274m people will be in need worldwide in 2022 – UN

About 40 million more people worldwide are likely to be added to the number of those in need of humanitarian assistance or protection in 2022, according to United Nations (UN) estimates.

The United Nations is projecting 274 million people in need in 2022, up from 250 million in 2021, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Thursday.

It said that one in 29 of the world’s population is in need of assistance.

“Needs continue to increase because of confluence of political instability, increased displacement levels, climate impacts and the effects of COVID-19.

“Humanitarian aid saves lives, if delivered in a timely manner, the money we spend is not money wasted,” said Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths.

He added that humanitarian assistance and political solution are required to tackle the problem.

He is most concerned about the situation in Ethiopia, where the government is fighting the long-dominant Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

The UN agencies want to help 183 million people in 63 countries.

They need a total of 41 billion dollars (36.3 billion euros), twice as much as four years ago.

The need is particularly great in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Ethiopia.

This financial plan is supplemented by further appeals for emergency aid in the event of unforeseen disasters or conflicts during the year.

So far in 2021, only 46 per cent of UN humanitarian funding needs have been met, according to OCHA.

The UN had asked for 37.7 billion dollars, but 20.5 billion dollars was still missing in mid-November.

The humanitarian programme for Zimbabwe was only 19 per cent funded, the programmes for Pakistan and Haiti only 27 per cent.

Afghanistan fared best, with 77 per cent of the original need of just under 870 million dollars covered.

An additional appeal for emergency aid of 606.3 million dollars raised the entire sum