Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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September 15, 2025 Humanitarian aid
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warned on Monday of a massive funding crisis for humanitarian work around the world, a situation he said was being exacerbated by rising violence against aid workers.
"The era of indifference and impunity"
He noted that funding levels were down sharply from last year. "We've only received 19 percent of what we need. That's 40 percent less than last year," Fletcher said.
"It's terrible and it makes our era an era of indifference," he added.
Budget cuts, he said, are forcing UN agencies to set tough priorities. This year, $29 billion is planned to save 114 million lives. Fletcher noted that this amount is just one percent of global military spending in 2025.
The emergency relief coordinator drew attention to the rising number of casualties among humanitarian workers. Last year, more than 380 people died, and 270 deaths have already been recorded in 2025 alone.
Fletcher warned of the normalisation of violence against aid workers, calling the situation an “era of impunity”. He stressed the importance of asking questions about the origins of the weapons used in these attacks.
"Where do these weapons come from that are killing us and those we serve? They don't come from nowhere," he said.
Crisis situations around the world
Speaking about the situation in Gaza, Fletcher said that more than half a million residents of the strip are already suffering from catastrophic hunger, and the number of hungry people could exceed 640,000 in the coming weeks.
"We can stop this. Women, old people, children of Gaza cannot be fed with statements of concern," he said.
Fletcher recalled that during the ceasefire earlier this year, thousands of trucks carrying humanitarian aid were able to enter the Strip, which he said was proof that with access, a lot of people could be helped.
The emergency relief coordinator stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire, the opening of crossings, safe passage within Gaza, and the release of hostages.
He called what is happening in Sudan the world's largest humanitarian crisis. More than half a million people are already in conditions close to starvation, and 30 million need help. In the besieged city of El Fasher, about 900,000 people are in a critical situation.
In Syria, Fletcher said, humanitarian responses need to be balanced with long-term development to reduce the population's dependence on aid.
He spoke about his visit to Haiti, where gang violence and mass displacement have increased. Of particular concern, Fletcher said, is the rise in gender-based violence.
The Emergency Relief Coordinator stressed the role of women in humanitarian operations in Afghanistan: “Women humanitarian workers and the women we work with in the country are absolutely indispensable… They are under even more pressure, more challenges in their work, and this is unacceptable. We cannot do our work without them. We cannot operate without them.”
In closing, he noted that the situation in Yemen is complicated not only by the lack of funds and security threats, but also by the detention of humanitarian workers. “This is unacceptable,” Fletcher stressed.
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