The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Wednesday that it needs another US$225 million to hit its fundraising target of US$480 million to stave off starvation by millions of Zimbabweans through early 2009.
U.N. Humanitarian Office Spokeswoman Stephanie Bunker said the U.N. department has raised US$255 million so far this year.
The response from donors has been "okay," Bunker said, but considering the gravity of the situation in Zimbabwe where some 5 million people are expected to need food assistance in the "hunger season" through the first quarter of 2009, the U.N. is renewing its appeal.
Bunker said the biggest contributors have been the United States, which provided US$108 million and Britain, which contributed US$43 million.
