Global humanitarian needs likely to reach record levels in 2023

12 Jan 2023 by The Water Diplomat

Source: UN News

A record $51.5 billion is needed to help 230 million of the worlds most vulnerable people in 69 countries this year, an increase of 65 million people compared to previous year. This is according to a report published last month by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

“The gap between needs and funding received has never been wider or more concerning, the report said highlighting funding deficiencies that will hinder 109 million others to benefit from the assistance.

Although 45 per cent of countries are on track to achieve drinking water targets by the end of the decade, only a quarter are likely to meet sanitation targets. Countries must ramp up investments to provide safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to all people in a bid to save more lives.

In the same vein, partners call for all countries and stakeholders to increase support for WASH service delivery through strengthened governance, financing, monitoring, regulation, and capacity development. 

Needs are shockingly high, the UN's top emergency relief official, Martin Griffiths, said during the launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview report 2023 in Geneva, warning that it was very likely that last years emergencies would continue into 2023.

The needs are going up because weve been smitten by the war in Ukraine, by COVID-19 and by climate change, he said. I fear that 2023 is going to be an acceleration of all those trends, and thats why we hope 2023 will be a year of solidarity, just as 2022 has been a year of suffering. He added.

Across Ukraine, 26 per cent of people report a lack of access to essential services especially water and hygiene support, with the situation particularly acute in the east (29 per cent) and south (31 per cent), and with older people worse off.

“Ukraine regional response in 2023 will combine both a humanitarian and refugee response plan, aiming to support 13.6 million people with a total requirement of $5.7 billion,” Global Humanitarian Overview 2023 report underlines.