egarrard
12-28-2004, 11:58 AM
http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2004/12/28/nations_rush_aid_but_seen_falling_short/
Countries large and small mobilized yesterday in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunamis that spread devastation across South and Southeast Asia, but international officials said the millions of dollars in short-term assistance pledged so far fall way short of the billions needed to address one of the worst natural disasters in memory.
Jan Egeland, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, said at a press conference in New York yesterday that much more is needed.
Estimating the long-term cost of the destruction to exceed $5 billion, Egeland appealed to ''rich countries, rich individuals, even those of us who are reasonably affluent, to respond generously."
In yesterday's press conference, Egeland praised the international response, but contended that wealthier countries give less foreign assistance proportionally than poorer countries, with many well-off nations only setting aside 0.1 or 0.2 percent of their gross national income for foreign assistance.
''We were more generous when we were less rich," Egeland said. ''It is beyond me why are we so stingy, really. . . . Even Christmastime should remind many Western countries at least how rich we have become.""All your monetary base belong to us..." :Nope
Countries large and small mobilized yesterday in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunamis that spread devastation across South and Southeast Asia, but international officials said the millions of dollars in short-term assistance pledged so far fall way short of the billions needed to address one of the worst natural disasters in memory.
Jan Egeland, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, said at a press conference in New York yesterday that much more is needed.
Estimating the long-term cost of the destruction to exceed $5 billion, Egeland appealed to ''rich countries, rich individuals, even those of us who are reasonably affluent, to respond generously."
In yesterday's press conference, Egeland praised the international response, but contended that wealthier countries give less foreign assistance proportionally than poorer countries, with many well-off nations only setting aside 0.1 or 0.2 percent of their gross national income for foreign assistance.
''We were more generous when we were less rich," Egeland said. ''It is beyond me why are we so stingy, really. . . . Even Christmastime should remind many Western countries at least how rich we have become.""All your monetary base belong to us..." :Nope