The United Nations launched its annual appeal for funding for humanitarian emergencies until 2024 this Monday (December 11, 2023). It aims to raise $46.4 billion to help 180.5 million people in various crises related to conflict, disasters exacerbated by climate change, or collapsed economies.
The numbers are slightly lower than a year ago, when the United Nations requested $56.7 billion to support 245.1 million people, although they could rise during 2024 in the event of unforeseen conflicts or natural disasters, as occurred this year year and was the case in previous years.
The main requests for humanitarian funding are aimed at addressing the crises in Syria (for which 4.4 billion dollars are requested), Ukraine (3.1 billion), Afghanistan (3.0 billion), Ethiopia (2.9 billion) and Yemen (2.8 billion) from . Countries punished by ongoing current or current conflicts.
Palestinian needs have increased fivefold
The UN is demanding $1.2 billion for the Palestinian territories affected by the conflict with Israel, almost five times more than a year ago.
Many of these conflicts have international implications due to refugee exodus, which is why the UN is also calling for an additional $5.5 billion to support the Syrian exodus, particularly in neighboring countries, $1.5 billion for the South Sudanese, $1.3 billion for the Sudanese and 1.5 billion for the Sudanese billion for the Ukrainian.
In Latin America, the UN is calling for $650 million in donations to support Venezuela (plus another $1.6 billion for countries hosting Venezuelan refugees), $283 million for Colombia, $87 million for El Salvador, $125 million for Guatemala and $673 million .8 million for Haiti and 205 million for Honduras.
These and other aid programs aim to help 180.5 million people on the planet, just over half of the 300 million people the United Nations estimates need humanitarian assistance worldwide (74.1 million in Africa, 53.8 million in the Middle East and Maghreb, 50.8 million in Africa). Asia Pacific and 38.9 million in Latin America).
The United Nations initially requested $51.5 billion from donors for the current year, but the outbreak of unforeseen conflicts such as in Sudan and Gaza, as well as natural disasters such as the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria or the floods in Libya, forced an increase in the request to 56.7 billion.
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International aid is becoming increasingly scarce
However, donations this year have barely exceeded $20 billion, which, according to the United Nations, has led to aid programs being cut even in countries where they are urgently needed, such as Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar).
The United Nations emphasizes that 2023 could be the first year since 2010 in which the aid received will be less than the previous year (24.1 billion dollars was collected in 2022).
Some Latin American countries were particularly affected by the lack of aid this year: Honduras received only 15% of the requested $42.6 million and the program to support Venezuelan refugees in neighboring countries received 19% of the funds. $328.1 million needed.
The United Nations recalls that conflict, climate emergencies and economic crises have left 258 million people suffering from acute food insecurity and more than 100 million people forced to leave their homes: 36.4 million refugees in other countries and 71.1 million internally displaced.
Some good news
Looking back at the situation in 2023, the United Nations also notes some positive data: countries such as Kenya, Malawi and Pakistan are recovering from humanitarian crises and will no longer be included in aid programs this year.
This is also mitigated by the decline in emergencies in Somalia, a country slowly recovering from years of drought, or in Yemen, where the civil war has eased, meaning trade flows and fuel arrivals are increasing.
CP (efe, afp)