The United Nations announced on Monday a significant reduction in its global humanitarian aid plans, attributing the decision to what it termed the “deepest funding cuts ever.”
In a statement, the UN’s humanitarian agency revealed it is now seeking $29 billion in funding, a substantial decrease from the $44 billion initially requested in December, in a “hyper-prioritized” appeal.
Under President Donald Trump, who assumed office in January, the United States – traditionally the world’s leading donor – has severely curtailed its foreign aid contributions, causing considerable disruption across the global humanitarian sector. Other donor countries have also reduced their contributions in response to an uncertain economic outlook.
“Brutal funding cuts leave us with brutal choices,” stated Tom Fletcher, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). “All we ask is 1 percent of what you chose to spend last year on war. But this isn’t just an appeal for money — it’s a call for global responsibility, for human solidarity, for a commitment to end the suffering.”
With 2025 nearly halfway complete, the UN has received only $5.6 billion out of its initial $44 billion request, representing a mere 13 percent, while simultaneously confronting escalating crises in Sudan, Gaza, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Myanmar, among other regions.
“We have been forced into a triage of human survival,” Fletcher remarked. “The math is cruel, and the consequences are heartbreaking. Too many people will not get the support they need, but we will save as many lives as we can with the resources we are given.”
Under the revised guidelines, OCHA aid will be strategically directed to “reach the people and places facing the most urgent needs.” Furthermore, support will be aligned with “the planning already done for 2025… This will ensure that limited resources are directed where they can do the most good — as quickly as possible,” the statement concluded.
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