The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has urged citizens not to allow politicians to get away with boasting about aid cuts. Fletcher’s call to action comes following a harrowing visit to Akobo, South Sudan, where he witnessed the desperate plight of civilians.
Aid cuts: Displaced families’ pleas for support after harrowing escapes
According to a post on X, the UN Chief described meeting families who have been shattered by recent clashes. Fletcher painted a vivid picture of their exodus, noting that many fled with nothing.
He highlighted the story of a child named Bhan, a newly orphaned boy who survived a harrowing journey through the fighting. He disclosed that the boy’s grandmother carried him for seven days through the fighting to safety, eating leaves along the way.
“In Akobo, I met people newly displaced by violence, children who have lost entire families, persons with disabilities, and new mothers,” he recounted.
The UN Chief said humanitarian organizations have opened access across conflict lines to reach these vulnerable populations. However, the pressing question remains whether help will come.
The warning follows a series of high-level political engagements in the capital, Juba. On Monday, the Relief Coordinator held substantive discussions with First Vice President Rebecca Garang and senior ministers.
The talks focused on sustaining humanitarian access, protecting aid workers and facilities, and advancing the peace process. It also focused on addressing the escalating needs driven by conflict, climate shocks, and regional instability.
President Kiir pledges unhindered access as US funding freeze bites
In another development, the UN Chief also held a productive meeting with South Sudan President Salva Kiir. During their talks, the President committed to ensuring unhindered humanitarian access across South Sudan.
The president also guaranteed that life-saving aid will reach those in need and that humanitarian workers will remain safe.
Despite these assurances, the UN official stressed that humanitarian access is only part of the solution. He stressed that true peace can only come when the fighting stops.
The official’s urgent appeal is set against a backdrop of severe funding shortages that threaten global aid operations. Since January 2025, the US administration has frozen a large portion of its development aid, jeopardizing humanitarian programs worldwide.
However, this freeze has disrupted vital services, including healthcare, nutrition, and emergency relief in war-torn nations. This is especially in countries such as Ukraine, Sudan, Yemen, and Syria, where millions of innocent civilians remain victims of disaster.
In response to the growing global crisis, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) unveiled an emergency plan on 8 December 2025. The plan, which requires $23 billion, roughly $264 per person or about one per cent of global military spending, aims to deliver essential services including emergency food, nutrition, and shelter.
In a recent development, Tom Fletcher said one percent of global arms spending could fund life-saving aid for 87 million people in 2026. He appealed as the UN launched a reduced humanitarian funding plan amid declining donor funding.
Similarly, 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.