The United Nations has called for $47 billion in humanitarian aid to support approximately 190 million people across 32 countries affected by conflict and starvation in 2025.
This appeal comes amid the U.N.’s 2024 funding falling short, with donor countries, particularly the U.S., likely to scale back contributions.
Tom Fletcher, the newly appointed U.N. aid chief, described the current global humanitarian crisis as “an unprecedented level of suffering,” emphasizing the urgent need for international support.
Fletcher highlighted the dire situation facing countries such as Sudan, Syria, Gaza, and Ukraine. He emphasized the need to reevaluate the international community’s approach to humanitarian assistance.
“The world is on fire, and this is how we put it out,” he stated.
Funding gaps
The U.N.’s call for aid comes at a time when donor fatigue is becoming more pronounced, with international contributions declining in recent years.
The U.N.’s appeal for 2025 marks the fourth-largest in the history of OCHA. However, it leaves out 115 million people whose needs the agency cannot realistically address due to funding limitations.
“We’ve got to be absolutely focused on reaching those in the most dire need, and really ruthless,” Fletcher explained.
The 2024 appeal has already been reduced from $56 billion to $46 billion but remains severely underfunded, with only 43% of the target met so far.
The U.S. has contributed more than $10 billion, about half of the total funding received. The U.N. has long struggled to meet its core budget due to unpaid dues from member countries.
Concerns persist that this level of support may not continue as current officials fear potential cuts to U.S. contributions.
“The U.S. is a tremendous question mark, I fear that we may be bitterly disappointed because the global mood and the national political developments are not in our favour,” Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council and former OCHA chief stated.
With this funding gap, aid workers have been forced to make difficult choices, including cutting food assistance by 80% in Syria and limiting water services in cholera-prone Yemen.
The U.N. continues to push for more international funding and support as it faces one of the most critical humanitarian crises of modern times.
What you should know
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War, with the goal of promoting peace, security, and cooperation among the world’s nations. It currently has 193 member states, making it one of the most inclusive global institutions.
The UN’s main objectives are to maintain international peace and security, foster friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation in solving problems, and promote human rights and social progress.
The UN operates through a system of specialized agencies, each focusing on specific areas such as health (World Health Organization), education (UNESCO), finance (World Bank), and many others. Its headquarters are in New York, but it also maintains offices and operations worldwide.
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