(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ISTANBUL, May 24 (KUNA) -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday the world's annual need of humanitarian aid sky-rocketed 12 times in 15 years to reach USD 245 billion, amidst continuation of crises worldwide.
Ban, at a joint news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the end of the World Humanitarian Summit, said the global need of humanitarian assistance were USD 20 billion by the year 2000.
He said this amount would largely increase due to the crises in Syria, Libya, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
Ban said the funding needed for the relief aid represented one percent of the global military spending.
He said Istanbul's summit was the first humanitarian summit of its kind, held amidst critical circumstances.
Ban urged all countries to prevent conflicts. He noted participation of 173 countries in the summit including representatives of 350 organizations.
Erdogan said displacement of 12 million Syrians from their homes was a clear evidence on the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis.
He said some countries, which he did not name, failed to act responsibly towards the refugees with the exception of the neighboring countries.
"They (refugees) are not losing their lives because of lack of resources but lack of mercy ...," he said.
Turkey, said Erdogan, would follow up on pledges made by the countries attending the summit. (end) rs.bs