The top UN emergency relief official has offered the United States the world body's help in " any way possible" following the loss of life and large-scale destruction wrought by hurricane Katrina along the US Gulf coast.
The offer was made in a letter from UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland to US Ambassador John Bolton, a UN spokesperson said Thursday.
Asked if there were any other plans to help the United States, spokesperson Marie Okabe said that the United Nations would like to help in any way possible, but has not been asked to do so by the US government.
If the United States asks for help, she said, the United Nations could dispatch a disaster assessment and coordination team to the area, as part of its standard response to determine needs.
Egeland has been encouraging donors to contribute to non- governmental organizations (NGOs) active in helping the hurricane victims, she said. The UN staff unions in both New York and Geneva are working to raise money for hurricane survivors.
On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed his sympathy for Katrina's victims. "I hope, in the coming weeks, all will be done to provide support for those who need it," he said.