The humanitarian charity Christian Aid has welcomed Thursday’s announcement by the United Nations that it has launched an emergency fund to help deliver money quickly and more efficiently to regions hit by humanitarian disasters.

The UK has taken the lead by already pledging £70 million to the $500 million UN Central Emergency Response Fund launched in New York Thursday by UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the fund will act as a buffer against shortfalls and delays in dealing with chronic hunger and suffering in Africa, following a recent review which Downer said found the UN’s existing resources to be extremely inadequate for the kind of response needed for sudden disasters.

Babatunde Olugboji, Africa policy and advocacy manager at Christian Aid, said: “We are grateful that Kofi Annan has followed the call of the British Government to set up this fund. Hilary Benn has been one of the first International Development secretaries to contribute to the fund and we call on other nations to follow this example.