International Red Cross Requests $1.7 Billion Budget

The International Red Cross announced on Thursday, December 6, that it requires $1.68 billion in funding for humanitarian and relief activities worldwide in 2015. According to AFP, the reason for the increased budget request is the rising need for essential aid in crisis and conflict areas such as Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine. Peter Maurer, the president of the International Red Cross, stated, "This unprecedented budget is to meet needs and align our actions and assistance with the new requirements in crisis and conflict areas." The committee warned that despite the increased budget needs, the International Red Cross and other aid organizations face a "growing gap between enormous humanitarian needs and an adequate response to them." The International Red Cross noted that in light of the crisis in Syria, Gaza, Iraq, South Sudan, Ukraine, and other parts of the world, "millions of people now need protection and assistance more than ever." AFP further reports that Syria will again receive the largest share of the Red Cross's humanitarian aid budget next year, with the organization allocating over $170 million (164 million Swiss francs), equivalent to 10% of its annual budget, to the war-torn country. Relief operations in South Sudan are second in budget allocation at 131.2 million Swiss francs, followed by Afghanistan at 80.1 million Swiss francs. Peter Maurer added, "In these countries and elsewhere in the world, we are witnessing another form of crisis that often appears with regional dimensions. Accessing more needy individuals and concentrating these people in conditions that limit our operations due to security considerations is our biggest challenge." The Red Cross also emphasized the needs in West Africa, a region grappling with issues stemming from military conflict and now devastated by the Ebola virus outbreak, which has claimed over 5,700 victims. The international organization expressed regret, stating that in addition to crises that attract public attention due to media coverage, many other forgotten or overlooked crisis hotspots exist. The International Red Cross also stressed that "the intensity of violence and crimes against civilians in areas like the Democratic Republic of the Congo has not only remained unchanged but the living conditions of people have worsened due to decades of conflict and crisis." This marks the third consecutive year that the organization's budget has seen an unprecedented increase compared to previous years. The 2015 budget for the Red Cross is 25% higher than previously anticipated and represents the largest budget in the organization's history. The International Red Cross stated that 2014 was a special year for the organization, during which three of its aid workers were killed in the Central African Republic, Libya, and Ukraine. Three aid workers from the organization who were kidnapped in Syria over a year ago remain in captivity. Additionally, 40 volunteers from the Red Crescent have been killed since the onset of the conflict in Syria in March 2011. The president of the International Red Cross told reporters, "Now, as always, the Red Cross strives to fulfill the sensitive duty of providing and delivering aid to those in need while also being responsible for protecting aid workers and not exposing them to potential dangers."