8 UN emergencies from Afghanistan to Mali to get $75 million

The United Nations is releasing $75 million to help finance underfunded emergencies in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Eritrea, Mali, Sudan and Venezuela.

U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said Thursday the money will allow aid workers to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance “to more than 4 million of the world’s most vulnerable people affected by conflict, natural disasters, and other crises.”

He said the U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund’s allocation will fill critical gaps including treating acute malnutrition and providing primary health care, emergency education, protection, shelter, water and food.

But Lowcock said 37 million people are still in need in the eight crises, and he urged donors to provide additional funding.

He said the U.N. has now allocated $200 million to underfunded emergencies this year, the most in its history.