The United Nations announced yesterday that it will allocate $100 million to support underfunded humanitarian crises in seven countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria.
The funding, sourced from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund, represents one of the smallest allocations in recent years as relief organizations struggle to raise donations amidst a sharp increase in humanitarian disasters.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which manages the emergency fund, stated that this reflects the decline in funding received by the fund in 2023, the lowest since 2018, and highlights the harsh reality that donor funding is failing to keep pace with the growing humanitarian needs.
The UN office reports that global relief needs have surged, reaching nearly $57 billion in 2023 due to conflicts, including the war in Gaza.
Last month, it was mentioned that the gap between financial needs and resources reached an unprecedented level of $35 billion due to unmet appeals for financial support.
In addition to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Syria, the emergency fund will also support crisis responses in Chad, Niger, Lebanon, and Honduras.
