UN Official Urges Funding to Support 123 Million Displaced People Worldwide

Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor to the High Commissioner and UNHCR Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor to the High Commissioner and UNHCR Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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UN Official Urges Funding to Support 123 Million Displaced People Worldwide

Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor to the High Commissioner and UNHCR Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor to the High Commissioner and UNHCR Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Asharq Al-Awsat)

A senior United Nations official has issued an urgent appeal for funding to address the worsening humanitarian crisis faced by displaced people worldwide. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is seeking $10.248 billion from donors to support refugees and forcibly displaced individuals in 2025.

Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor to the High Commissioner and UNHCR Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, told Asharq Al-Awsat: “With forced displacement reaching unprecedented levels—123 million people worldwide—securing these funds is crucial to responding to both emerging conflicts and prolonged crises.”

So far, donor governments have pledged $1.143 billion, with an additional $355 million from private sector partners. This brings the total to $1.5 billion—just 15% of the required funding for 2025.

UNHCR is coordinating with governments, host countries, international organizations, and local partners to meet the immense needs of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Khalifa emphasized the agency’s efforts to secure resources for essential services, including shelter, food, water, healthcare, and education. “We rely on inter-agency response plans to support host governments in providing protection and assistance to both refugees and their host communities,” he added.

By mid-2024, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide had surpassed 122.6 million, marking a 5% increase (5.3 million people) compared to the end of 2023. Among them are 43.7 million refugees and 72.1 million internally displaced persons.

Khalifa pointed to Sudan as one of the most pressing crises, where ongoing conflict has displaced over 8.9 million people internally and forced 3.4 million to flee to neighboring countries. “For over 12 years, the number of forcibly displaced people has continued to rise. By June 2024, one in every 67 people worldwide was forcibly displaced—nearly double the rate from a decade ago, when it was one in 114.”

The UN official attributed the growing number of displaced individuals to escalating wars and conflicts, such as those in Ukraine and Sudan, with no clear political solutions in sight. Additionally, long-standing displacement crises—such as those involving Rohingya refugees, Afghan refugees, and the Syrian conflict—continue to force millions from their homes.

He highlighted the ongoing war between Sudan’s armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), describing it as a “bloody conflict” that has driven hundreds of thousands from their homes. UNHCR is calling on all parties to reach a political resolution to prevent further humanitarian suffering.

Khalifa stressed that continued fighting is worsening the humanitarian crisis, pushing more people into desperate conditions. He reiterated UNHCR’s call for safe passage for civilians fleeing conflict zones, ensuring they can seek refuge either within their own countries or abroad. “It is essential to guarantee protection from all forms of violence,” he said.



Catholic Cardinals Meet to Discuss Date of Conclave for New Pope 

A cardinal is surrounded by media as he arrives for a general congregation meeting in the Vatican, as seen from Rome, Italy, April 28, 2025. (Reuters)
A cardinal is surrounded by media as he arrives for a general congregation meeting in the Vatican, as seen from Rome, Italy, April 28, 2025. (Reuters)
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Catholic Cardinals Meet to Discuss Date of Conclave for New Pope 

A cardinal is surrounded by media as he arrives for a general congregation meeting in the Vatican, as seen from Rome, Italy, April 28, 2025. (Reuters)
A cardinal is surrounded by media as he arrives for a general congregation meeting in the Vatican, as seen from Rome, Italy, April 28, 2025. (Reuters)

The world's Catholic cardinals met on Monday for the first time after the funeral of Pope Francis to discuss a possible date to enter a secret conclave and elect the next leader of the global Church.

Any decision could be announced around mid-day (1000 GMT). The conclave is not expected to begin before May 6.

The 16th-century Sistine Chapel, where conclaves are held, was closed to tourists on Monday to allow for preparations for the vote.

The past two conclaves, in 2005 and 2013, lasted just two days. But Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius said on Monday he expects this conclave may take longer, as many of the cardinals appointed by Pope Francis have never met each other before.

Francis made a priority of appointing cardinals from places that had never had them, such as Myanmar, Haiti, and Rwanda.

"We don't know each other," Arborelius, one of about 135 cardinals under the age of 80 who will enter the conclave, said.

Francis, pope since 2013, died aged 88 on April 21. His funeral on Saturday and a procession through Rome to his burial place at the Basilica of St. Mary Major attracted crowds estimated at more than 400,000.

German Cardinal Walter Kasper told La Repubblica newspaper that the outpouring of mourners for Francis indicated that Catholics wanted the next pope to continue with his reforming style of papacy.

Francis, the first pope from Latin America, largely tried to open up the often staid Church to new conversations. He allowed debate on issues such as ordaining women as clergy.

"The People of God voted with their feet," said Kasper, who is 92 and will not take part in the conclave. "I am convinced that we must go ahead in the footsteps of Francis."

However, a bloc of conservative cardinals are certain to push back against this and seek a pope who reasserts traditions and restricts Francis' vision of a more inclusive Church.