Faced with the effects of climate change, food insecurity and conflicts such as the War in Ukraine, the UN (United Nations) presented this Thursday (1) an appeal to raise a record amount of US$ 51.5 billion in 2023 in humanitarian aid, in a scenario where more than 300 million people are vulnerable – a “shockingly high” need that should “test the humanitarian response system to the limit”, according to the institution.
The figure represents a 25% increase from 2022 and is more than five times the amount claimed a decade ago.
The UN estimates that an additional 65 million people will need help in the coming year, bringing the total to 339 million in 68 countries — which represents more than 4% of the planet’s population, or the approximate population of the United States.
“Humanitarian needs are incredibly high as this year’s extreme events are extending into 2023,” said UN emergency aid coordinator Martin Griffiths, citing the Ukraine war and drought in the Horn of Africa. “For people on the edge of the abyss, this appeal is a lifeline.”
The appeal for funds submitted by the UN on Thursday is based on a bleak scenario.
More than 100 million people have been forced from their homes due to conflict and climate change fueling a crisis of forced displacement.
In addition, the nine-month war between Russia and Ukraine has disrupted food exports and an estimated 45 million people in 37 countries are currently at risk of starvation, according to the report.
Another troubling factor is that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to major rollbacks in childhood immunization programs and has thwarted efforts to end extreme poverty, fueling other diseases such as cholera, Griffiths said.
For the first time, ten countries have individual appeals of more than US$1 billion—Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen.
Meanwhile, funding provided by donors is already under strain with multiple crises, forcing aid workers to make difficult decisions about priorities.
The UN faces its biggest ever funding gap, with 53% of the amount pledged in 2022 not met by mid-November.
“The humanitarian response system is being tested to the limit,” Griffiths said.
Unlike other sectors of the UN, where fees depend on the economic size of countries, humanitarian funding is voluntary and predominantly relies on Western donations.
The United States is by far the biggest donor, having provided more than $14 billion so far this year, followed by Germany and the European Commission. Other major economies like China and India donated less than $10 million each.
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