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UN Cuts Global Humanitarian Aid Plans Due to Record Funding Shortages
The United Nations announced on Monday that it is significantly reducing its global humanitarian aid initiatives in response to unprecedented funding cuts.
In a statement, the UN’s humanitarian agency stated that it is seeking $29 billion in funding, a sharp decrease from the $44 billion requested in December. This decision has been described as a "hyper-prioritized" appeal.
During the presidency of Donald Trump, who took office in January, U.S. foreign aid—traditionally the highest in the world—was drastically reduced, leading to turmoil in the international humanitarian sector. Various other donor nations are also scaling back their contributions due to a challenging economic forecast.
“Severe funding cuts force us into harsh decisions,” remarked Tom Fletcher, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in his statement. “We only ask for 1% of what was spent on warfare last year. However, this is more than just a monetary appeal; it is a plea for global accountability, human solidarity, and a commitment to alleviating suffering.”
With 2025 nearly half over, the UN has received only $5.6 billion of the $44 billion it requested, which is just 13%. This comes amidst escalating crises in regions like Sudan, the Middle East, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Myanmar.
“We find ourselves forced into a triage of human survival,” stated Fletcher. “The mathematics are harsh, and the outcomes heartbreaking. Many will not receive the assistance they desperately require, but we will strive to save as many lives as possible with the resources at our disposal.”
According to the new guidelines, OCHA will focus its aid on ensuring it reaches those areas and populations with the most urgent needs. The commitment is to direct limited resources where they can achieve the greatest impact as quickly as possible.
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