UN Triples Covid-19 Aid Request

The United Nations is now requesting $6.7 billion to carry out its humanitarian response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Unless we take action now, we should be prepared for a significant rise in conflict, hunger and poverty,” said Mark Lowcock, the UN coordinator for humanitarian relief. “The specter of multiple famines looms.”

The funding is direly needed. According to the response plan, “thousands of clinics, health, water and sanitation services to millions of people will be disrupted in coming weeks and months if funding is not provided urgently.”

As of May 5, countries have pledged about $1.5 billion in total humanitarian aid for the pandemic response.

Fifty-four countries were identified as priorities in the initial request for assistance. An additional nine countries — Benin, Djibouti, Liberia, Mozambique, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Zimbabwe — were added in this update.