UN appeals for $62b to meet humanitarian needs in 2024
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Palestinians collecting bags of dried pulses from a UN-run aid supply centre in Deir al-Balah, on Oct 28, 2023.
PHOTO: AFP
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GENEVA - The United Nations on Dec 11 appealed for US$46 billion (S$62 billion) in funding for 2024 to help millions of people affected by humanitarian crises around the globe, including in the occupied Palestinian territories, Sudan and Ukraine.
In its Global Humanitarian Overview for 2024, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) said nearly 300 million people will require humanitarian assistance in 2024 due to conflicts, climate emergencies and economic factors.
That includes 74.1 million people in East and Southern Africa, a large portion of whom are affected by the crisis in Sudan.
“We will target for our specific needs, for the agencies that I represent, 181 million of those 300 (million),” said UN aid chief Martin Griffiths.
He said that other organisations, including the Red cross and national Red Cross societies, had made their own funding appeals.
The humanitarian system is facing a major funding crisis, with j ust over one-third of the US$57 billion required to provide aid
Mr Griffiths described this as the “worst funding shortfall in years”.
He said it had been difficult to decrease the appeal for 2024 and ensure aid agencies were “realistic, focused and tough-minded” when assessing needs.
“I think the Middle East as a whole – and Gaza and West Bank – is probably going to be the area of greatest need,” Mr Griffiths said.
“But Ukraine is going through desperate times and a war that will restart in full swing next year. It will need a lot of attention.” REUTERS
