By contrast, there are some crisis-affected countries where a large proportion of UN expenditure is directed towards development activities, as exemplified by Colombia (45%), Guatemala (72%), Pakistan (61%) and Zimbabwe (67%). Here, is it worth highlighting the increases in development expenditure seen in these countries over time. For instance, total UN development expenditure in Guatemala increased from US$ 67 million in 2015 to US$ 256 million in 2022. This is reflective of the UNDS’s attempts to scale up existing development activities – such as investments in basic health services, improving access to quality education and strengthening institutions – in order to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development.

As outlined in previous sections, conflict surge and acceleration has been a driving factor behind the escalating need for humanitarian support. Consequently, the majority of UN expenditure in crisis-affected countries has been allocated to emergency response and humanitarian assistance. Figure 32 depicts how the distribution of UN expenses in the 29 crisis-affected countries featured in Figure 31 has evolved over time. As can be seen, humanitarian assistance has grown steadily since 2010, while development, peace-keeping and peacebuilding operations have remained relatively constant over the same period.

Strategic UN allocations, alongside in-country coordination and emergency responses have been essential when it comes to addressing the complex challenges posed by multiple protracted conflicts. A confluence of crises, ranging from the Syrian civil war to conflicts in South Sudan, Yemen and Somalia, as well as irregular political transitions and conflicts – including those in Afghanistan and Ukraine – have inflicted substantial regional and global costs in terms of economic growth, food security and forced displacement.³⁷ As such, these conflicts have played a significant role in the steady escalation of humanitarian needs and expenditure.

A considerable proportion of UN humanitarian expenditure has been allocated to expanding access to infrastructure and basic services for refugees, IDPs and host communities, as well as to safeguarding and protecting camps where they reside. By the end of 2022, the number of forcibly displaced individuals had surpassed 108.4 million people – two and a half times higher than a decade ago.³⁸ Of this population, 71.1 million people are living in internal displacement. It is important to acknowledge that displacements are associated with conflict, violence and, increasingly, disasters, such as those triggered by the 2022 monsoon flooding in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.³⁹ Displacements have spillover effects that extend beyond forcibly displaced populations to encompass cross-border violence and regional instability.