“These cuts impact a wide range of critical programmes,” he told reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York, highlighting the potential disruption to lifesaving humanitarian work, development projects, counterterrorism efforts and initiatives to combat drug trafficking.

He expressed the UN’s gratitude “for the leading role” the US has played over decades providing overseas aid, highlighting that thanks to US taxpayers’ dollars and other donors, over 100 million people each year receive humanitarian support through UN programmes.

However, the cuts come at a time when global crises are intensifying, leaving millions at risk of hunger, disease and displacement, he said.

“The consequences will be especially devastating for vulnerable people around the world,” Mr. Guterres said.

Millions at risk

In Afghanistan, more than nine million people could lose access to health and protection services, as hundreds of mobile health teams and other critical programmes face suspension. 

In northeast Syria, where 2.5 million people require humanitarian assistance, the absence of US funding will have a major impact.

The cuts have been felt already in Ukraine, where cash-based aid that supported one million people in 2024 has been suspended. In South Sudan, funding has run out for programmes assisting refugees fleeing conflict in neighbouring Sudan, creating overcrowded and unsanitary conditions at border areas.

Beyond direct humanitarian relief, the cuts will also severely affect global health and security efforts.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will be forced to halt many counter-narcotics operations, including those targeting the fentanyl crisis and dramatically scale back its activities against human trafficking.

“And funding for many programmes combatting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and cholera have stopped,” Mr. Guterres said.

A vital partnership

Mr. Guterres emphasized that US support has long been central to global humanitarian efforts.

“The generosity and compassion of the American people have not only saved lives, built peace and improved the state of the world. They have contributed to the stability and prosperity that Americans depend on,” he added.

Think again

The Secretary-General urged the US Government to reconsider the funding cuts, warning that reducing America’s humanitarian role would have far-reaching consequences, not only for those in need but also for global stability.

“Going through with these cuts will make the world less healthy, less safe, and less prosperous,” he said, stating that UN agencies stand ready to provide the necessary information and justification for its projects.

“We look forward to working with the United States in this regard,” he added.

Mr. Guterres said the UN would continue to do everything possible to provide lifesaving assistance and diversify funding sources.

“Our absolute priority remains clear. We will do everything we can to provide life-saving aid to those in urgent need,” he said.

“We remain committed to making the global humanitarian effort as efficient, accountable and innovative as possible while continuing to save lives.”

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that it has had to pause the distribution of life saving food and nutrition assistance, due to escalating violence.

WFP spokesperson Leni Kinzli said the UN agency’s partners in the camp had no choice but to evacuate their staff to safety.

“The recent violence in Zamzam has also left the central market destroyed…residents of the camp, which is around half a million people, are even further away from accessing food and essential food.

Government troops have been battling their former allies turned adversaries, the Rapid Support Forces militia, for nearly two years. The RSF now controls virtually all of Darfur but has been laying siege to the city of El Fasher for months, close to ZamZam.

RSF Militia stormed the camp on 11 February triggering several days of clashes with army troops and allied forces, according to news reports.

Deadly consequences

“People, particularly children, are already dying of hunger in Zamzam. And the fact that we are forced to suspend operations will make that even worse,” she added.

WFP and partners provided 60,000 people with food vouchers before heavy shelling forced the UN agency to pause aid operations in Zamzam.

The food vouchers allow families to purchase essential food supplies such as cereals, pulses, oil and salt, directly from local markets which are stocked by the private sector.

“As WFP, we’ve been trying every possible way to get vital aid into the hands of people whose lives hang in the balance,” Ms. Kinzli said. She explained that the UN agency is “continuously having to overcome barriers and obstacles” caused by the ongoing violence and insecurity.

Illustrating the need to find alternative ways of providing support to communities who are cut off by conflict such as in Zamzam, WFP has launched an online self-registration aid platform which is now active and provides cash-based assistance in remote Sudanese locations.

“We have done it in other parts of Sudan, like Khartoum, and we have received an overwhelming response from communities,” Ms. Kinzli said. “It does work well despite the patchy communications networks.”

Once registered, recipients can expect to receive digital transfers via a mobile money app which provides them with critical assistance until conditions permit the safe passage of humanitarian personnel and convoys, the WFP officer explained.

Aid delivery must resume

“We must resume the delivery of life-saving aid in and around Zamzam safely, quickly and at scale,” she insisted. For that the fighting must stop, and humanitarian organizations must be granted security guarantees.”

In 2024, two out of every three people in famine or risk of famine areas in Sudan received WFP assistance. But this is not enough, humanitarians warn.

“Regular, monthly deliveries to starving communities are the only way to push back the famine in Sudan,” WFP said, warning that access to famine and famine-risk areas is “sporadic and inconsistent”.

Today, two million people in 27 locations across Sudan are now experiencing famine or on the brink of it.

The 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the DRC, announced on Thursday, aims to deliver lifesaving assistance to 11 million Congolese, including 7.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) – among the highest displacement figures globally.

Overall, some 21.2 million Congolese are affected by multiple crises, notably armed conflict, natural disasters, and epidemics.

Multidimensional crises

The HRP was launched in the DRC capital Kinshasa by the Government and humanitarian partners.

It comes as the country is facing unprecedented multidimensional crises, characterized by three major destabilizing factors: a spiral of violence spreading from Ituri to Tanganyika provinces; the presence of M23 rebels who now control key areas of North Kivu and South Kivu, where humanitarian needs are immense, and a major funding crisis that threatens humanitarian response.

“All warning signals are flashing red. Yet, despite immense challenges, humanitarian action continues to prove its effectiveness in saving lives every day,” said Bruno Lemarquis, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the DRC. 

“We must adapt to keep delivering this vital aid without ever compromising the fundamental principles that guide humanitarian action: neutrality, impartiality, independence, and humanity,” he added.

Support for families 

Humanitarians said response this year aims to meet the most urgent needs and alleviate suffering through swift and effective assistance, adapted to the conditions on the ground. 

The HRP includes treating 1.5 million children suffering from acute malnutrition, providing access to safe drinking water for five million people, and combating outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, measles, and Mpox. 

The plan will also support the return of displaced families, restoration of livelihoods, and preparedness for climate-related shocks. Furthermore, in a context marked by extreme violence, protecting civilians and the most vulnerable – especially women and children – remains a top priority in all they do. 

However, operations are threatened by a sharp decline in financial support. 

‘At a crossroads’

Last year, humanitarians received a record $1.3 billion in funding, allowing them to reach 7.1 million in the DRC. Leading donor the United States covered 70 per cent of the funding. Washington announced in January that it was freezing all foreign aid payments for at least 90 days.

“We stand at a crossroads. Without increased international mobilization, humanitarian needs will skyrocket, regional stability will be further jeopardized and our capacity to respond will be severely compromised,” Mr. Lemarquis said.

The humanitarians called on the Congolese Government, the international community, and national and international humanitarian partners for a collective surge of solidarity to implement the plan with the necessary resources, access, and support. 

“Humanitarian assistance is essential to save lives. However, it is not the solution,” said Mr. Lemarquis.

“Real solutions are, above all, political and require targeted, sustainable actions to address the root causes of the conflicts.”

Peacekeeping chief visits DRC 

Agency teams have worked around the clock to provide services to a people who are overwhelmed following 15 months of constant bombardment, forced displacement, and lack of critical supplies, the agency said in a press release.

“This reflects UNRWA’s commitment to supporting families in Gaza through this unprecedented humanitarian crisis,” said Sam Rose, UNRWA’s acting director of Gaza Affairs, speaking from an UNRWA health centre in southern Gaza.

“Despite every political and logistical challenge to the Agency, UNRWA remains resolute in its mission to provide essential services to families who need them now more than ever.”

Last October, Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, adopted two bills banning UNRWA from working in Israeli territory and enforcing a no-contact policy between national authorities and agency representatives. The laws took effect in January.

Two million reached

In a significant milestone, and in close coordination with other humanitarian partners, UNRWA has now provided food assistance to two million people, or over 90 per cent of the population, helping to bring some improvement to overall food security.

The agency has also restored healthcare access to nearly 180,000 people in Khan Younis, Rafah and Gaza City through the re-opening of health centres.

In addition, agency teams reached more than half a million with blankets, mattresses, floor mats, clothes, cooking equipment, and tarpaulins to protect from the rain.

All agencies scale up support

The recent polio campaign in Gaza concluded successfully, reaching over 600,000 children under the age of 10, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) provided supplies to three hospitals and five health partners, benefiting 250,000 people across the Strip. Additionally, WHO supported the expansion of triage and emergency departments in Al-Shifa hospital with tents and 20 extra beds.

Children’s agency UNICEF has delivered essential health kits, paediatric medicines, and newborn supplies for over 20,000 people at Al Awda Hospital in northern Gaza.

UN partners have also scaled up food security, distributing 860,000 cooked meals daily – a 10 per cent increase from the previous week.

Back to school, for some

The World Food Programme (WFP) has made subsidised bread available at 24 retail shops in the South and re-established four food distribution points in the north.

Efforts to improve water and sanitation continue, with two water points established and expanded in North Gaza governorate, and two sections of water networks repaired in Khan Younis.

As of Wednesday, 100,000 children have enrolled in school, marking a return to in-person learning after 16 months. A total of 165 public schools have reopened across Gaza.

West Bank emergency: 40,000 forcibly displaced

In the West Bank, Israeli forces’ operations in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas have led to further casualties and displacement, hindering access to essential services.

The UN stresses the importance of respecting international law and protecting civilians.

Listen below to audio from Ajith Sunghay who is the top UN human rights official for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He told UN News on Thursday that with 40,000 now forcibly displaced from refugee camps in the West Bank, it seems “return is not an option” for at least a year as Israel forces dig in.