UN aid coordination agency cuts appeal for 2026 to $33B after lowest annual support in a decade

The U.N.’s humanitarian aid coordination office announced Monday it will scale back its annual funding appeal for 2025, following a sharp decline in support that has reached its lowest level in a decade.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is requesting $33 billion to assist approximately 135 million people affected by wars, climate disasters, earthquakes, epidemics, and food shortages worldwide. This represents a significant reduction from the $47 billion sought for 2024.

Support for the agency has plummeted dramatically this year, with only $15 billion received—the lowest amount in ten years. The funding shortage has forced OCHA and its humanitarian partners to reach 25 million fewer people than in the previous year.

“In 2025, hunger surged. Food budgets were slashed—even as famines hit parts of Sudan and Gaza. Health systems broke apart,” said OCHA chief Tom Fletcher. “Disease outbreaks spiked. Millions went without essential food, health care and protection. Programs to protect women and girls were slashed, hundreds of aid organizations shut.”

The 2025 plan prioritizes several crisis regions, with more than $4.1 billion earmarked for Palestinian areas, $2.9 billion for Sudan—currently experiencing the world’s largest displacement crisis—and $2.8 billion for a regional plan centered on Syria.

This reduction in international support comes as many wealthy European nations face mounting security concerns from an increasingly assertive Russia along their eastern borders. These countries have also struggled with sluggish economic growth in recent years, putting additional pressure on government budgets and taxpayers.

Fletcher acknowledged these financial constraints while emphasizing the stark disparity between humanitarian and military spending. “I know budgets are tight right now. Families everywhere are under strain,” he said. “But the world spent $2.7 trillion on defense last year—on guns and arms. And I’m asking for just over 1% of that.”

The funding crisis has already triggered significant operational impacts across the U.N. system. Thousands of jobs have been eliminated, particularly at the organization’s migration and refugee agencies. In response, Secretary-General António Guterres has launched a comprehensive review of U.N. operations, though concrete outcomes remain uncertain.

Fletcher, who reports directly to Guterres, has called for a “radical transformation” of aid delivery mechanisms. His proposed reforms focus on reducing bureaucracy, improving efficiency, and empowering local groups to take more prominent roles in humanitarian responses.

Despite the bleak funding outlook, Fletcher remains engaged with potential donors, including the incoming Trump administration. “We have very practical, constructive conversations almost daily with the Trump administration,” he noted, suggesting ongoing dialogue about future U.S. contributions.

Western governments have traditionally been the primary financial backers of U.N. humanitarian efforts. Their reduced support reflects shifting priorities in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, where domestic concerns often overshadow international humanitarian obligations.

The funding shortfall comes at a particularly challenging time, as multiple humanitarian crises intensify globally. The situations in Gaza, Sudan, and Syria remain especially dire, with millions facing severe food insecurity, displacement, and limited access to essential services.

“Do I want to shame the world into responding? Absolutely,” Fletcher stated candidly. “But I also want to channel this sense of determination and anger that we have as humanitarians, that we will carry on delivering with what we get.”

The reduced funding appeal represents a pragmatic adjustment to financial realities while highlighting the growing gap between humanitarian needs and available resources. As OCHA prepares for 2025, the organization faces the daunting task of addressing increasingly complex emergencies with significantly diminished support from the international community.