Sponsored by KSA.. ‘The donor group for supporting UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ holds its third meeting in New York

Ashraf AboArafe

 The day before yesterday, the third meeting of the donor group to support the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City in the United States of America, headed by the head of the donor group to support the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the representative of the Kingdom to the group, the assistant general supervisor of the King Salman Center for Humanitarian Aid and Relief. For planning and development, Dr. Aqil bin Jamaan Al-Ghamdi, and in the presence of representatives of the 30 Member States.

 The meeting’s agenda included three axes: emerging humanitarian needs and challenges for the year 2023, the strategic plan of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the general budget of OCHA for 2023.

 At the beginning of the meeting, the head of the group, Dr. Aqil Al-Ghamdi, presented a view on global humanitarian needs according to the Global Survey of Human Needs report for the year 2023 AD, which was issued by the OCHA office in early December, which was launched from the capital, Riyadh, next to both Geneva and Addis Ababa, where he touched on the issue of food security. And the consequences of its lack, pointing out that one out of every 23 people in the world needs humanitarian aid, and that in 2023 it is expected that the number of people in need of aid will reach 339 million, with an estimated percentage increase of 25% over 2022, and that work is expected to need humanitarian aid to nearly $52 billion in 2023; To help 230 million people in 68 countries.

 He added, “More people will suffer due to the high costs of food, energy, and fertilizers,” addressing the strategic plan of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for the period 2023-2026, which was well received by the members of the group, as the interventions of the group members indicated the importance of a more effective and efficient humanitarian system for the response. Humanitarian needs, as well as the need to work with local organizations, activate their role and build their capabilities to enable them to respond in the required time and form.

 Regarding the general budget of OCHA 2023 AD, the head of the group explained that the failure of OCHA to raise the percentage of financial support in the budget for the year 2023 AD is a positive indicator, but it may face some challenges, especially in light of the expected increase in global humanitarian need next year. It is noteworthy that the donor group will hold a high-level meeting tomorrow with senior officials of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to review the outputs of the previous meeting.