JEDDAH – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday welcomed Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah's decision to donate $500 million to Iraqis affected by the recent turmoil. “The secretary-general expresses deep gratitude to Saudi Arabia for their generosity in contributing $500 million to the UN for life-saving humanitarian assistance to people in Iraq,” a statement issued by Ban's spokesperson said. It added that the secretary-general “welcomes the timely funding, which will enable the UN and its partners to support the millions of Iraqi men, women and children whose lives have been torn apart by the conflict.” UN Deputy Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos also commended the King for his humanitarian gesture. She said in a statement that this assistance came at a convenient and critical time and will enable the UN humanitarian agencies to accelerate their efforts to prevent the spread of disease in Iraq, support displaced families, provide them with clean water, food and vital relief material, and provide children with vital food. – Agencies
