Donors pledge $820 million at humanitarian funding conference

Donors pledged $820 million in new funding at the annual humanitarian financing conference, covering roughly a third of the remaining gap in the global response appeals.

The conference focused this year on flexible funding, multi-year commitments and anticipatory action.

What was pledged

• $820 million in new commitments across 14 response plans
• 38% of pledges are flexible or unearmarked, up from 24% last year
• Nine donors committed to multi-year financing arrangements

Where the money goes

The largest allocations target the Sudan response, regional displacement and the southern Africa drought response. The conference also launched a new anticipatory action fund to release financing before forecast shocks hit.

Still a wide gap

Despite the pledges, the overall humanitarian appeal remains only 42% funded, and agencies warn that the gap will force difficult prioritization decisions before year-end. The UN urged donors to convert pledges into disbursements quickly, since the next months coincide with peak operational needs.