Washington: President George W Bush has urged Congress to approve USD 770 million to help alleviate dramatically escalating food prices that threaten widespread hunger and increasing social unrest around the world.

In a surprise appearance at the White House yesterday, Bush announced he is asking lawmakers to approve the additional funds for global food aid and development programmes. The money to be directed primarily at needy African nations is being included in a broader USD 70 billion Iraq war funding measure for 2009 that the White House sent to Congress yesterday.

"In some of the world's poorest nations, rising prices can mean the difference between getting a daily meal and going without food," Bush said. "The American people are generous people and they re a compassionate people. We believe in the timeless truth to whom much is given, much is expected. "

The new money comes on top of USD 200 million Bush ordered released two weeks ago for emergency food aid. It also is in addition to a pending USD 350 million request for emergency food aid funds. Because the new funds are part of a 2009 budget, they wouldn't be available for distribution until the start of the fiscal year on October 1,even if they are approved sooner.

Even so, Bush called it "just the beginning" of the US effort to help. He said the United States would spend a total of USD 5 billion this year and next on food aid and related programmes.

Source : PTI