The United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Monday it was downsizing its annual aid appeal, seeking $23 billion (€19.7 billion) for 2026. 

The appeal comes after the aid and development sector took a major hit as the US sharply cut funds, while aid workers have come increasingly under attack in conflicts. 

The figure is needed to save 87 million lives, UN Humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher told reporters.

"We drive the ambulance toward the fire on your behalf. But we're also now being asked to put the fire out. And there's not enough water in the tank. And we're being shot at." 

Why did the UN cut its aid appeal?

A year ago, the UN sought $47 billion but received only $12 billion, "the lowest in a decade," said Fletcher.  

Now, the UN aims to follow a plan that "sets out where we need to focus our collective energy first. It is, therefore, based on excruciating life and death choices," Fletcher said.

The UN ultimately hopes to raise $33 billion to help 135 million people in 2026, but is aware it might fall short as countries move to cut development aid to increase defense budgets.

Fletcher said extremist politicians were also misleading people into thinking that their taxes were largely funding aid, a claim far from the reality.

"I know budgets are tight right now, families everywhere are under strain, but the world spent $2.7 trillion on defense last year, on guns and arms. I'm asking for just over 1% of that," he added.

Where does the money go?

The new appeal is "laser-focused on saving lives where the shocks hit hardest: wars, climate disasters, earthquakes, epidemics, crop failures," Fletcher said.

OCHA identified the top three areas where aid is desperately needed in 2026: 

• $4.1 billion for 3 million people in the Palestinian territories 
• $2.9 billion for 20 million people in Sudan
• $2.8 billion for 8.6 million people in Syria

Ukraine, Haiti and Myanmar were also high on the list. 

Edited by: Louis Oelofse