UAE announces $550 million for UN’s 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview

Under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE has announced a pledge of $550 million to support the UN’s Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO).

The GHO aims to raise $33 billion in 2026 to support approximately 135 million people across 23 humanitarian operations worldwide, including programmes supporting refugees and migrants.

The immediate focus of the appeal is to help protect the lives of up to 87 million people in need of urgent support with $23 billion in funding.

The support underscores the vital role of the UAE in promoting multilateral humanitarian action and the nation’s close cooperation with UN agencies, including the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as well as with relief and development programmes operating on the ground, to ensure timely access to aid for those most in need, in line with His Highness’s directives emphasising a rapid and effective response.

Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, said, “The UAE continues its steadfast commitment to supporting global humanitarian efforts and working with our UN partners to ensure access to aid for those most impacted. This pledge embodies the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and reflects our profound belief in the necessity of international solidarity in responding to urgent humanitarian appeals in an effective and sustainable manner that preserves human dignity and protects lives.”

Tom Fletcher, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at OCHA, welcomed the announcement, stating, “Our global appeal is about saving lives where shocks have hit hardest – and turning plans into real protection. The UAE’s rapid and generous backing of our 2026 plan sends a strong signal, focused on people who need it most. We must deliver an effective, innovative response that meets the moment.”

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stated, “Warning signs of health system collapse manifest long before it occurs, outbreaks spread, malnutrition increases, and preventable deaths rise. However, when we come together, services can be restored and lives saved. I thank His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the UAE for their support, which will provide crucial humanitarian health care to millions in need.”

The support builds on the strong strategic partnership between the UAE and the United Nations humanitarian system and reaffirms the UAE’s central role in addressing the most pressing humanitarian challenges, enhancing the international community’s ability to protect lives, and supporting stability in crisis-affected areas, in line with His Highness’s directives that reinforce the UAE’s leading approach to global humanitarian action.