U.N. says Saudi Arabia gives $500 mln to WFP

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has made what U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called an unprecedented contribution of $500 million to the World Food Program, a U.N. spokeswoman said on Friday.

"This contribution completes the World Food Program's appeal target of $755 million to respond to the rise in fuel and food costs," U.N. spokeswoman Marie Okabe told reporters.

"The secretary-general notes that this contribution of an unprecedented size and generosity comes not a moment too soon, given the needs of millions of people dependent on food rations," she said.

(Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Bill Trott)