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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: Surging conflicts and the climate crisis are projected to leave 305 million people in need of humanitarian assistance by 2025, the United Nations (UN) reported on Wednesday. The UN has issued an urgent appeal for over $47 billion to provide vital aid next year.
“The world is on fire… We are dealing with a polycrisis right now globally, and it is the most vulnerable people who are paying the price,” said Tom Fletcher, the new UN humanitarian chief in a press conference in Geneva. Fletcher expressed his concern about the grim outlook for 2025 and emphasized the compounded impact of multiple, prolonged, and severe conflicts.
Fletcher noted that brutal conflicts are escalating in regions such as Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine, while the climate crisis and extreme weather events are exacerbating these issues. The UN estimates that 305 million people worldwide will require emergency assistance in the coming year.
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Swelling inequality and the intersection of conflicts with climate change have created a “perfect storm” of needs, according to Fletcher. Launching the Global Humanitarian Overview he acknowledged that the UN and its partners would be able to reach only about 190 million of those in need which is approximately 62%.
The UN’s annual appeal for 2025, which seeks $47.4 billion, is slightly less than the previous year’s request. This funding is intended to aid the 189.5 million most vulnerable individuals. However, he admitted that “There’s 115 million that we won’t be able to reach” with the current plan, citing significant “donor fatigue” affecting humanitarian operations worldwide.
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As of last month, only 43 percent of the $50-billion appeal for the current year had been met, leading to severe cutbacks in aid. This includes an 80-percent reduction in food assistance in Syria, cuts to protection services in Myanmar, and diminished water and sanitation aid in cholera-prone Yemen.
The widespread violations of international law are the biggest barriers to assisting and protecting people in armed conflicts. The year 2024 has already seen a record number of humanitarian worker deaths, surpassing last year’s toll of 280.
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Fletcher highlighted the need for a “surge in global solidarity” and expressed concerns that a potential return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency could lead to cuts in humanitarian aid budgets. Fletcher plans to engage with the new administration in Washington to advocate for continued support.
As conflicts increasingly overlap with climate-induced disasters, the UN warns of devastating effects on communities, food systems, and mass displacement. Fletcher stressed, “The dread I have is that those two huge drivers of need are now combining,” calling for urgent global action to address these converging crises.
