United Nations: Pandemic to fan surge in humanitarian needs in 2021

U.N. humanitarian office says needs for assistance have ballooned to unprecedented levels this year because of COVID-19, projecting that a staggering 235 million people will require help in 2021.

This comes as a result of coronavirus pandemic and global challenges including conflicts, forced migration and impact of global warming.

U.N. Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, expects a 40% increase in number of people in need of such assistance in 2021 compared to this year — a sign that pain, suffering and torment brought by coronavirus outbreak and or problems could get worse even if hopes of a vaccine are rising.

OCHA me projections in its latest annual Global Humanitarian Overview on Tuesday, saying its hopes to reach 160 million of those people in need will cost $35 billion. That’s more than twice record $17 billion that dors have provided for international humanitarian response so far this year — and a target figure that is almost certain to go unmet.

“ picture we’re painting this year is bleakest and darkest perspective on humanitarian needs we’ve ever set out, and that’s because pandemic has reaped carn across most fragile and vulnerable countries on planet," said U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock, who hes OCHA.

“For first time since 1990s, extreme poverty is going to increase, life expectancy will fall, annual death toll from HIV, tuberculosis and malaria is set to double,” he said. “We fear a near doubling in number of people facing starvation.”

Lowcock told a U.N. briefing in New York on overview that he thinks U.N. appeal will probably raise a record $20 billion by end of year -- $2 billion more than last year. But he said gap between needs and funding is growing and U.N. is looking to “new players” coming on scene in 2021, including U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's new ministration.

U.N. aims to reach about two-thirds of those in need, with Red Cross and or humanitarian organizations trying to meet rest, Lowcock explained.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said humanitarian aid budgets are w facing dire shortfalls as impact of COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen, and said extreme poverty has risen for first time in more than a generation.

“ lives of people in every nation and corner of world have been upended by impact of pandemic,” he said. “Those alrey living on a knife’s edge are being hit disproportionately hard by rising food prices, falling incomes, interrupted vaccination programs and school closures.”

overview, which is billed as one of most comprehensive looks of world’s humanitarian needs, has put toger nearly three dozen individual response plans for a total of 56 “vulnerable” countries.

Lowcock said biggest problem is in Yemen where re is a danger of “a large-scale famine” w, saying a prime reason is lack of funding from Gulf countries that were major dors in past which has led to cuts in aid and closing of clinics.

He said biggest financial request is for Syrian crisis and its spillover to neighbouring countries where millions of Syrians have fled to escape more than nine-year conflict.

OCHA said or countries in need include Afghanistan, Congo, Haiti, Nigeria, South Sudan, Ukraine and Venezuela. Newcomers to this year’s list are Mozambique, where extremist activity has increased in rth, Pakistan and Zimbabwe.

Lowcock said it’s t pandemic, but its ecomic impact that’s having greatest effect on humanitarian needs.

“se all hit poorest people in poorest countries hardest of all,” he said. “For poorest, hangover from pandemic will be long and hard."