New York: Europe and the Arabs

The United Nations and its partners have launched a global humanitarian appeal to save millions of lives in areas most affected by wars, climate disasters, earthquakes, epidemics, and crop failures. The immediate priority is to save 87 million people with $23 billion in funding. The ultimate goal of the humanitarian appeal is to raise $33 billion to support 135 million people in 50 countries in 2026, according to a UN News bulletin received this morning, Tuesday.

The "Global Humanitarian Overview 2026" report comes after a year that saw significant cuts in humanitarian operations and a record number of deadly attacks against aid workers. UN Humanitarian Coordinator Tom Fletcher said, "This appeal sets the focus of our collective energy: lives, lives."

Palestine, Sudan, Syria

The report includes 29 detailed plans, the largest of which is for the occupied Palestinian territory, where $4.1 billion is needed to reach approximately three million people.

Palestine, Sudan, Syria In Sudan, $2.9 billion is needed to provide life-saving assistance to 20 million people trapped in the world’s largest displacement crisis, in addition to another $2 billion for the seven million Sudanese who have fled the country.

The largest regional plan is for Syria, with $2.8 billion needed for 8.6 million people.

Consequences of the funding cuts

Mr. Fletcher noted that the 2025 appeal received only $12 billion – the lowest funding in a decade. As a result, humanitarian workers reached 25 million fewer people than the previous year.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the humanitarian appeal launch, Mr. Fletcher said the consequences of the funding shortfall were immediate, including increased hunger and strained health systems, citing famine declarations in parts of Sudan and Gaza.

He added: “Protection programs for women and girls have been scaled back, and hundreds of aid organizations have been forced to close. More than 380 aid workers have been killed – the highest number ever recorded.” Humanitarian workers are under attack.

The UN emergency relief coordinator said humanitarian workers are "under immense pressure and underfunded, and are being attacked. Only 20% of our appeals are being supported. We are driving the ambulance to the fire on your behalf. But now we are also being asked to put out the fire. There isn't enough water in the tank. And we are being shot at."

Support from member states
Humanitarian workers will now take the appeal to UN member states and ask for their support. Fletcher said this will happen over the next 87 days – "one day for every million people we will be working to save."

He added that states will also be urged to strengthen the protection of humanitarian workers, "not with statements of concern, but by holding to account those who kill us – and those who arm those who kill us."