South Sudan tops list of 2017 humanitarian needs

Geneva/Juba, December 5, 2016 (SSNA) — The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has asked for $22.2 billion US dollars to cover its 2017 humanitarian operations around the world, saying “humanitarian crises today is greater than at any time since the UN was” created.

The UN listed numerous problems it says will face next year to get enough aid for people living in 33 countries it plans to help, singling out conflicts in South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and Nigeria as “greatest drivers of humanitarian needs.”

“The scale of humanitarian crises today is greater than at any time since the United Nations was founded. Not in living memory have so many people needed our support and solidarity to survive and live in safety and dignity,” UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien said.

Adding that “Conflicts in Syria, Yemen, South Sudan and Nigeria are among the greatest drivers of humanitarian needs, fuelling new displacement within countries and across borders.”

“The humanitarian appeal 2017 is based on Humanitarian Response Plans in Afghanistan, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, occupied Palestinian territory, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen. Other appeals cover Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Senegal. Burundi, Nigeria, South Sudan and Syria are crises that affect entire regions and their neighbouring countries are included in regional response plans, bringing the number of countries included to 33,” OCHA said.

The UN described its 2017 funding request as “the highest consolidated humanitarian appeal ever launched” and argues that lives of more than 128 million people are at risk.