Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, support for Ukraine has poured in from around the world. That aid has reached a staggering $150 billion (144 billion euros) as of January 15, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. The group is trying to keep up with all of the commitments in its Ukraine Support Tracker, which keeps tabs on government-to-government transfers of military, financial and humanitarian aid into Ukraine.
The majority of that support comes from the US, with $77 billion in aid. The European Union, EU member states, and European financial institutions also pledged €49 billion (about $52 billion).
Small countries are likewise making significant offerings of their own. Estonia and Latvia, for example, have each sent aid totaling more than 1 percent of their gross domestic product, according to the tracker. Lithuania, Poland and Bulgaria also stand out among the highest aid donors by share of GDP.
From the World Bank: “Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the World Bank Group has been working with international partners to mobilize fast-disbursing funds that help the government of Ukraine sustain essential public service delivery to the Ukrainian people, including wages for hospital workers, pensions for the elderly, and social programs for the vulnerable. As of April 2, 2023, the World Bank has mobilized over $23 billion in emergency financing in support of the people of Ukraine, including commitments and pledges from donors to help blunt the widespread human and economic impacts of the war.”
Unfortunately, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine contributed to the rise in hunger all over the world, particularly in vulnerable countries, including those in the Horn of Africa. According to the World Food Program, “Somalia is among the worst affected countries in the Horn of Africa. People are already dying of hunger in Somalia. In addition to the worsening drought, increased food prices and conflict, displacement is another major factor in pushing people into famine in Somalia.”
The United Nations and non-government organizations have issued warnings of catastrophic hunger levels for more than a year, but the warnings have been largely overlooked. The explosion in needs is outpacing the resources available. On November 7, 2022, UN agencies and partners issued a joint statement calling for immediate action to prevent famine in the Horn of Africa. The statement declared that a humanitarian catastrophe is occurring, and more funds are needed to save lives.
From the Associated Press: “A high-level UN conference on Wednesday raised less than $1 billion of the more than $5 billion organizers were hoping for to help over 30 million people in the Horn of Africa cope with a major climate crisis and mass displacement after years of conflict, a major disappointment to aid agencies.”
The UN appealed for $7 billion this year to provide food and other humanitarian assistance for the three Horn of Africa countries—Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya—and had only received $1.6 billion, the AP report said.
After pledges were tallied, the UN humanitarian office said the total funding for 2023 now stands at $2.4 billion. That means only $800 million in new funding was announced last week—over 60 percent from the United States, which made an additional donation of $524 million. That brought its total to more than $1.4 billion for the fiscal year ending September 30. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged donors to make an immediate and major injection of funding to prevent the crisis caused by the longest drought on record, massive displacement and skyrocketing food prices “from turning into catastrophe.” He said: “People in the Horn of Africa are paying an unconscionable price for a climate crisis they did nothing to cause. Without an immediate and major injection of funding, emergency operations will grind to a halt, and people will die.” US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who visited Mogadishu last year, said humanitarian needs in the Horn of Africa are now greater than ever, “with over 23.5 million persons facing acute food insecurity.”
“Right now, the global community is simply not meeting the moment,” she said, warning that the threat of famine looms larger than ever. “In a world abundant with food, entire communities should never, never starve to death,” Thomas-Greenfield added.
The UN has said that the situation in the Horn of Africa is already an emergency. Global donors need to act immediately by increasing funding for lifesaving assistance.
Tupac Shakur’s observation was spot on: “They got money for wars but can’t feed the poor.”