Underfunded Emergency

United Nations relief chief Tom Fletcher called on UN member states and donors Wednesday for an additional US$296 million to provide life-saving support to 1.3 million people affected by devastating earthquakes in Venezuela over the next six months. Two weeks after the earthquakes hit, Venezuelan authorities have reported more than 3,800 deaths, at least 16,740 injuries, and 6,462 rescues since the start of the emergency. Some 18,000 people have been left homeless.

The United Nations Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan has released a new report on Wednesday which details the brutal mass killings, systematic abductions of women and girls, and mass gang rapes carried out by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State. The report provides further harrowing evidence that the atrocities committed by warring parties in the North African nation constitute distinct markers of genocide.

The outbreak of the deadly Bundibugyo species of Ebola in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is expanding, while the push to accelerate testing and identify effective treatment options continues, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, health authorities report more than 1,560 confirmed Ebola cases across Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, with Ituri remaining the epicenter of the outbreak.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday that, since the beginning of July, hostilities in the city of Pokkoku in Myanmar’s Magway Region have reportedly triggered the displacement of over 20,000 people, according to preliminary figures. This new displacement comes on top of the roughly 80,000 people who have already fled the area since May.

South Sudan is facing a rapidly worsening food security crisis demanding urgent donor attention, according to an advocacy note released Friday by the Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster (FSLC). The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis shows that 7.8 million people — more than half the population — are experiencing crisis-level hunger (IPC3) or worse. This includes 2.5 million people facing emergency levels (IPC4) and 73,000 people facing famine conditions (IPC5).

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) expressed alarm on Friday that the escalating violence across the Lake Chad Basin — a region comprising parts of Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria — is driving a sharp rise in forced displacement and insecurity. This situation threatens to undo the region's recent fragile stabilization. Currently, 8.2 million people in the region require humanitarian assistance, and more than 3.5 million are displaced, including approximately 323,000 refugees.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Thursday that Nigeria’s food security crisis is worsening faster than anticipated. Armed conflict is pushing some northern states, particularly in the northeast, toward levels of hunger not seen in nearly a decade.  A recently completed food security analysis shows that more than 17 million people across nine conflict-affected states in northern Nigeria are experiencing crisis, emergency, or catastrophic levels of hunger.

The paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing during its campaign to seize El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur State, according to a major new report released Wednesday by Amnesty International. The human rights organization is now calling for an immediate ceasefire and the urgent deployment of an international force to protect civilians.

The humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, MSF) reports an alarming increase in the number of children with severe acute malnutrition and medical complications requiring lifesaving treatment in its therapeutic feeding centers in southern Afghanistan. The non-governmental organization (NGO) is calling on donors, health authorities, and other relevant organizations to prioritize and restore funding for nutrition programs across Afghanistan.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that the humanitarian situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate, with new displacements recorded across several departments due to armed violence. Meanwhile, more than 117,000 people have been forcibly returned to Haiti in the first six months of 2026, despite the ongoing emergency and calls by high-ranking UN officials and independent human rights experts to halt these returns.

The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) issued a report on Tuesday that documents widespread conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan since hostilities began in April 2023, and its profound long-term impact on victims, families, and communities. The report finds that sexual violence has accompanied the geographic spread of the conflict and widespread displacement, consistently being used as a tactic to terrorize and traumatize the civilian population.

Three leading Christian organizations — the World Council of Churches (WCC), Caritas Internationalis (the Catholic Church's humanitarian arm), and World Vision International (WVI) — warned in an open letter on Monday that the current wave of conflicts and economic instability is pushing millions into severe hunger, even though global food production is at record levels. The faith-based organizations assert that “hunger amid abundance is a moral failure”.

Following reports of a significant troop build-up by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied forces around the town of El Obeid in Sudan, as well as intensified drone strikes and artillery shelling, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, issued a stark warning on Thursday that an imminent offensive could result in the commission of further serious international crimes, further deepening the already catastrophic impact on the civilian population.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned Wednesday that acute food insecurity will worsen for millions in 13 countries deemed "hunger hotspots" between June and November 2026. The latest early warning report identifies Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, and Gaza as the world's most critical hunger hotspots in terms of hunger severity and magnitude.

United Nations relief chief Tom Fletcher warned the UN Security Council on Tuesday that the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is rapidly accelerating, with over half of the population facing acute hunger and needing immediate international support. Briefing the 15-member Council, Fletcher stressed that without urgent intervention, "hunger will deepen. Suffering will grow. More lives will be lost."

The deadly Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to spread, with a spike in child infections becoming increasingly likely in the coming days, according to a warning issued by United Nations agencies on Friday. Since the outbreak was confirmed less than a month ago, more than 670 cases and 130 deaths have been reported.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has issued an urgent appeal to the UN Security Council, warning that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is worsening due to rising needs, operational restrictions, and severe underfunding. During her briefing on Monday, OCHA Director Edem Wosornu emphasized that sustained international support and adherence to the humanitarian exception are essential for averting famine and safeguarding vulnerable populations, especially women and girls.

According to a new report from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) released Thursday, Sudan is not only the world’s largest displacement crisis, but also the most neglected. The non-governmental organization (NGO) warns that neglected crises are particularly affected by brutal cuts to humanitarian funding by donors such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that more than 24 million people across the Sahel region of Africa are in critical need of life-saving aid, as escalating violence, climate shocks, and a severe funding shortage push millions to the brink of survival. OCHA warns that donor contributions have hit a ten-year low, forcing aid agencies to slash rations or halt critical operations entirely.

Amidst the approaching ninth anniversary of the mass displacement of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) appealed to the international community on Tuesday not to abandon the 1.2 million refugees currently living in Bangladesh, primarily in makeshift camps in Cox's Bazar. UNHCR warned that significant humanitarian needs persist, and that without continued international solidarity, the situation of Rohingya families will deteriorate.

The European Commission and the European Union's top diplomat have launched comprehensive set of new measures designed to strengthen and reform its humanitarian aid efforts. The aim is to ensure that life-saving assistance reaches those grappling with unprecedented global crises. According to a Joint Communication adopted on Wednesday, the package outlines how the bloc intends to maintain its role as a 'reliable and principled donor' despite sharp pressure on the international aid system.

Nearly 1.5 million people in Haiti have been internally displaced following escalating gang violence and widespread instability, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Wednesday. This marks an unprecedented level of internal displacement due to armed violence in Haiti, further intensifying the suffering of millions as insecurity continues to plague the Caribbean nation.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned on Monday that families in Mali are struggling to access the food, healthcare, water and basic services they need to survive one month into a major escalation in armed conflict. According to the humanitarian organization, needs are rising rapidly across the Central Sahel country, where 5.1 million people were already in need of assistance prior to the latest surge in violence.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that millions of people across Nigeria are bracing for one of the worst lean seasons on record. Conflict, violence, insecurity, economic pressures, and unprecedented funding constraints are pushing families to the brink. This has made Nigeria one of the world’s largest hunger and malnutrition crises, with the north of the country bearing the overwhelming burden.

United Nations relief chief Tom Fletcher announced on Friday the allocation of up to US$60 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to step up the response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the wider region. The first tranche of $10 million will support affected and high-risk populations in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, with a focus on health, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).

The United Nations, its humanitarian partners, and the Bangladeshi government are calling for renewed international support to address the urgent needs of Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar camps and on Bhasan Char in Bangladesh, as well as those of local host communities. Wednesday’s appeal comes amid growing global instability and rising humanitarian pressures, which have forced difficult prioritization and threatened essential services for vulnerable people.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that critical funding shortfalls, severe operational restrictions and continued Israeli military operations are compounding the humanitarian emergency across Gaza and other parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), leaving millions grappling with acute hunger and limited access to essential services. Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Office released a report on Monday detailing war crimes, crimes against humanity and potential genocide in Gaza.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday that approximately 19.5 million people — two out of every five in Sudan — are currently experiencing crisis-level acute hunger or worse nationwide. Sudan is also facing a severe nutrition crisis, with an estimated 825,000 children under five suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

Leading United Nations agencies and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have jointly issued a warning about a rapidly intensifying hunger emergency in Somalia, which is pushing 6 million people — nearly a third of the population — towards critical levels of acute hunger. The country now has one of the world's worst malnutrition crises, affecting around 1.9 million children, of whom 493,000 face severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) are warning that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, DR Congo) continues to face one of the world’s largest and most severe hunger crises. This warning follows the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, which shows that over 26.5 million people—nearly one in four Congolese—are struggling to meet their basic food needs.

Major funding cuts and shrinking humanitarian access are pushing Yemen closer to a catastrophic health and hunger crisis, with aid organizations warning that millions of people are at immediate risk due to aid agencies' inability to provide lifesaving support. These warnings come as Yemen continues to suffer from one of the world’s largest and most complex humanitarian crises.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement is warning that the situation in South Sudan is becoming increasingly dire, with armed conflict, violence, diseases and natural disasters wreaking havoc on the lives and livelihoods of millions of people across the country. According to the United Nations, the dire humanitarian situation in South Sudan has left 9.9 million people in need of life-saving assistance, while critical funding shortfalls are exacerbating the situation.

As the conflict in the Middle East grinds on, its ripple effects are being felt far beyond the region, driving up the cost of food, fuel, and humanitarian aid, and disrupting critical supply routes. For the millions of people already living in fragile and conflict-affected areas around the world, the consequences are immediate and severe: delayed assistance, reduced access to essential goods and deepening hardship. 

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is warning that the humanitarian situation in North Kivu Province, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, DR Congo), continues to deteriorate amid renewed clashes between armed groups. Since early February, intensified violence has triggered large-scale displacement, forcing thousands to flee multiple times in search of safety.

Twenty years after the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region first sparked global outrage, children in the region are once again trapped in a catastrophic cycle of violence, hunger, and displacement — but this time, the world is failing to take notice, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Tuesday. The UN agency warns that, while the horrors of 2005 are repeating, the scale of the crisis is far greater now, and international attention is dangerously lacking.

The non-governmental organization (NGO) World Vision reports that health facilities across Somalia supported by the NGO have recorded a sharp increase in the number of children admitted with severe malnutrition. In the first three months of this year, more than 3,500 children were diagnosed with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) — marking a 60 percent increase compared to the same period in 2025, when just over 2,000 cases were reported.

Acute food insecurity and malnutrition levels remain alarmingly high and deeply entrenched across the world, with crises increasingly concentrated in a core group of countries, according to the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), which was released on Friday. The 2026 edition of the GRFC shows that acute hunger has doubled over the past decade, with two famines being declared last year — the first time this has happened in the report's ten-year history.

Despite signs of political progress, Haiti remains gripped by insecurity, with international support seen as critical to enabling long-delayed elections, the United Nations Security Council was told Thursday. As the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) begins its phased deployment and the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission prepares to leave at the end of April, officials warned that whether recent gains can hold depends on how security conditions evolve.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is warning that more than 41,000 people in central and northern regions of the Central African Republic (CAR) will lose access to vital healthcare services by June due to funding shortfalls. The UN's primary health partner, the International Medical Corps, which assists displaced individuals in these regions, is expected to cease operations due to a lack of funding.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that a humanitarian operation was launched on Tuesday to deliver assistance to previously inaccessible areas of Afghanistan's eastern Nuristan province. Ongoing armed conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan has left thousands in these communities without access to basic supplies and essential services for more than seven weeks. Meanwhile, cross-border mortar shelling continues.

Addressing the United Nations Security Council on Friday, Tom Fletcher, the UN relief chief, described South Sudan as a nation in despair. Renewed fighting has forced more than 410,000 people to flee, including 110,000 to neighboring Ethiopia. Hostilities have continued to escalate across parts of Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity states, with airstrikes and armed clashes reported in the past week.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) expressed deep concern on Wednesday regarding reports that approximately 250 people are feared dead or missing after a boat carrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals capsized in the Andaman Sea. The trawler departed from Teknaf in southern Bangladesh, bound for Malaysia, and reportedly sank last Thursday amid heavy winds, rough seas, and severe overcrowding.

Three years of war in Sudan have created the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis. Tens of thousands of children, women and men have been killed, starved, and maimed. With no signs of the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan and its regional impacts abating, United Nations leaders expressed alarm on Wednesday at the insufficient funding and diplomatic attention being given to the conflict and its consequences.

Two leading United Nations agencies are warning that more than a million Sudanese refugees in Chad face immediate and life-threatening cuts to food, water, shelter, protection, and health care as the conflict in neighboring Sudan approaches the three-year mark. Earlier this week, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) announced that they will drastically scale back essential assistance to refugees in Chad unless the US$428 million funding gap is filled.

At a time when humanitarian needs are rising and funding is falling rapidly, Tom Fletcher, the United Nations relief chief and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has allocated US$48 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS). This funding will enable UNHAS to continue operating in eight crisis-stricken countries.

Ahead of the third anniversary of the start of the devastating war in Sudan, humanitarian organizations are warning that essential services and survival-critical systems are collapsing. As the conflict approaches this grim milestone, they are drawing particular attention to the needs of those displaced by the war, both within the country and across borders, as well as to the urgent needs of children and women, who are disproportionately impacted by the ongoing emergency.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is warning that the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, DR Congo) continues to deteriorate in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. The civilian population is bearing the brunt of ongoing violence amid armed attacks and widespread looting.