Complacency over bird flu leaves UN short of funds

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2006

GENEVA (AFP) — Complacency about the risk of a global bird flu pandemic has impeded the flow of funds promised earlier this year, the UN official coordinating the fight against the deadly virus has said.

Of some 1.9 billion dollars (1.5 billion euros) pledged at a January conference in Beijing, only 1.15 billion dollars has been formally committed and 331 million dollars spent, David Nabarro said Monday.

"We would have liked a higher commitment figure," Nabarro said following a meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council. "We are still in a situation where there are many countries that don't fully believe that a pandemic is going to happen."

He stressed that in any case, more than 1.9 billion dollars will be needed in order to help poorer countries...