(VOVworld) - Donors have pledged an initial 500.8 million US dollars to fund operations of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to help 43 million forcibly displaced or stateless people next year, said the UN refugee agency on Tuesday. The pledges are a step toward the 6.23 billion dollars needed by UNHCR for its global assistance work in 2015. The UN refugee agency noted that Tuesday's pledges, though "not sufficient to cover all needs", were "important as they give the organization a vital funding indication ahead of the year, allowing it to plan and continue operations without interruption."