The global appeal by UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations aims to raise enough money to provide some 91 million people in need with shelter, healthcare, food and other basic assistance in the coming year, although tens of millions more are expected to need aid across 26 countries in 2018.
From last year's estimate, the number of people requiring international aid globally has grown more than five percent, to 136 million.
"More people than ever before will need our assistance," UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said in a statement launching the appeal.
The lives of more and more people each year are being shattered by droughts, floods and epidemics. As for the conflicts, the largest crises in the world at the moment, in terms of human impact, remain Syria and Yemen.
With Yemen currently facing the world's most dire humanitarian crisis, the appeal urged donors to cough up $2.5 billion to provide assistance to the most vulnerable people in the country.
Lowcock also called on the military coalition led by Saudi Arabia to fully lift its blockade on Yemen, a key element in alleviating famine there, as the country imports the vast majority of its food.
"It needs to be fully wound down if we are to avoid an atrocious humanitarian tragedy involving the loss of millions of lives, the like of which the world has not seen for many decades," he said.
But it should also be noted that in some regions positive trends are being observed, including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Iraq, Mali and Ukraine, where humanitarian needs are expected to slightly decline — not meaning, however, that substantial funds won't still be required.
Unfortunately, there is little chance all the requested money will materialize. Last year, donors covered just over half of the appeal, dishing out only $13 billion for aid around the world.
