At a time when the world is witnessing the largest number of conflicts since 1948, and with the seriousness of the situation in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, “the humanitarian system is suffering the largest financial decline in its history.” The NGO Doctors Without Borders denounced it on Wednesday. They added, “The United Nations and other multilateral institutions are losing their effectiveness and legitimacy, defense spending is breaking records year after year, and the number of people forcibly displaced from their homes is already double what was recorded just a decade ago.”
This is the main takeaway from MSF’s annual report on humanitarian spending for 2024-25, presented on Wednesday in Madrid, which forecasts a budget reduction of 35% of this year’s global budget. At Doctors Without Borders They point directly to Donald Trump’s rise to the presidency of the United States as the reason. They consider him the “master saboteur” who “put the already deteriorating international order under control,” in the words of Jesús A. Nunez, co-director of the study.
Defines the annual report of Médecins Sans Frontières “An unprecedented financial crisis” in the international humanitarian system. After decades of sustained growth, rising from $7.2 billion in 1998 to $46.1 billion in 2022, the humanitarian system faces its largest funding decline ever in 2024: $5 billion less than in 2023, equivalent to a 10% decline. “It has increased from 45.700 million in 2023 to 41.000 million in 2024.”. They point out that the main reduction comes from public donors (3,500 out of 5,000 million). Mainly the United States, which reduced its contribution by $1.7 billion, but also countries such as Germany or Canada, which reduced their contributions by half from 2022.
In fact, 15 of the 20 largest public donors have reduced their funds. As for humanitarian aid, the European Union institutions and Germany in particular made the largest reductions.
“Spain continues to move in the right direction, but at a pace that is insufficient for its humanitarian work to meet its existing humanitarian commitments and needs.”
The report also looks at developments Humanitarian aid provided by Spain It is not among the world’s twenty largest donors, but, unlike its surrounding countries, its development allocations in 2024 increased by 12%, to €4,021 million. However, MSF sees “a certain setback in the humanitarian component” which it attributes to the fact that the “Ukraine effect” has ended and the “Gaza effect” has not increased the Spanish contribution as much as in previous years. “Spain continues to move in the right direction, but at an insufficient pace The report stated that “its humanitarian work is at the level of its obligations and existing humanitarian needs.”
Although Spanish net development aid increased in absolute terms, The relative weight of these funds on gross national incomeIt remains at 0.25%It continues to decline “And a far cry from the commitment to reach 0.7% as in previous years.”
The reduction in 2025 may reach 34%.
The organization specifically highlights that provisional figures suggest the trend will continue in 2025, which is… “It will exacerbate the gap between growing needs and available resources.”Especially in light of long-term crises. The study considers this The reduction in 2025 could reach 34% compared to 2024 and 45% compared to 2023. They say the data is “disheartening” because it prevents “the saving of lives and addresses the protection and dignity of people suffering from crises and conflicts”, among which the NGO highlights Gaza and Sudan.
“If you put more eggs in the military betting basket, you have to take eggs from other baskets.” Nunes has denounced the explanation for the reduction in international crisis budgets. “We endanger those suffering from conflicts and crises on this planet, while states neglect domestic public policies,” both processes that have been linked to the rise of political extremism. The NGO sees the “darkest” scenario if existing treaties are not fulfilled and the UN continues to be delegitimized.
They point out that the lack of funding specifically affects conflict zones, but also affects “hard-core” programs to prevent and treat diseases. Malaria, HIV and tuberculosis control or malnutrition, and sexual and reproductive health services.
Cuts that cost lives
For her part, Raquel Ayora, Director General of Doctors Without Borders in Spain, explained this This crisis “reflects not only financial constraints, but also a political transformation.” Which ignores basic humanitarian principles such as humanity and impartiality.” Ayora predicted a scenario of malnutrition and epidemics with the dismantling of health services and a lack of humanitarian resources. He pointed out that “the severity of the health crises that we will witness will increase and we have doubts that the regime is in a position to confront them.”
The NGO took advantage of the report’s presentation to also denounce the “new normal.” “Violent attacks against medical and humanitarian missions” In armed conflicts. To this end, they called for greater commitment from states to protect humanitarian workers and investigate responsibility for attacks. MSF concluded that in the current humanitarian crisis, unprecedented cuts, increasing conflict and severe restrictions on access are “eroding” the humanitarian space. It was announced MSF’s commitment to start counting the number of lives lost Of humanitarian aid.