At a time when the global economic crisis is affecting the most vulnerable across the globe, the Bush administration says the United States and other developed countries must honour their commitments to foreign assistance.

President George W Bush is to make a pitch for continued support to poor nations on Tuesday where he hosts a daylong summit on international development aid. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and musician and activist Bob Geldof are among the attendees.

"Don't let this financial crisis become a human crisis," Geldof said yesterday in a statement previewing the event.

The event brings together about 500 representatives of nations from Africa to Romania that receive US aid; faith-based organisations; and non-governmental, private and public leaders from the United States and the developing world.

"Given the recent economic downturn where there is concern that developing countries and their citizens will be more vulnerable, it's more important than ever that we and other developed countries keep our commitments and continue to fund development assistance programs, as well as work to increase trade," White House press secretary Dana Perino said.

USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore said yesterday that in all regions of the world, the Bush administration has doubled, tripled or quadrupled development assistance.

She said the administration also has worked to reform US foreign assistance through projects like the president's initiative on HIV/AIDS and the Millennium Challenge Corp, which provides aid to nations that embrace democracy and free markets, fight corruption and invest in education and health.