UN Requests $22 Billion in Humanitarian Aid for 2017

The United Nations on Monday submitted a humanitarian aid request amounting to $22.2 billion for 2017. This aid is intended for 93 million people affected by global conflicts and natural disasters. According to a Reuters report, the UN is seeking $22.2 billion to cover costs for the upcoming calendar year, and as stated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, nearly half of this money will be allocated to assist those caught in the crises in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and South Sudan. The request for increased financial resources and humanitarian assistance from the UN has tripled compared to five years ago, with requests in 2011 amounting to $7.9 billion. Stephen O'Brien, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, noted in the introduction to the financial request, which encompasses 33 countries, that 'at this very moment we are presenting this report, more people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and this number has not decreased as crises have continued to drag on.' The UN states that over the past 25 years, countries such as Afghanistan, Brunei, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia have made annual emergency requests for humanitarian assistance, and these countries will face worse conditions in 2017. In 2016, the UN submitted a $22.1 billion aid request, which was ultimately revised down to $20.1 billion, but due to unmet financial commitments, only 51% of this budget was secured by the end of November 2016. Mr. O'Brien wrote in part of the UN's appeal for financial support: 'Unfortunately, we are continuously faced with increasing humanitarian needs; the gap between what must be done to save and support more people and what humanitarian groups can finance and access is growing every day.' The UN humanitarian chief also reminded that 'while humanitarian needs are increasing day by day, aid workers are facing more serious attacks, and their efforts are disrupted by reduced access, disrespect for human rights values, and blatant violations of international humanitarian law.' Based on this request regarding Syria, if a political solution to end this nearly six-year crisis is not found, humanitarian needs are expected to 'increase significantly,' with approximately $13.5 billion needed to assist the Syrian people. In Afghanistan, with ongoing conflict between government forces and the Taliban, 1.8 million people, most of whom are children, will face severe malnutrition and will require medical assistance in the coming year. Political conflicts in Brunei have also tripled the number of people needing immediate support to three million. Regarding Nigeria, the UN doubled its requested aid amount last week to one billion dollars, hoping to assist seven million people in the country affected by Boko Haram insurgents, including 75,000 children at risk of death from starvation.