Global Humanitarian Needs Soar Amid Critical Funding Gaps and El Niño Warning

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that over 300 million people required humanitarian assistance in 2025 due to intensifying conflicts, disasters, and displacement, while funding for aid sharply declined. Despite these challenges, IOM reached 17.8 million people across 170 countries. Separately, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the 2026 Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has only received 26% of its required funding. The World Food Programme also warned that a very strong El Niño has an 81% chance of occurring and could push nearly 49 million more people into acute food insecurity by the end of 2027, particularly impacting Southern Africa.