The German government has announced support for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA to save 87 million lives with a mega donation. Germany has thrown its weight behind the OCHA with a mega donation of $1.2 billion aimed at saving 87 million lives.
Germany commits $1.2 billion as UN warns 87m face death
Ina Heusgen, Germany’s Humanitarian Director at the UN, announced the donation in a video on X. She declared that the German government will step forward with $1.2 billion in humanitarian funding.
Heusgen noted that approximately $880 million, about 75 per cent of the donation, will be directed toward priority crisis zones.
“Germany will remain a steadfast partner of OCHA, the humanitarian system, and above all, the people in need,” Heusgen said.
She commended the OCHA team for their tireless work in conflict zones and disaster-stricken countries. She also commended how they save lives and deliver aid to the world’s most vulnerable populations.
Heusgen praises efforts by OCHA to save 87m lives
Heusgen’s pledge comes amid growing concerns over brutal funding cuts. This has forced the UN and its partners to adopt a hyper-prioritised approach to life-saving assistance in 2026.
Findings by Charity Journal reveal that on 8 December 2025, OCHA unveiled an emergency plan to save 87 million lives. It also issued a global appeal, giving governments 87 days to respond.
The full plan requires $23 billion, roughly $264 per person, or about one per cent of global military spending. This is to deliver essential services, including emergency food, nutrition, healthcare, clean water, sanitation, protection, and shelter.
Germany’s contribution now forms a critical pillar of that response. This has also reinforced its position as one of the world’s leading humanitarian donors.
Heusgen stressed that Berlin’s support is not just financial but symbolic of its enduring commitment to multilateral action in the face of escalating global crises.
In another development, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has issued an urgent appeal for $852 million to save 2.4 million people in Somalia from starvation and disease.
Similarly, OCHA has announced a $1.4 billion appeal to address the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The funding will target 7.3 million people facing life-threatening needs in one of the world’s most neglected crises.