New york: The UN and partners are seeking $23 billion to provide lifesaving support next year to 87 million people worldwide affected by war, climate disasters, earthquakes, epidemics, and crop failures. This is the immediate priority of the $33 billion Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) 2026, launched on Monday, which aims to reach 135 million people overall in 50 countries.
According to Emirates News Agency, UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher emphasized the focus on individual lives, stating, "This appeal sets out where we need to focus our collective energy first: life by life." The updated GHO follows a year marked by significant cuts to humanitarian operations and a record number of deadly attacks against aid workers.
The appeal includes 29 detailed plans, with the largest allocation for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, where $4.1 billion is needed to assist approximately three million people. Fletcher highlighted the previous year's funding challenges, noting that the 2025 appeal received only $12 billion, the lowest funding in a decade. Consequently, humanitarians reached 25 million fewer people than during the previous year.