The United Nations (UN) on Friday, October 2, 2026, released $160 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the UN’s global emergency response fund, to provide life-saving assistance to 12 humanitarian crises facing underfunding worldwide.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which manages the fund, $150 million has been earmarked for Afghanistan ($18 million), Burkina Faso ($10 million), Cameroon ($6 million), Chad ($9 million), Cuba ($4 million), Mali ($10 million), Niger ($10 million), the occupied Palestinian territory ($18 million), Somalia ($16 million), South Sudan ($15 million), Sudan ($16 million), and Yemen ($18 million). An additional $10 million has been allocated to meet the immediate needs of people with disabilities within these 12 crises, aiming to make humanitarian aid more accessible and inclusive.
This funding is part of a broader effort to deliver assistance to 87 million people with the most severe humanitarian needs this year. UN Humanitarian Affairs Chief Tom Fletcher stated that while financial support is crucial, political will is equally important to ensure access and remove barriers to saving lives.
UN emergency fund and global overview
The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) was established by the UN General Assembly in 2005 as the UN’s global emergency response fund. Its purpose is to enable humanitarian aid workers to provide life-saving assistance by offering rapid responses to new crises and funding for underfunded emergencies. This latest allocation brings CERF’s total funding for 2026 to $483 million.
The 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO), launched on December 8, 2025, appealed for $33 billion to reach 135 million people across 50 countries, with an immediate priority to save the lives of 87 million. The current $160 million allocation is part of this comprehensive effort to address the most severe humanitarian needs in 2026. In 2025, the humanitarian system faced significant funding cuts, leading to staff reductions and office closures, which exacerbated existing crises.
Among the crises, the occupied Palestinian territory requires $4.1 billion to reach approximately 3 million people in 2026, due to profound humanitarian suffering, destruction, and shortages in Gaza. Sudan needs $2.9 billion to provide life-saving aid to 20 million people, making it the world’s largest displacement crisis, with an additional $2 billion required for 7 million Sudanese refugees. Conflict and high food and fuel prices have heightened emergency conditions and the risk of famine there. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are also grappling with ongoing humanitarian challenges expected to persist until September 2026.
Call for political will and future actions
UN Humanitarian Affairs Chief Tom Fletcher has underscored that financial assistance must be complemented by political will to open access and remove obstacles to saving lives. Five of the 12 crises receiving funds—Afghanistan, the occupied Palestinian territory, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen—are among the 10 contexts where Fletcher has called for immediate diplomatic action to secure humanitarian access, which could provide aid to 11 million people.
CERF is also partnering with the UN Global Disability Fund, which will provide up to $4 million in complementary funding and technical support. This partnership aims to strengthen the capacity and participation of local organizations for people with disabilities. The 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview targets assisting 135 million people out of 239 million in need, with an immediate priority on saving the lives of 87 million.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has outlined his priorities for 2026, focusing on advancing the organization’s work amidst a volatile global environment marked by conflict, inequality, and aid cuts. He has also called for the full implementation of a ceasefire in Gaza and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian assistance. Additionally, UNHCR’s Global Appeal 2026 presents plans to provide cash assistance and essential household items to displaced people, maintain emergency stockpiles, and promote access to clean energy.
