Caritas Internationalis calls for urgent action at UNGA

Caritas Internationalis called on world leaders at the 81st United Nations General Assembly to close the humanitarian funding gap and reverse cuts to overseas development assistance. Secretary General Alistair Dutton stated that approximately 350 million people worldwide require urgent, life-saving assistance this year.

Dutton noted that the United Nations 87 Million Lives appeal targets those with the most severe needs, but he described these individuals as only a small portion of the 300 million people in urgent need. He urged the international community to fund the appeal immediately and requested that governments return to spending 0.7% of their gross national income on development.

The organization also advocated for placing local communities at the center of global crisis responses. Dutton said that investing in peace-building, development, and humanitarian aid helps prevent conflict, reduces migration and terrorism, and allows people to remain safely in their home communities.