Overview
- OCHA set a reduced 2026 target, with its official brief citing a $33.0 billion appeal to reach about 135 million people, while separate reporting describes a $23.0 billion plan prioritizing 87 million, underscoring conflicting figures now in circulation.
- Humanitarian funding in 2025 fell to the lowest level in a decade, reported by OCHA as $15.0 billion, with some coverage noting $12.0 billion through November.
- The office outlined top needs for next year including roughly $4.1 billion for Palestinian areas, $2.9 billion for Sudan and $2.8 billion for a regional response linked to Syria.
- UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said cuts require “brutal” prioritization and called for a radical transformation of aid with less bureaucracy, greater efficiency and more power for local groups.
- Coverage attributes the squeeze largely to reductions by major Western donors, including the United States under President Donald Trump and Germany, which constrained the UN’s ability to meet global needs.