The United Nations said on Tuesday it was allocating $100m (R1.8bn) to support poorly funded humanitarian crises in seven countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan and Syria.
The funding, drawn from the United Nations' Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), is among the smallest in recent years as aid organisations are grappling to attract donations amid a flurry of humanitarian crises.
“This reflects the reduced funding that CERF received in 2023, its lowest since 2018, and the dire reality that donor funding is failing to keep up with soaring humanitarian needs,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which manages the emergency fund, said in a statement.
Global aid needs reached a high of almost nearly $57bn (R1.07-trillion) in 2023 as conflicts, including the war between Israel and Hamas, erupted around the globe, according to OCHA.
It said last month that the disparity between financial needs and resources had reached an unprecedented level of $35bn (R659.70bn) in unmet appeals for financial support.
In addition to the DRC, Sudan and Syria, the emergency fund allocation will also be used to fund the crisis response in Chad, Niger, Lebanon and Honduras.
Reuters
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.