UN .PHOTO; Courtesy
Several African countries are among 17 nations set to benefit from a $2 billion humanitarian funding agreement signed by the United Nations and the United States on December 29, 2025.
The partnership aims to bolster relief efforts in regions facing conflict, displacement, and climate-related shocks.
The agreement will support countries including Nigeria, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and Chad, alongside Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Ukraine, Haiti, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Syria, and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
Context: 2025 Funding Shortfalls
The announcement comes after a year marked by acute humanitarian funding gaps.
In 2025, escalating crises including conflict, displacement, drought, and disease outbreaks, stretched aid agencies to their limits, leaving millions of vulnerable people across Africa and other regions without adequate support.
Many UN and partner agencies struggled to maintain consistent delivery of food, health services, and shelter due to insufficient funding.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher described the past year as “a very, very tough year for everyone engaged in humanitarian action,” emphasizing that the new agreement offers hope for millions previously left without life-saving assistance.
“Millions, millions more will get that support that they so badly need,” Fletcher said, highlighting that the new agreement will help save tens of millions of lives in 2026.
Millions in Africa Set to Benefit
The $2 billion funding will directly support the UN’s plan to reach 87 million people globally with emergency assistance.
In Africa, it is expected to provide life-saving aid to displaced families, drought-affected communities, and populations grappling with conflict and food insecurity.
Fletcher emphasized that the plan has been “hyper-prioritized” to maximize efficiency and ensure that aid reaches the communities that need it most.
The agreement is a strong endorsement of the UN’s ‘Humanitarian Reset’, launched in March 2025 to improve the speed, coordination, and impact of aid delivery.
Fletcher highlighted that the impact of the funding will be measured not only in dollars but in tangible outcomes on the ground.
“A number that really matters… is that millions of lives will be saved,” he said, underlining the urgency of reaching vulnerable populations across Africa, including South Sudan, the DRC, Nigeria, and Ethiopia.
Accountability and Reform
Fletcher stressed that accountability and reform are central to the agreement. Donors expect results, and robust tracking mechanisms will ensure “every dollar we spend” contributes to saving lives.
He also emphasized the link between humanitarian action and diplomacy, noting that addressing the root causes of conflict is critical to reducing humanitarian needs.
“Ending conflicts remains the most effective way to reduce humanitarian need,” he said.
The $2 billion commitment represents a lifeline for millions of people in Africa confronting displacement, food insecurity, public health crises, and climate shocks.
By strengthening coordination, improving delivery systems, and supporting frontline responders, the initiative aims to enhance the effectiveness and reach of humanitarian aid.
Fletcher concluded with a forward-looking note:
“This lifesaving announcement is not the end of the process. It is the beginning.”
The partnership signals a renewed global commitment to protect vulnerable populations, particularly in Africa, while addressing the funding shortfalls that hampered humanitarian operations in 2025.
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