UN launches appeal to fund 'shockingly increased' humanitarian aid

Today, Thursday, the United Nations and its partners launched an appeal to collect a record amount of $ 51.5 billion in aid for the year 2023, as the number of people in need of aid is expected to increase by tens of millions, in a test that puts the response system to humanitarian needs under severe pressure.

The size of this appeal represents a 25% increase from 2022.

The report (A Snapshot of Global Humanitarian Action) estimates that an additional 65 million people will need assistance next year, bringing the total number to 339 million in 68 countries.

This equates to more than 4% of the planet's population, close to the population of the United States.

"Humanitarian needs are shockingly high, and the harsh developments seen this year will extend into 2023," said UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, referring to the war in Ukraine and drought in Africa.

"This appeal is a lifeline for those on the brink," he said on Thursday.

More than 100 million people have been forced to leave their homes after conflicts and climate change trigger a displacement crisis.

The report stated that the nine-month-old war between Russia and Ukraine has led to disturbances in food exports, and about 45 million people in 37 countries are at risk of starvation.

Griffiths added that the Corona pandemic led to major setbacks in child vaccination programs and thwarted efforts to end extreme poverty, which led to the spread of other diseases such as cholera.

For the first time ever, there are individual appeals exceeding $1 billion from ten countries: Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen.

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