‘Money alone won’t get us there’: UN steps up aid for 12 forgotten crises

Getting aid to people in the world’s most neglected emergencies takes more than money. It takes open roads, open borders and leaders willing to help it reach those in dire need.That was the message from UN relief chief Tom Fletcher on Friday, as the aid coordination office he runs, OCHA, released $160 million to keep life-saving help flowing in 12 of the most underfunded crises on the planet.“We have 87 million people to reach, and no time to waste,” said Mr. Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator.“Today’s new funding will help us get aid to people who might otherwise be left behind. But money alone won’t get us there: leaders must exercise political will to open access, remove obstacles and help us reach people whose lives are on the line.”The 87 million are the world’s needy facing the most severe crises this year.Access the sticking pointFive of the 12 crises – Afghanistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen – are among 10 contexts where Mr. Fletcher has called for urgent diplomatic action to secure access. Unlocking it would open the way to assistance for 11 million people.The bulk of the allocation, $150 million, comes from the UN’s Central Em...