Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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March 11, 2026 Humanitarian aid
On Wednesday, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher unveiled a new global humanitarian campaign, "87 Million Lives." That's the number of people the initiative will help.
According to Fletcher, the world is experiencing a very dangerous time. Conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, are rapidly escalating and increasingly intersecting. Violence is causing new waves of displacement, economic upheaval, and a sharp increase in humanitarian needs.
Fletcher made three requests of the international community. The first is to ensure the protection of all civilians and infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and energy facilities, and to guarantee the safety of humanitarian workers.
"Civilians, all civilians, wherever they are in the region, must be protected," the Emergency Relief Coordinator said.
The second appeal concerns access for humanitarian organizations to people in need of assistance, regardless of country or party to the conflict.
Third, Fletcher called for a renewed diplomacy based on a strategic, rational approach and a commitment to peace.
He also emphasized that the humanitarian system is going through an extremely difficult period: aid workers are increasingly becoming targets. Just today, he said, three aid workers were killed in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Lebanon.
"This is a challenging time for humanitarian action. We are overwhelmed, under constant attack, and short on resources, but we refuse to compromise our principles and our mission. We will not turn our backs on the people who rely on us," Fletcher said.
Against this backdrop, the UN unveiled its 2026 Humanitarian Plan, which provides $23 billion to help 87 million people. Nearly 2,000 humanitarian organizations are participating in the program, more than 60 percent of which are UN partners on the ground. Fletcher's new campaign calls for the plan's implementation.
Fletcher noted that in January alone, more than 7 million people received assistance through 17 UN operations, including nearly 2 million in Sudan. If this level of assistance can be maintained monthly, the organization will be able to reach its goal of assisting 87 million people this year.
According to the coordinator, $5 billion has already been allocated for the plan's implementation, and with announced commitments, $8.7 billion—more than a third of the required amount. The main donors are the United States, the European Commission, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Norway, Denmark, the UAE, Belgium, and Qatar.
However, the funding gap remains significant – over $14 billion. Fletcher noted that military operations in the Middle East cost approximately $1 billion per day, and even a small portion of these funds could save millions of people.
"We're not asking you to choose between a hospital in Brooklyn, London, Mexico City, Rio, or Manila and a hospital in Kandahar, Akobo, Aleppo, or Port-au-Prince. We're simply asking you to recognize that perhaps the world could spend a little less on weapons this year and a little more on doing something truly meaningful," Fletcher said.
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