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UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations emergency fund collected $420 million Thursday in voluntary pledges for 2008 relief programs, led by aid from Europe and developing nations.The Central Emergency Response Fund has distributed $595 million in food, water and medical assistance since it was established in March 2006 to assist victims of armed conflicts and natural disasters, U.N. officials said.Britain topped the list of about 70 nations and non-governmental contributors with a pledge of more than $80 million. The Netherlands, Sweden and Norway each promised more than $55 million, while Canada said it would give about $40 million. More than half the pledges came from developing nations.The fund received no pledges from the United States or Russia.The Bush administration wants the U.S. Agency for International Development to evaluate the fund before it decides whether to make a pledge for 2008, said Benjamin Chang, deputy spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.The U.S., which remains the world's biggest contributor to U.N. humanitarian aid programs, donated $10 million to the fund in 2006, but did not contribute for 2007.Russian officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Western Union pledged $100,000, becoming the first corporate donor to contribute to the emergency fund.Africa has received two-thirds of the aid the fund has distributed, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro of Tanzania told donor representatives from dozens of nations and non-governmental organizations.By far the biggest recipient of aid has been the Congo, which received $90 million in the past two years for a humanitarian crisis that has recently displaced nearly 200,000 people.Other major recipients include Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Kenya.As in the days of Noah....
