The UN Children's Fund UNICEF has launched an appeal for $1.28 billion this year, with a third of the cash needed to help children in the drought affected Horn of Africa.
The cash needed to fight hunger has increased by 50 percent, with East and Southern Africa showing the largest rise in funding needs due to the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa which includes Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
The organisation said it was looking to raise nine percent less funds than in 2011 as funding needs in Pakistan and Haiti have reduced.
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"The list of countries includes many long standing or so-called 'silent' emergencies, but the crisis in Somalia and in other countries in the Horn of Africa accounts for nearly one-third of the total amount," a UNICEF report said.
The report added that UNICEF expects to help about 97 million people in 25 countries and territories this year.
