Italy to double humanitarian aid

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ROME, June 21 (AFP): Italy will more than double its humanitarian aid this year from 60 to 130 million euros (93 to 202 million dollars), mostly for food aid, the Italian foreign ministry said yesterday.

Rome would announce its plans for 2008, which would see the doubling of aid, at next month's summit of the Group of Eight (G8) rich nations in Japan, a statement said.

The world crisis in food security would also "remain at the centre of the Italian presidency of the G8 in 2009," the statement added.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops' Conference called on the leaders of the G8 nations to use the summit to take concrete measures to reduce global poverty and address climate change.

"The poor, who have contributed least to the human activities that aggravate global climate changes, are likely to experience a disproportionate share of its harmful effects, including potential conflicts, escalating energy costs and health problems," the Catholic bishops said.

The G8 nations-Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States-are due to meet from July 7-9 in the resort of Toyako in northern Japan.