GENEVA (AFP) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had a shortfall of almost 20 percent in its 2004 budget for operations in the field and warned victims of conflict could suffer more if the money for these operations was not found soon.
The ICRC said in a statement it was lacking 132 million Swiss francs (85 million euros, 105 million dollars) out of a budget of 790 million francs.
"While the overall level of donor support for our work has been remarkable, major humanitarian operations nevertheless remain significantly underfunded," Pierre Krahenbuhl, director of operations, said.
"This financial shortfall needs to be redressed if the ICRC is to remain effective in providing assistance and protection for the victims of armed conflict around the globe.
"It is vital for the ICRC to be able to respond impartially to needs when and where they arise. The impact and credibility of our action depends on our capacity to support people and communities caught up in armed conflicts and internal violence around the world."
The ICRC conducts operations in about 80 countries.
It is launching an appeal to enable it to put operations in certain countries on a long-term footing.
These are Afghanistan, Angola, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Israel and the Palestinian territories, the Russian Federation, Serbia-Montenegro, Sudan and Uganda, and the Caucasus region.