The United Nations has issued a global appeal for 2024, highlighting the urgent need for $46.4 billion to provide life-saving assistance and protection to 180.5 million people, according to the Global Humanitarian Overview 2024 report.
The organization cited the urgency of the funding, saying that conflicts, climate change, and economic struggles "are wreaking havoc" in communities around the world.
"Armed conflicts, the climate emergency and collapsing economies are taking a devastating toll on the most vulnerable communities on all continents, resulting in catastrophic hunger, massive displacement and disease outbreaks," the report said.
Highlighting the severity of the problems, the UN stated that in 2023, one in five children live in or flee conflict zones and 258 million people face acute hunger.
UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said the 2023 contribution was $20 billion, only a third of what was needed and had "tragic" consequences, including in Africa.
"In Myanmar, more than half a million people were left in inadequate living conditions. In Yemen, more than 80% of people targeted for assistance do not have proper water and sanitation. And in Nigeria, only 2% of the women expecting sexual and reproductive health services and gender-based violence prevention received it," the report said.
In that vein, the UN said that the humanitarian agency's plans will focus on the most pressing needs and target fewer people: nearly 181 million next year, down from 245 million by the end of 2023.
Furthermore, planned funding declined from $56.7 billion in 2023 to $46.4 billion in 2024.
"However, the ambition to reach all people in need has not changed, and the call to donors to dig deep and fully fund all the response plans is as urgent as ever," the report said.
The UN has identified Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Yemen as the most needy recipient countries.