The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says it still needs $14.3 billion to support 87 million people facing severe humanitarian crises worldwide in 2026.
This was disclosed by Tom Fletcher, who said the agency has so far secured $8.7 billion in funding and pledges under its “hyper-prioritised” humanitarian response plan.
The funding forms part of the Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) 2026, which seeks $23 billion for urgent life-saving interventions, about a third of the broader $33 billion global humanitarian appeal.
Fletcher said $5 billion has already been received, including $810 million in flexible “gold standard” funding, allowing aid agencies to quickly respond to the most urgent crises.
Major contributors so far include the United States, the European Commission, Germany, and the United Kingdom, reflecting strong early support despite global financial pressures.
About 2,000 humanitarian organisations, more than 60 per cent of them local partners, are expected to deliver the emergency assistance. In January alone, aid groups reached over seven million people, including nearly two million in Sudan.
To close the funding gap, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is expanding fundraising beyond governments, raising $60 million from foundations, companies and individuals, and preparing a global campaign targeting the tech sector and private businesses.
The UN has scaled back its humanitarian funding requests in recent years due to donor fatigue and global economic pressures, cutting the 2026 priority appeal to $23 billion from higher targets in previous years.
Officials warn that without additional funding, millions of people affected by conflicts, climate disasters and epidemics could face worsening humanitarian conditions.
