UN Releases $160 Million for 12 Underfunded Crises

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released $160 million on Friday to provide life-saving assistance across 12 underfunded humanitarian crises. The allocation targets regions including Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cuba, Mali, Niger, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen.

Of the total, $150 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund is designated for general life-saving responses, with the largest portions of $18 million each going to Afghanistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and Yemen. An additional $10 million is earmarked to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, supported by up to $4 million in technical and financial aid from the UN Global Disability Fund.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher stated the funding is part of a broader effort to reach 87 million people with severe needs this year. However, Fletcher warned that financial aid is insufficient without diplomatic action. He specifically called for political will to remove obstacles blocking aid to 11 million people in five priority contexts: Afghanistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen.