The United Nations (UN) has reduced its 2026 humanitarian appeal to $23 billion as shrinking donor support forces a major scale-down in global relief operations.
The UN announced the revised request on Monday during the launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview for 2026.
The organisation said the lower figure reflects the impact of UN humanitarian funding cuts and rising pressure on aid agencies operating in war zones and climate-hit regions.
The UN said the 2026 appeal will prioritise 87 million people most at risk despite 135 million people across 50 countries requiring assistance.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said the system is being pushed into “brutal choices” as funding shortages stretch staff and resources in dangerous environments.
He warned that aid workers are “overstretched, underfunded, and under attack” as conflicts, disasters, and epidemics intensify.
He said the UN is now forced to focus strictly on lifesaving operations while scaling back broader support programmes.
Last year’s appeal of $47 billion for 2025 was drastically reduced after major donors, including the United States and Germany, slashed contributions.
Fletcher said the 2025 appeal received only $12 billion, the lowest in a decade, leading to programme closures and a record 380 aid workers killed.
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The 2026 plan identifies a $4.1 billion requirement for Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories where nearly all 2.3 million residents now depend on aid.
It includes a $2.9 billion request for Sudan to support 20 million displaced people and an additional $2 billion for Sudanese refugees abroad.
It projects $2.8 billion for Syria to assist 8.6 million people, making it one of the largest regional allocations.
The UN warned that even with the revised plan, millions will remain without aid as donor cutbacks collide with expanding global crises.
It noted that previous shortfalls contributed to hunger spikes, collapsing health systems, and famine conditions in parts of Sudan and Gaza.
The International Organization for Migration also reduced its 2026 request to $4.7 billion to support 41 million displaced people.
The agency confirmed it has secured only $1.3 billion so far and has already laid off thousands of staff due to funding constraints.
The UN said the United States remains the largest donor but its share fell sharply from more than one-third in earlier years to 15.6 percent in 2025.
The organisation urged governments to increase support and strengthen protection for humanitarian workers facing escalating threats worldwide.
