The UN’s in a desperate scramble to save lives! On June 16, 2025, it slashed its humanitarian aid appeal by over a third, from $47 billion to $29 billion, to help 114 million people across 13 hunger hotspots like Sudan and Gaza. U.S. President Trump’s “devastating” foreign aid cuts, alongside other Western nations’ shift to defense spending, have left the UN’s coffers at a historic low—only 13% funded mid-year. With 343 million facing starvation, can this “triage of human survival” deliver, or will millions fall through the cracks?

The Funding Crisis

The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced a hyper-prioritized $29 billion appeal, down from $47 billion in December 2024, to focus on “catastrophic” crises in Sudan, Palestine, South Sudan, Haiti, Mali, and eight others. U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher called it a “triage of human survival,” with only $5.6 billion raised so far—13% of the original ask. Trump’s January 2025 executive order axed 90% of USAID’s $60 billion in contracts, gutting programs like PEPFAR, which saved 26 million lives. Other donors, like the UK and Germany, are diverting $100 billion to defense, per SIPRI, leaving a $18 billion aid gap.

Read more: Africa Carbon Support Facility Launched to Boost Climate Finance

Why It Hurts?

The cuts are a gut punch to 114 million in dire need. In Sudan, 25 million face famine, with 637,000 in IPC Phase 5 starvation. Gaza’s 2.1 million, nearly all its people, lack food due to blockades. South Sudan’s 7.7 million, Haiti’s 5.4 million, and Mali’s 2,600 are hit by war and floods. Globally, 343 million face acute hunger, up 10% from 2024, per FAO.

Lost aid means 23 million kids lose schooling and 95 million lack healthcare, risking 3 million deaths yearly, says Oxfam.

The UN’s Plea

Fletcher’s begging for $29 billion—1% of 2024’s $2.6 trillion global military spend—to deliver food, water, and medicine. The plan prioritizes Sudan ($731 million), Gaza ($500 million), and South Sudan ($300 million), targeting 63,000 at famine risk by October 2025. WFP’s Cindy McCain says access, not just cash, is critical—Sudan’s blockades killed five aid workers in 2025. The UN also pushes long-term fixes: $500 billion for peacebuilding and climate-smart farming to curb hunger’s roots.

The Blockers

Aid’s stuck in a chokehold. Trump’s cuts, slashing $8.3 billion via Congress in June 2025, killed programs like $400 million for HIV/AIDS and $142 million for UNICEF. USAID’s dismantling—5,800 of 6,200 contracts gone—halted food aid in Afghanistan (2 million cut off) and Yemen (5 million). Blockades in Gaza and Sudan stop WFP trucks, while Haiti’s gangs block 80% of aid routes. Other donors can’t fill the $18 billion gap—Japan’s $1 billion pledge is a drop in the bucket.

What’s Next?

By October 2025, 700,000 more could face famine without $2 billion fast. WFP aims to feed 5.9 million Sudanese, but needs 50% more access. FAO’s $50 million for Mali’s farmers races against La Niña floods. Oxfam’s lawsuit to save USAID drags on, while $9.4 billion in U.S. cuts, including NPR and PBS, passed the House 214-212 on June 12.

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