The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced on Monday that it has been compelled to drastically scale back its aid operations due to severe funding shortages. The agency is now seeking $29 billion (€25.7 billion) in a revised budget—a sharp reduction from the $44 billion it had requested in December 2024 to assist 180 million people across 70 countries under its Global Humanitarian Overview 2025 (GHO).

With nearly half the year passed, OCHA has received only $5.6 billion—less than 13% of its original target. "We have been forced into a triage of human survival," said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, describing the dire situation.

The revised plan will now prioritize aid for 114 million people facing life-threatening conditions, focusing on the most urgent crises. "This will ensure that limited resources are directed where they can do the most good—as quickly as possible," OCHA stated.

Fletcher blamed "brutal funding cuts" for forcing the UN to make impossible choices. "All we ask is 1% of what you chose to spend last year on war," he said. "This isn't just an appeal for money—it's a call for global responsibility, for human solidarity."

The United States, traditionally the largest UN donor, significantly reduced contributions earlier this year when the Trump administration slashed funding for aid and peacekeeping programs. Other donor nations have also scaled back due to global economic instability.

The cuts have already had real-world consequences. In Sudan, community kitchens supported by USAID have shut down, leaving thousands without food. Similar reductions threaten aid operations in conflict zones like Yemen, Gaza, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.