KABUL - The Afghan government and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Saturday appealed for $437 million to help needy Afghans.
The UN said 8.8 million Afghans would be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2012. Over 187,000 people were displaced in 2011, Xinhua reported.
UN humanitarian coordinator Michael Keating made the appeal at a joint press conference with Afghan Minister for Rural Rehabilitation and Development Jarullah Mansoori.

Mansoori hoped the international community would respond positively.
"We are hopeful that the international community would respond positively and provide the assistance appealed for," he said.

Continued militancy, drought and natural disasters have affected many essential services in the conflict-hit country and made it difficult for both the government and global aid agencies to help the millions of people in need of assistance. (IANS)