The United Nations on Friday launched a record annual humanitarian appeal, asking donors for US$22.5 billion.
The agency says the money will be used to meet the needs of 90.1 million in 2018, because of wars in Africa and the Middle East.
According to the UN, needs are rising substantially in Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya, Somalia and Sudan, and remain exceptionally high in Nigeria, South Sudan, the Syria region and Yemen, which will remain the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
It projects that drought, floods and other weather-related catastrophes will continue racking up humanitarian needs.
“More people than ever before will need our assistance,” UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said in a statement launching the appeal.
But Lowcock stressed that “conflict, in particular protracted crises, will continue to be the main driver of need in 2018.”
