By DPA,
Geneva : The US extended its humanitarian aid budget for Libya Thursday, announcing $17 million in donations to relief agencies.
The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) will receive $10 million and $2 million more are intended for the UN’s refugee agency, the UNHCR. The international committee of the Red Cross will get $5 million.
The aid was announced as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was suspending ties with the government of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
According to figures provided by the US mission to Geneva, Washington is now providing $47 million in emergency assistance for the Libyan crisis, including aid within the country and relief at border areas in neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt.
The UN asked earlier this week for $160 million in aid to Libya. So far, 22 percent of the appeal is funded.