The United Nations announced on Monday that it requires $46.4 billion next year to provide life-saving assistance to approximately 180 million people facing desperate circumstances worldwide.
The global humanitarian outlook for 2024 is described as “bleak,” with conflicts, climate emergencies, and collapsing economies wreaking havoc on the most vulnerable.
Despite the focus on the Gaza Strip conflict, other hotspots, including the wider Middle East, Sudan, and Afghanistan, also demand significant international aid operations.
UN aid chief Martin Griffiths highlighted the challenges, stating that while humanitarians are actively saving lives and addressing various crises globally, the necessary support from the international community is not keeping pace with the growing needs.
The 2023 appeal of $56.7 billion fell short, receiving only 35 percent of the amount, marking one of the worst funding shortfalls in years.
This prompted a reduction in the 2024 appeal to $46.4 billion, emphasizing assistance for the gravest needs across 72 countries, addressing both states in crisis and neighboring nations affected by the aftermath, such as an influx of refugees.
The largest single-country appeals include Syria ($4.4 billion), Ukraine ($3.1 billion), Afghanistan ($3 billion), Ethiopia ($2.9 billion), and Yemen ($2.8 billion). Griffiths acknowledged the difficulty of raising such a “massive ask” due to donor countries facing their own cost-of-living crises.
The appeal aims to reach 180.5 million people out of an estimated 300 million in need globally, with NGOs, aid agencies, and front-line countries complementing these efforts.
Highlighting specific regions, the Middle East and North Africa require $13.9 billion, with ongoing crises in Syria, the Palestinian territories, Yemen, Sudan, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Myanmar demanding sustained global attention. Griffiths also emphasized the increasing impact of climate change on humanitarian work, as climate-related displacements now rival conflict-induced displacements.
The need to adapt aid resources based on climate data is recognized as a growing challenge for humanitarian aid workers.
