Sunday, November 27 2005 11:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: Despite apparent donor fatigue, the United Nations will seek $1.22 billion from international benefactors to enable its refugee agency to look after 19.1 million 'people of concern', including some 9.2 million refugees the world over.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which is entirely funded through voluntary contributions, will seek $1.22 billion at the annual pledging conference to be held in Geneva tomorrow.

The generosity of donors to support they agency's work is important to protect and help some of the most vulnerable people, High Commissioner Antsnio Guterres said.

Besides refugees, 'people of concern' to UNHCR include some 5.4 million internally displaced persons, some 1.5 million returnees, 840,000 asylum seekers and 1.5 million stateless people.

Over the past few years, UNHCR has been receiving progressively increasing commitments of funds at the annual pledging conferences, helping reduce financial uncertainty and allowing for more predictable funding.

The total requirements, including the regular budget and a supplementary budget, rose this year to $1.22 billion from $1.1 billion, mainly due to the incorporation in the annual budget of the return and reintegration of Burundian refugees and the Chad operation which in 2005 were budgeted separately.

In addition to the global appeal, UNHCR will be issuing supplementary appeals for south Sudan, Darfur and Iraq later this year.