UN calls for £42.4 billion in emergency aid as 339 million struggle to survive

The United Nations is targeting a record £42.4 billion to fund emergency relief next year as the war in Ukraine and other disasters around the world leave 339 million people struggling to survive.

The humanitarian office of the global organization asked member states to give 25 percent more than required for this year and said the number of crisis cases had risen by 65 million in 69 countries.

“Humanitarian needs are alarming as this year’s extreme events extend into 2023,” said UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths. He cited droughts in the Horn of Africa, floods in Pakistan and Russia’s attack on Ukraine, which pushed the number of displaced people worldwide to more than 100 million.

“All of this is on top of the devastation the pandemic has wreaked on the world’s poorest,” Mr Griffiths said.

“For people on the edge, this appeal is a lifeline. For the international community, it is a strategy to deliver on the promise of leaving no one behind.”

The UN’s annual Global Humanitarian Overview quantifies the funding needs of the global organization and non-governmental organizations. Current funding from member states is less than half of what is needed, the UN says.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, Visit our news page.