UN seeks record $22.5 billion to help 91 million in need
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The United Nations has launched a record appeal for $22.5 billion to help 91 million of the 136 million people across the world in need of humanitarian aid as a result of conflicts, disasters, epidemics and displacement.
U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock says the number of needy is about 5 percent higher than the projection at this time last year — and the 2018 appeal is up from the $22.2 billion appeal for 2017.
He told Friday's launch of the appeal in Geneva that the big drivers of need remain conflict and violence.
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Lowcock said the largest crisis in the world at the moment is in conflict-wracked Yemen where 20 million of the country's 25 million people need humanitarian aid and 7-8 million are on the brink of famine.
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This story corrects that the appeal will help 91 million of the 136 million people in need, not all of the needy