The United Nations has granted North Korea sanction waivers on 22 humanitarian aid projects so far this year.

This is according to a tally by the UN Security Council's North Korean sanctions committee's website. The 22 projects include a UNICEF program in January on combating and preventing tuberculosis and malaria and a Red Cross program earlier this month to provide safe drinking water in North Korea.

Projects granted sanction exemptions mainly concern the areas of food, water, medicine, disaster preparation and facility restoration.

A total of 18 organizations are behind the 22 projects. The goods they have declared for entry into North Korea are worth some seven million dollars but the actual amount may be more because not all the agencies have disclosed a list of their supplies.

The UN's sanction exemption is valid for six months in the case of North Korea aid, but there has been criticism that the deliberation process on the waivers takes too long and is very complex.