UN appeals financial aid for vulnerable countries

A UN report says that humanitarians are seeking nearly $7 billion to protect millions of lives in over 60 most affected countries amid the spread of COVID-19.

According to the report, the updated Global Humanitarian Response Plan provides help and protection that prioritize the most vulnerable in society, older people, people with disabilities, and women and girls, in particular.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator Mark Lowcock has warned of a significant rise in conflict, hunger, and poverty, as well as looming famine, unless action is taken now.

He has said, “If we do not support the poorest people – especially women and girls and other vulnerable groups – as they battle the pandemic and impacts of the global recession, we will all be dealing with the spillover effects for many years to come. That would prove even more painful, and much more expensive, for everyone.”

The report writes, “The updated plan builds on an earlier appeal made by the UN Secretary-General in late March which called for $2 billion.”

In a video message, urging donors to step up support to stop the pandemic from circling back around the globe, António Guterres says, “Humanitarian aid is not just a moral imperative; it is a practical necessity to combat the virus.”

He highlights, “If COVID-19 wreaks havoc in the poorest places, we are all at risk.”