U.N. to allocate $55M in response to 'neglected humanitarian emergencies' in 8 countries

"The United Nations [on Thursday] announced that it will allocate $55 million to bolster operations in eight countries with neglected humanitarian emergencies," the U.N. News Centre reports, adding, "Afghanistan, Cameroon, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Sudan will all receive funds from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help provide food, water, health and other basic services." According to the news service, "[t]he new allocations will bring the total amount allocated by CERF to more than $158 million this year, as 13 countries were given nearly $104 million in January" (8/9). "'These CERF grants provide critical funding. The money will save lives by helping aid agencies reach people in desperate need,' said the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos said in a news release," Nigeria's "Leadership" writes (Oluwarotimi, 8/10). According to the Devex "Development Newswire," Amos "hopes the funding will serve to 'draw' the world's attention to the situation of people in the chosen countries, as 'millions more people are still in need'" (Ravelo, 8/10).