McCurry said the goal of the multinational task force is two-fold: to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid by civilian relief organizations and repatriation of refugees by the U.N.

CNN: AllPolitics - Zaire Mission

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, including the creation of a peace-building commission to manage post-conflict aid and reconstruction as well as the replacement of the U.N.

CNN: U.S.: Reform U.N. before expanding Security Council

The U.N. says more than 5 million people are in dire need of food aid in a country that is facing acute shortages of essential items, ranging from fuel and electricity to cash and food.

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This can be accomplished by expanding independent pledges of humanitarian aid, enhancing participation in the existing U.N. relief and security apparatus, increasing high-level diplomatic contacts and implementing a comprehensive economic stimulation package which includes low-cost loans, grants, infrastructure development and corporate partnerships.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: An African "Marshall Plan"

The U.N. plans to send a special mission, comprised of representatives from a variety of aid agencies, to the area next week to talk to community leaders, doctors and humanitarian organizations about the allegations, the spokesman said.

CNN: UNICEF reports sexual violence in the Congo region

Aid workers are hoping the U.N. will have an easier time getting the governments of the Central African Republic and Chad to open the door for better security.

NPR: U.N. Weighs Force to Protect Darfur Aid Efforts

Although George Bush and Tony Blair have talked repeatedly of making it a "vital" one, EU nations suspect the U.S. in particular of wanting to palm off the U.N. with little more than a humanitarian aid function.

CNN: Analysis: Battles ahead over U.N. role

Of those, 397 schools are public, 243 are run by a U.N. aid agency for refugees and 46 are private.

NPR: Women's Group Slams Gaza Law On Gender Segregation

Looking for further hints about what this three-ring aid circus might entail, I pulled up the Web site on Tuesday of the U.N.

FORBES: Freedom's Edge

Meanwhile, the first major ground shipment of food aid arrived in Afghanistan on Tuesday after crossing the Iranian border, a U.N. aid official said.

CNN: Agencies question Afghan aid drops

Last week, the U.N. warned that the loss of NGOs in Sudan would cause 1.1 million people to go without food aid and health care, and more than 1 million to have no access to water.

CNN: Darfur faces meningitis crisis, ousted aid worker says