THE UNITED NATIONS APPEALED FRIDAY TO DONOR NATIONS TO CONTRIBUTE 430 MILLION DOLLARS IN EMERGENCY RELIEF AND HELP SAVE EIGHT MILLION PEOPLE IN EAST AFRICA FROM STARVATION, ACCORDING TO DPA. 'THE HORN OF AFRICA IS ONE OF THE MOST FOOD INSECURE REGIONS IN THE WORLD,' SAID JAN EGELAND, UN UNDER SECRETARY FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS. ABOUT EIGHT MILLION PEOPLE WERE IN NEED OF AID BECAUSE OF THE LONG DROUGHT, AND THEIR NUMBERS COULD RISE TO 15 MILLION, HE SAID IN NAIROBI. ALTHOUGH THE RAINY SEASON HAD ALREADY BEGUN IN PARTS OF KENYA, THE SITUATION ON THE WHOLE HAD NOT YET IMPROVED. 'NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH IS SO MUCH AT STAKE AS IN AFRICA,' SAID EGELAND, WHO HAD EARLIER TRAVELLED TO OTHER NATIONS IN THE REGION. ACCORDING TO THE OXFAM RELIEF AGENCY, THE REGION COULD TAKE 15 YEARS TO RECOVER FROM THE DROUGHT, AND IN SOME REGIONS UP TO 90 PER CENT OF LIVESTOCK HAD ALREADY DIED. IT REMAINED UNCLEAR HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD DIED SO FAR, EGELAND SAID. 'UNDERNOURISHED CHILDREN DIE NOW IN VERY HIGH NUMBERS. IT'S CERTAINLY IN THE THOUSANDS, PROBABLY IN TENS OF THOUSAND ACROSS THE HORN OF AFRICA,' HE ADDED. THE GREATEST PART OF THE REQUESTED DONATIONS WOULD GO TO SOMALIA, SEEN AS AMONG THE MORE NEGLECTED REGIONS IN CRISIS, DPA REPORTED. THE DEATH TOLL THERE WAS AS HIGH AS IN THE SUDANESE CRISIS REGION OF DARFUR, BUT HARDLY EVER MADE HEADLINES, SAID EGELAND. SOMALIA HAS NOT HAD A FUNCTIONING, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT SINCE 1992. 'WE BELIEVE WE CAN GET SOMALIA OUT OF THE VICIOUS CIRCLE,' SAID EGELAND. --SP 21 59 LOCAL TIME 18 59 GMT
