GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is reducing its bid for annual funding in 2026 after support this year. for the most part from Westgovernmentfell to its lowest level in a decade.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Monday it is seeking $33 billion to help some 135 million people cope with the effects of wars, climate disasters, earthquakes, epidemics and food shortages. This year, $15 billion was spent on it, the lowest level in a decade.
The office says it needs to spend more than $4.1 billion next year to reach 3 million people in Palestinian territoriesanother $2.9 billion for Sudan — home to the world's largest displacement crisis — and $2.8 billion for a regional plan around Syria.
“Hunger has risen sharply in 2025. Food budgets have been cut – even as famine hits parts of Sudan and Gaza. Health systems have collapsed,” said OCHA chief Tom Fletcher. “Disease outbreaks have increased dramatically. Millions of people have been left without essential food, health care and protection. Programs to protect women and girls have been cut, and hundreds of humanitarian organizations have closed.”
The UN aid coordinator has asked for $47 billion this year and aims to help 190 million people worldwide. Because of less support, he and his humanitarian partners reached 25 million fewer people this year than in 2024.
Donor fatigue comes at a time when many wealthy European countries face security threats from an increasingly assertive Russia on their eastern flank and have experienced sluggish economic growth in recent years, putting new strain on government budgets and the consumers who pay taxes to support them.
“I know budgets are tight right now. Families everywhere are under stress,” Fletcher said. “But last year the world spent $2.7 trillion on defense – on weapons and weapons. And I'm asking for a little over 1% of that.”
UN system this year thousands of jobs were cutespecially in migration and refugee agencies, and the office of Secretary-General António Guterres has launched review of UN operations — which may or may not produce lasting results.
Fletcher, who is responding to Guterres, called for a “radical transformation” of aid by cutting bureaucracy, increasing efficiency and giving more power to local groups. Fletcher referred almost daily to “very practical and constructive conversations” with the Trump administration.
“Do I want to shame the world into reacting? Absolutely,” Fletcher said. “But I also want to channel that sense of determination and anger that we have as humanitarians, and that we will continue to push for what we get.”
Associated Press
