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Humanitarian Funding Update December 2017 - United Nations Coordinated Appeals

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As at end December 2017, UN-coordinated appeals and refugee response plans within the Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) required US$24.7 billion to meet the humanitarian needs of 105.1 million crisis-affected people in 38 countries. Together the appeals were funded at $13.8 billion, or 54% of requirements. Funding for the appeals in 2017 fell 46% short of requirements, with $10.9 billion outstanding.

Six appeals announced on 1 December as part of the GHO 2018 were officially launched in December 2017. These were the Humanitarian Response Plans for Ukraine, South Sudan and Niger; the Syria 3RP Regional Refugee & Resilience Plan 2018-2019 and the Regional Refugee Response Plans for Burundi and Nigeria. Funding details of these appeals will be provided in the January 2018 monthly funding update.

Widespread armed clashes continued to create insecurity, especially in the south-east and in the north of Central African Republic, impacting negatively on the humanitarian situation. The number of people in need rose from 2.2 million in early 2017 to 2.5 million in December. The number of displaced people rose from 385,000 to over 633,000 in the same period. Underfunding remains one of the biggest impediments to stepping up the humanitarian response in CAR.

Over 865,000 Rohingya refugees, including 655,000 who have arrived since 25 August 2017, are sheltering in Bangladesh, making this the world’s fastest-growing refugee crisis. Recent increases in diphtheria cases and the potential for much larger outbreaks of other communicable diseases underscore the criticality of effective health and WASH interventions. The UN and partners in Bangladesh are currently developing a Rohingya Refugee Crisis Joint Response Plan shaping operations from March to December 2018.

Conflict and insecurity in 2017 directly affected over 1.6 million people in Libya. Political rivalries, fragmented institutions, insecurity, and a fast deteriorating economy all deepen vulnerabilities. At least 3,119 people died or went missing in attempting the Mediterranean crossing to Europe in 2017, with Libya the primary point of departure. Arrivals report exploitation, abuse and torture in Libya, where they cannot access services and live in fear of arbitrary detention. In 2018, some 1.1 million in Libya will require humanitarian assistance. Additional funds are crucial to support Libya’s most vulnerable.

Since April 2017 internal Palestinian dynamics have contributed to a significant decline in the situation in the Gaza Strip, occupied Palestinian territory. At the heart of this deterioration is an aggravation of Gaza’s longstanding electricity crisis, which is affecting all two million people in Gaza. The Gaza Crisis Urgent Funding Appeal launched on 3 July sought $25.2 million to support life-saving interventions in the health, water, sanitation and hygiene and food security sectors. This appeal is just under half funded. CERF contributed $4.2 million to the appeal and the oPt Humanitarian Fund contributed $4.5 million. The The signing of the Palestinian reconciliation agreement in October 2017 has not led to an improved humanitarian situation and donor support is still needed. In 2018, 1.9 million people will require humanitarian assistance. Please see icons overleaf for information on urgent funding needs in Somalia, Iraq, Sudan, Chad, Mali, Cameroon and DPRK.

In 2017, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) provided $418.2 million to enable urgent, life-saving assistance in 36 countries. CERF was one of the first responders to warning signs of famine in north-east Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. CERF rapidly scaled up response efforts for refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar, and it was fast to allocate emergency funding when Hurricane Irma and Maria hit the Caribbean region. CERF also provide $145 million to sustain aid operations in thirteen neglected emergencies, reaching more than seven million people. CERF hit a record high income of $513 million for 2017. This is a vote of confidence ahead of 2018 fundraising efforts towards a larger CERF.

2017 was the fourth consecutive record year for country-based pooled funds (CBPF), with 26 donors contributing $824 million for humanitarian operations in 18 countries. Of that amount, $350 million was directed to the four countries at risk of famine conditions (Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen) and $117 million to the whole-of-Syria response. The 18 CBPFs disbursed $647 million, enabling 636 humanitarian organizations to carry out 1,194 life-saving projects across all clusters targeting almost 80 million crisis-affected people. International NGOs received the most (44%), followed by UN agencies (30%), national NGOs (25%) and Red Cross/Red Crescent organizations (1%).

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