UN humanitarian agencies are facing a record funding shortfall in 2022, according to Reuters.
UN humanitarian projects are facing a record funding shortfall this year, with only a third of the $48.7 billion needed secured so far. The underfunding comes as global needs are growing, a spokesman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday.
The money is needed to help around 204 million people around the world. They need help because of armed conflicts and climate change, such as the war in Ukraine and the drought in the Horn of Africa.
The United States is the main donor
“More than halfway through the year, the funding gap is $33.6 billion, the largest funding gap we’ve ever seen. The world’s needs are growing much faster than donor funds,” OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke said at a press conference.
So far $15.2 billion has been collected by mid-year, also a record, Laerke said, in a year where humanitarian needs have skyrocketed.
According to the OCHA website, the United States is the leading donor, contributing just over $8 billion, while the World Food Program was the largest recipient.
The almost 50 billion dollars needed includes all programs coordinated by the UN worldwide.