UN FLASH APPEAL CALLS FOR US$ 2.2 BILLION FOR IRAQ CRISIS ^1/

In response to the crisis in Iraq the UN has appealed for some US$ 2.2 billion to assist the Iraqi people over a six-month period until the end of September. It is expected that these requirements will be met through a combination of donor funds, and depending on action that may be taken by the Security Council, resources provided through the Oil For Food Programme (OFFP). The UN must secure immediate pledges of funds and resources from the donor community to allow for an effective response with emergency, life-saving assistance. Should relief supplies or funds be made available through the OFFP, overall Flash Appeal requirements requested from the donors will be adjusted accordingly.

Food needs would be a vital element in the overall response given the overwhelming reliance of the Iraqi population on rations distributed under the OFFP. The appeal is premised on the understanding that the current food supply would last only 4-6 weeks and there will be a definite emergency requirement for the provision of food to the Iraqi population in the magnitude of 480 000 tonnes per month for at least a three-month period. This would translate into an overall requirement of US $1.3 billion over the next six months.

1. Extracted from the United Nations Flash Appeal for the Humanitarian Requirements of the Iraq Crisis - Six-Month Response. The full document can be found on the Internet at the following address: http://www.reliefweb.int/