UNITED NATIONS, July 18 (AFP) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan made an urgent appeal to the international community Thursday for 611 million dollars in relief for six African nations.
"Today, the United Nations is requesting 611 million dollars for immediate food and other life sustaining support," Annan said in a statement read by Kenzo Oshima, under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.
Annan called this "a critical moment in the lives of nearly 13 million people."
The money is needed to purchase food and to fight HIV/AIDS and other contagious diseases.
A rapid response, the secretary general said, could avoid famine.
"There is still an opportunity to avert famine and to save lives, but this window is closing rapidly," he said.
The six countries are Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
"I call on the international community and the countries concerned to join hands with the United Nations in a partnership to avert another human tragedy on the African continent," he said.
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