The UN increases the appeal for aid to the poorest countries from two to 6,7 billion dollars

The United Nations today increased the appeal for help to weak and vulnerable countries in the fight against the coronavirus from two billion to 6,7 billion US dollars.

The head of UN humanitarian affairs, Mark Loukuk, reiterated that the peak of the pandemic is not expected to hit the world's poorest countries for three to six months, but that incomes are still falling, people are losing their jobs, food supplies are running out, prices are rising and children are lacking vaccinations and meals.

Since the UN's initial appeal for aid on March 25, US$37 billion has been raised to help fight the coronavirus in XNUMX affected countries.

Today's new appeal includes an additional nine countries at risk: Benin, Djibouti, Liberia, Mozambique, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Togo and Zimbabwe.

Loukuk added that "in the poorest countries, one can see the weakening of the economy while income from exports, remittances from abroad and tourism disappear".