UN announces its disability to continue funding Ukrainians
Date
9/30/2024 4:42:18 AM
(MENAFN) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced a critical funding shortfall that jeopardizes its ability to assist Ukrainians as they face the upcoming winter. Karolina Lindholm Billing, the UNHCR representative in Ukraine, emphasized that both the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations are significantly underfunded at a time when the demand for aid continues to escalate.
In a statement to AFP on Thursday, Billing revealed that the organization is currently only 47 percent funded, a situation that limits its capacity to fully support Ukrainian refugees and those displaced internally. The humanitarian needs have been mounting, particularly in recent weeks, with local authorities increasing their requests for assistance from the UNHCR.
According to the latest figures, Ukraine has approximately 3.6 million internally displaced individuals, with nearly 100,000 people having recently fled their homes due to the ongoing conflict. Currently, around 650,000 individuals are receiving aid to survive the winter, which includes warm clothing and insulation kits for their homes. Billing expressed optimism that with adequate funding, the UNHCR would be able to provide substantial support to those in need.
Billing also called for urgent efforts to repair Ukraine's critical infrastructure, which has suffered significant damage during hostilities, and for increased investment in decentralized energy generation across the country. She warned that without these measures, the number of refugees and internally displaced individuals is likely to rise dramatically.
The UNHCR’s plea for funding highlights the dire humanitarian situation in Ukraine, where the impact of the conflict continues to take a toll on millions of civilians. As winter approaches, the urgency of securing financial resources becomes ever more pressing to ensure that vulnerable populations can endure the harsh conditions ahead.
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