On December 8, the United Nations announced that aid funding has sharply decreased at a time when global humanitarian needs have reached a record high. The UN has been forced to request $23 billion for 2026, significantly less than expected this year. According to Reuters, this is due to sharp cuts by US President Donald Trump and other major donors.
The $23 billion request is forcing the UN to stop aid for millions of needy people—the organization is now prioritizing only those whose lives are in immediate danger.
"We are under extreme pressure. Funding is insufficient, we are under constant attack. It's as if our rapid response machine is heading into a fire, but the fuel in the tank is running out," said Tom Fletcher, the UN's humanitarian aid chief.
Last year, the UN requested $47 billion for 2025, but this figure sharply decreased due to cuts by the Trump administration and Germany. As of November, the UN has received only $12 billion—the lowest indicator in the last 10 years.
Under the 2026 plan, 87 million people are designated as a priority category, but the total need covers more than 330 million people. With funding, the UN could help 135 million people with $33 billion.
$4 billion of the new budget is directed to the Palestinian territories, especially war-torn Gaza. The second largest package is for Sudan, and the next is for Syria.
According to Fletcher, the world is moving closer to a very frightening scenario with the risk of increased famine, disease, and violence. Humanitarian agencies, however, largely rely on the discretionary grants of Western states.
Although the US remains the largest donor, its share has decreased from one-third in recent years to 15.6 percent.
