United Nations requests unprecedented amount of humanitarian aid

The humanitarian crises around the world are the most costly ever. Now the United Nations is seeking a record amount of $51.5 billion in assistance for the world’s humanitarian aid response system.

“It’s going to go up by about 25%, and that’s a shocker. It’s gone up about each year by about 25% in recent years. The gap between needs and funding is going to grow,” U.N. Aid Chief Martin Griffiths said.

He added that next year there will be tens of millions of more people who will need their help. The demand has doubled since 2019.

From viruses spreading through underdeveloped countries and Russia’s war in Ukraine displacing families, to devastating floods in Pakistan and earthquakes in Afghanistan. The U.N. responds to all of these. Those projected to be in need of urgent assistance are spread throughout over 68 countries, some of which are teetering on the brink of famine.

While the U.N. is calling for bigger donations, the U.S. has long been its biggest donor, supplying the agency with $14 billion in humanitarian aid so far in this year alone.