The money is expected to be sought to cover the $1,000 million that the UN World Food Programme said last week it would seek to provide food and humanitarian goods to make up for the loss of deliveries under the UN oil-for-food programme. About 16 million people are wholly or largely dependent upon humanitarian goods delivered under the programme, which has been suspended since 17 March.

Other agencies likely to benefit from the funding will be the UN World Health Organisation (WHO), the UN Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).