 |
| Who receives the most humanitarian assistance? |
We look at the offical aid flows of the DAC donors to see who receives the most humanitarian assistance:
Looking at contributions to UN CAP appeals tells us:
- which appeals receive the biggest response.
Looking at the longer term trends in regions and countries helps to identify the triggers of humanitarian crises – natural disasters or complex emergencies?
The concentration of disasters in certain countries and regions is often symtomatic of underlying chronic poverty – a vicious circle that entraps people in long-term intergenerational crisis and leaving them unable to cope with even the smallest of shocks.
| Who receives the most by region? |
In 2006, 46% of the total humanitarian assistance allocable by region was spent in Africa. Graph >
Africa has received 65% of the US$4 billion increase in total humanitarian assistance since 1995. Donut >
The Middle East was the only region to see an increase in regionally allocable assistance in 2006, its share increasing to 15% from 13% in 2005. Three of the region's countries featured in the 15 best DAC-funded countries in 2006 – Palestine/OCT, Lebanon and Iraq.
Further analysis and data available from Global Humanitarian Assistance 2007/2008 >
| Who receives the most by country? |
Sudan received US$1.2 billion in total DAC humanitarian assistance in 2006 and had by far the largest UN consolidated appeal process (CAP) appeal requirement that year. Pie chart >
Some humanitarian emergencies, such as the Balkans crisis, have a clear beginning, middle and end. This is reflected in the peaks and troughs of total humanitarian assistance growth since 1990. Graph >
But some humanitarian emergencies are more intractable. Countries such as Afghanistan, Angola, Ethiopia, Iraq and Sudan repeatedly appear on the DAC list of top recipients. Graph >
The same countries have also been the subject of frequent CAP appeals. Between 1995 and 2006, nine countries were the subject of eight or more annual appeals: Sudan (12); Sierra Leone and Somalia (11); Angola (10); Afghanistan, DPRK, DRC, Liberia and Uganda (8). All have also featured in the DAC’s list of top ten recipients over the same period, four of them also on eight or more occasions: Sudan (12), Afghanistan (11), Angola (9) and Ethiopia (8).
Further analysis and data available from Global Humanitarian Assistance 2007/2008 >
| Which were the most and least successful UN CAP appeals in 2006? |
In 2006, the three most successful UN CAP appeals were the flash appeals launched for Lebanon , Kenya and Timor-Leste. The funds raised exceeded requirements in each of these cases. Graph >
The flash appeal in response to the Somalia floods and the consolidated appeals for Burundi and Horn of Africa were the three least funded appeals in 2006. Coverage of these appeals ranged between 36% and 48%.
Further analysis and data available from Global Humanitarian Assistance 2007/2008 >
| Why do some countries need more humanitarian assistance than others? |
Triggers for humanitarian response broadly fall into two categories – natural disasters and longer-term complex emergencies. Of the US$39.7 billion requested via 236 UN CAP appeals since 1997:
- US$36.5 billion has been in response to 193 appeals for complex emergencies
- US$3.2 billion has been in response to 43 appeals launched in response to sudden onset emergencies.
The concentration of many sudden onset emergencies in particular countries is often symptomatic of underlying chronic poverty – people already living in extreme deprivation lack the means to manage even the smallest of shocks.
The persistent nature of many crises means that their imact has more in common with chronic poverty situations than disasters.
| How does this affect aid spending and reform? |
Donors traditionally administer, account for and manage humanitarian aid budgets along either 'relief' or 'development' lines.
But many of the people facing humanitarian crises are often also trapped in chronic poverty. For these people in particular, coping with emergencies requires effective short-term response to meet immediate needs, coupled with measures to address the factors that precipitate crisis.
Some donors are giving serious attention to the links between development and relief by rethinking the management, administrative and accounting lines that are often drawn between the two.
Further analysis available from Global Humanitarian Assistance 2006 >
Development Initiatives on chronic poverty >
;
The DAC spent 46% of its total humanitarian assistance in Africa in 2006. Click to view area graph
Click to view map showing UN CAP appeal requirements and official bilateral humanitarian expenditure in 2006 (extract from Global Humanitarian Assistance 2007/2008)
Click to view pie chart showing CERF recipients in 2007 or to view pie chart showing CERF donors in 2007
>Development Initiatives 2008