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The United Nations’ humanitarian aid coordination office is downsizing its appeal for annual funding in 2026 after support this year, mostly from Western governments, plunged to the lowest level in a decade.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said on Monday it was seeking $33 billion (€28 billion) to help some 135 million people cope with the fallout from wars, climate disasters, earthquakes, epidemics and food shortages.
This year, it took in $15 billion (€12 billion) in funding, the lowest level in a decade.
The office says next year it wants more than $4.1 billion (€3.5 billion) to reach 3 million people in the Palestinian territories, another $2.9 billion (€2.4 billion) for Sudan, home to the world’s largest displacement crisis, and $2.8 billion (€2.4 billion) for a regional plan for Syria.
“In 2025, hunger surged. Food budgets were slashed — even as famines hit parts of Sudan and Gaza. Health systems broke apart,” said OCHA chief Tom Fletcher.
“Disease outbreaks spiked. Millions went without essential food, health care and protection. Programmes to protect women and girls were slashed, hundreds of aid organisations shut.”
The UN aid coordinator sought $47 billion (€40 billion) for this year and aimed to help 190 million people worldwide.
Because of the lower support, it and humanitarian partners reached 25 million fewer people this year than in 2024.
The donor fatigue comes as many wealthy European countries face security threats from an increasingly assertive Russia on their eastern flank and have experienced lacklustre economic growth in recent years, putting new strains on government budgets and the consumers who pay taxes to sustain them.
“I know budgets are tight right now. Families everywhere are under strain,” Fletcher said.
“But the world spent $2.7 trillion (€2.3 trillion) on defence last year – on guns and arms. And I’m asking for just over 1% of that.”
This year, the UN system slashed thousands of jobs, notably at its migration and refugee agencies, and Secretary General António Guterres’ office has launched a review of UN operations, which may or may not produce firm results.
Fletcher, who answers to Guterres, has called for “radical transformation” of aid by reducing bureaucracy, boosting efficiency and giving more power to local groups.
Fletcher cited “very practical, constructive conversations” almost daily with the Trump administration.
“Do I want to shame the world into responding? Absolutely,” Fletcher said. “But I also want to channel this sense of determination and anger that we have as humanitarians, that we will carry on delivering with what we get.”
Additional sources • AP