UN releases $160 million for 12 underfunded humanitarian crises

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UN releases $160M for crises

Highlights

OCHA is releasing $160 million from CERF to support 12 underfunded crises, targeting 87 million people in urgent need in 2026.
The largest allocations go to Afghanistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and Yemen with $18 million each, while $10 million is earmarked for disability inclusion across all 12 emergencies.
CERF's 2026 allocations reach $483 million, highlighting a funding shortfall against its $1 billion annual target amid rising humanitarian needs.

Funding allocation and access priorities

As reported by UN News, UN relief chief Tom Fletcher says getting assistance to people in the hardest-hit emergencies requires not only financing but also open roads, open borders and political backing to ensure aid reaches those in need.

OCHA is releasing $160 million to support 12 of the world’s most underfunded crises. Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, says the United Nations needs to reach 87 million people facing the most severe crises this year and warns that delays in access risk leaving vulnerable communities without help.

Five of the 12 crises, Afghanistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen, are also among 10 contexts where Fletcher has called for urgent diplomatic action to secure humanitarian access. The United Nations says unlocking that access would open the way to assistance for 11 million people.

The main $150 million allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund is divided among Afghanistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Yemen with $18 million each; Somalia and Sudan with $16 million each; South Sudan with $15 million; Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger with $10 million each; Chad with $9 million; Cameroon with $6 million; and Cuba with $4 million.

Disability inclusion and broader humanitarian impact

A further $10 million is set aside for people with disabilities across the same 12 crises so that aid reaches them and is designed to work for them. CERF is also working with the UN Global Disability Fund, which is adding up to $4 million in funding and technical support through its Inclusion Catalyst Hub, including support for local organizations of people with disabilities.

CERF, which OCHA manages, is one of the UN’s fastest funding tools and bases underfunded-emergency allocations on analysis of more than 100 humanitarian indicators and consultations with partners. Friday’s release brings CERF allocations in 2026 to $483 million, and since its creation by the General Assembly in 2005, the fund has directed about $10.2 billion to hundreds of millions of people in more than 117 countries and territories.

The latest disbursement underscores continuing pressure on the humanitarian sector as needs outpace available funding and operational access remains uneven. With CERF’s annual funding target set at $1 billion, the UN is signaling that financial support and diplomatic cooperation are both critical to sustaining relief efforts in conflict-affected and fragile regions.

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