Kabul  - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived on a surprise visit to Afghanistan Wednesday, a day after the world body asked international donors to provide 603 million dollars for humanitarian aid for the war-wracked country.

The UN chief was scheduled to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and leaders of the national assembly during his second visit of the country since taking office in late 2006, the UN office in Kabul said in a statement.

Ban was also scheduled to meet the top UN envoy to Afghanistan, Kai Eide, and NATO's commander in the country, the statement said.

"He will hear the latest on the humanitarian situation in the country and the UN's work to support the government of Afghanistan," it said.

Ban's visit to Afghanistan came a day after John Holmes, the under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs, called on donor countries to give 603 million dollars for humanitarian aid.

Mounting insecurity along with natural disasters, specifically drought, have set the country back from gains made earlier this decade, he said.

"Poverty indicators, maternal mortality and infant mortality rates, are all very poor," Holmes said in Geneva. (dpa)