United Nations agencies are set to request $3.1 billion in funding to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine this year, as Russia’s ongoing war against the country continues to drive significant levels of need.
According to the UN, more than 14.6 million Ukrainians, 40% of Ukraine’s population, will require humanitarian assistance in 2024.
Edem Wosornu, the director of the Operations and Advocacy Division for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), announced this during a session with the UN Security Council in New York.
“As the war in Ukraine continues unabated, driving high levels of humanitarian need, financial support must be sustained,” Wosornu said.
She further explained that the upcoming Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Ukraine, set to be launched in Geneva next week, aims to assist 8.5 million people and is seeking a substantial sum of $3.1 billion. She urged donors to step up their support, saying, “In 2024, we urge all donors to once again step up and help the people of Ukraine.”
According to the UN agency, the war has forced approximately 6.3 million Ukrainians to flee to neighboring countries, while four million people, including nearly one million children, remain internally displaced within Ukraine.
Wosornu also expressed deep concern over the challenges faced by humanitarian organizations in accessing areas occupied by Russian forces. She emphasized the gravity of the situation, saying, “This is hugely concerning for hundreds of thousands of people living in occupied areas close to the front line, where needs are most urgent.” The lack of access poses a significant obstacle to delivering aid to those in dire need.
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