Shenzhen Daily http://www.sznews.com/szdaily/20050107/ca1365942.htm
Pledged world relief hits $4b
2005年01月07日 01:26
INTERNATIONAL aid for tsunami-hit regions continued to pour in Wednesday as more countries sent relief supplies.
U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland told reporters Wednesday that pledged global donations for tsunami-hit countries had surged to nearly US$4 billion.
Germany was to increase its relief aid to 500 million euros (US$664 million), German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Wednesday.
The figure makes Germany the largest donor country ahead of Japan and the United States.
The International Monetary Fund would provide aid of up to US$1 billion for tsunami-hit Asia, said its director general Rodrigo Rato on Wednesday.
The European Union on Thursday pledged another 350 million euros.
The Arab League had opened an account for Arab individuals and organizations to offer donations, Egypt’s official MENA news agency reported Wednesday.
Amr Moussa, secretary-general of the pan-Arab organization, said in a statement that the donations would be transferred to the accounts of the Asian countries.
Some Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Egypt, had already sent emergency aid to the affected countries, he said.
The Albanian Council of Ministers decided Wednesday to provide US$500,000.
Australia would provide US$ 764 million to Indonesia.
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin congratulated Canadians Wednesday for donating more than US$58 million.
Malaysia has agreed to allow donor countries such as the United States, Britain, Australia and Japan to use its airspace and airports as transit bases to send humanitarian aid to Acheh, Indonesia.
Zimbabwe also pledged aid to Indonesia. (Xinhua)
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