The United Nations (UN) has shocked the aid world by launching its 2026 global humanitarian appeal at just US$23 billion roughly half of what it says is required even as global crises reach record levels.
According to the UN, only about 12–15 billion dollars was mobilised for 2025 the lowest funding level in a decade leaving hundreds of millions without full access to essential food, shelter, health and protective services.
The UN’s humanitarian coordination arm warns that underfunding, rising conflict, climate‑driven disasters, and epidemic outbreaks force “brutal choices.” Agencies will now focus on a reduced pool of roughly 87 million “priority” individuals globally even though an estimated 240 million people need urgent help.
The largest portion of the appeal about US$4 billion is earmarked for the occupied Palestinian territories (mainly Gaza), followed by Sudan and Syria as part of multi‑region assistance plans.
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher described the situation bluntly: “We are overstretched, underfunded and under attack.” He warned that if donor contributions don’t rebound, many vulnerable populations may be left stranded, a stark signal of waning global solidarity even as needs soar.
