UN seeks $3.9 billion for 2007 humanitarian crises

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 30 (Reuters) The United Nations appealed to the world's prosperous nations on Thursday for 3.9 billion dollars in donations next year to address humanitarian emergencies touching 27 million people in 29 countries, with most of the money targeted at Africa.

''These 27 million individuals seek not a handout but a hand-up, and I hope that once again we will respond -- not with pity but with practical assistance,'' outgoing Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, addressing his 10th and final annual appeal.

The single largest sum -- 1.2 billion dollars -- would again go to Sudan, a vast northeast African nation where multiple civil wars have left millions homeless and hungry, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

The next biggest components of the 2007 appeal were the Democratic Republic of Congo, earmarked for 7 million, and the Palestinian territories, where 454 million dollars has been requested, the office said.

For each success story, where the yearly appeals have made a difference, ''there is a contrasting story where help could not be offered for lack of funds,'' said Annan, whose second five-year term as U.N. leader ends December 31.

The 3.9 billion dollars amounted to the cost of two cups of coffee for each citizen of the world's wealthy nations, he said.

''What shall we say when our children and grandchildren ask us, 'Why? Why did we let so many women and children die unnecessarily when we had the money, we had the knowledge and we had the tools to save them?''' Annan said.

Last year's appeal sought .7 billion in donations but succeeded in raising just two-thirds of the goal as of the end of October, through donations from 65 governments, the UN office said.

The money is channeled to recipients through UN agencies, private aid groups, and international and local organisations.

As in previous years, most of the 2007 aid targets Africa. As well as Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, it is aimed at urundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Republic, Ivory Coast, Somalia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, the south-central Great Lakes region and the West Africa region.

The biggest donors for 2006 were the United States, the European Commission, Britain, the Netherlands and Japan.

REUTERS PB KN2341