge amount of money already on offer, officials attending the meeting at the UN European headquarters said they expected the debate to address co-ordination and longer-term issues of rebuilding, rather than just fresh pledges.
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