UN relief chief urges $54 bln in aid to meet basic needs of 350 million in crisis

With more than 350 million people in need of humanitarian assistance globally, $54 billion is needed to meet the basic needs of the worst affected among them, said the United Nations’ Emergency Coordinator Martin Griffiths in remarks on behalf of the Secretary-General at the Riyadh Humanitarian Forum in Saudi Arabia on Monday.

Griffiths said that “experience shows that we can expect to raise barely half” of the $54 billion needed to meet the basic needs of millions worldwide affected by climate change, war and the food security crisis.

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He emphasized that the “world is facing the largest food crisis in modern history” and warned that “famine is knocking on many doors,” while human rights, particularly women’s rights, are under attack.

In addition to funding, he highlighted that political will was also required to address these pressing issues.

The number of people in need continues to rise due to protracted conflict, the climate emergency, and economic collapse fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Despite the increasing needs, resources are not keeping up.

Griffiths emphasized that humanitarians must respond to crises, but practical and tangible help is required to discharge this mandate. He called for a surge in diplomatic efforts to end wars and conflicts, and for addressing climate change head-on.

He stressed that every flood, heat wave, drought, or superstorm leaves a humanitarian crisis in its wake.

“We also need to address climate change head on, because every flood, heat wave, drought or super storm leaves a humanitarian crisis in its wake.

“Decisive action to reduce emissions is long overdue. We must shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy at greater speed,” the UN relief chief said, adding that alleviating this will require a “doubling of financing for climate adaptation,” to ensure that “money flow to the right places.”

“It is unacceptable that the most vulnerable countries – those contributing the least to climate change – receive almost no climate money. This must be reversed. I hope this year’s COP28 will be a turning point for this.”

Griffiths shared some of the “heartbreaking statistics” regarding the current situation, including the fact that over 222 million people globally do not know when they will eat another meal, and 45 million people, mainly women and children, are already on the brink of starvation. To address this, he called for donors to scale up their support, and emphasized that humanitarian action cannot stand alone.

Over the weekend, the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) announced an unprecedented $250 million allocation. While this will enable early action, Griffiths stressed the need for donors to increase their support. He called for a collaborative approach, stating that “by working together, with the political will that is your currency to expend, we can stop conflicts, address the climate emergency, fight famines, and be ready for the next emergencies that inevitably lurk around the corner.”

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