40 million Africans are in peril of starvation

The money raised in the first three weeks of the United Nations' appeal for Iraq could have bridged the funding gap for five other world crises, such as food and drug shortages in Africa, according to Save the Children.

The UN food aid appeal for Afghanistan alone has a shortfall of �99m ($148.8m), the charity said.

As Save the Children Week was launched, the charity's director general, Mike Aaronson, said it was essential one crisis did not overshadow all others.

"Each forgotten emergency is potentially a major human catastrophe bringing unrelieved misery and suffering to millions," he said.

'Double standards'

"Each is a priority and none must be forgotten.

The charity said much of the UN's �1.3bn ($2bn) appeal for Iraq had already been pledged while shortfalls persisted in other areas.

Most of the UN's �1.3bn for Iraq has been raised

The international community's focus on Iraq at the expense of other nations has already drawn accusations of "double standards" from the head of the UN's World Food Programme.

Its executive director James Morris said there were nearly 40 million Africans in great peril.

"They are struggling against starvation, and I can assure you these 40 million Africans, most of them women and children, would find it an immeasurable blessing to have a month's worth of food", he said.

The charity has highlighted five key areas in need of action: