World Bank boosts aid to Horn of Africa

The World Bank says it is increasing aid to countries in the drought-ravaged Horn of Africa to US$1.88 billion through 2014.

The figure includes US$500 million already allocated to the region.

The announcement Saturday comes as a "mini-summit" on the humanitarian response in the East African region is being held on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

The president of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick, says its role in addition to addressing today's disaster is to build resilience for tomorrow. He said a humanitarian crisis need not and should not become a perpetual crisis.

The bank said more than 13 million people in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somali refugee camps and Uganda are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance. The U.N. estimates tens of thousands have died in these countries.