The United Nations has allocated $110 million to address neglected humanitarian crises in Africa, Asia, and Latin America amid a steep decline in global aid funding.
The move, managed by the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), comes as over 300 million people face urgent needs. However, funding has been falling annually, with this year projected to hit a record low.
“Brutal funding cuts don’t mean that humanitarian needs disappear,” said Tom Fletcher, the UN’s top aid official. “Today’s emergency fund allocation channels resources swiftly to where they’re needed most.” One-third of the funds will support Sudan and Chad, where many Sudanese have sought refuge. Other countries set to benefit include Afghanistan, Niger, Venezuela, and Zambia, with a focus on life-saving measures and protecting vulnerable populations from climate shocks.
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UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, warned that aid cuts severely impact efforts to help children facing conflict, disease, and educational disruptions. “There is no way around it—these new cuts are creating a global funding crisis that will put the lives of millions of additional children at risk,” Russell said. Since 2000, global under-five mortality has dropped by 50%, largely due to aid programs now at risk.
Russell urged donour countries to continue funding, emphasizing, “We cannot fail them now.”
