UNITED NATIONS, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The UN Central Emergency FUND (CERF) has approved 10 million U.S. dollars for the "urgent food needs of 382,000 people in Chad," including 22,000 starving children, the UN spokesperson said on Friday.

Of the 382,000 people in need of the aid are 72,000 children under the age of five needing nutritional support, 22,000 of them "suffering from severe acute malnutrition, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson.

"In June, more than 1 million people in Chad were assisted with food support," he said.

"Chad's food security and nutrition situation is showing a marked deterioration compared to last year as a result of severe rainfall deficits in 2017 which have compounded conflict dynamics and high food prices," Dujarric said.

The CERF was established 12 years ago as the world organizations' global Emergency Response Fund to deliver aid quickly to humanitarian responders and bring greater balance to emergency assistance.

Since 2006, donors to CERF have enabled UN agencies, funds and programs, and their implementing partners to provide over 5 billion U.S. dollars worth of life-saving assistance to 100 countries and territories.

Some 126 UN member states and observers, regional government groups, corporate donors, foundations and individuals contribute to the fund.

It is administered by its own secretariat, under the UN's Chief Emergency Relief Coordinator, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock, head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.