Yemen to Syria to Gaza, These Are the Humanitarian Crises Facing the World

>> AND NOW, AS THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER DONORS SLASH FOREIGN AID, CONFLICTS FROM YEMEN TO SUDAN ARE DRIVING NEW HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCIES.

TJADA McKENNA LEADS PROSPER GLOBAL AND HAS JUST RETURNED FROM SYRIA, AND SHE TELLS HARI SREENIVASAN WHAT SHE AND HER TEAM HAVE SEEN.

>> CHRISTIANE, THANKS.

TJADA McKENNA, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THIS IS THE U. N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEEK, AND YOU'RE HERE IN NEW YORK, IN PART TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CRISES THAT YOUR TEAMS ARE SEEING IN YEMEN.

JUST RECENTLY THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS ESTIMATES THAT BECAUSE OF THE DECADE OF CONFLICT, THERE ARE MORE THAN 22 MILLION PEOPLE, OVER HALF THE POPULATION, THAT ARE IN NEED OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE.

TELL ME, WHAT ARE YOUR TEAMS ON THE GROUND SEEING?

>> YEAH, SO IN RECENT DAYS, THE U. N. ESTIMATES ABOUT 125,000 PEOPLE ARE NEWLY DISPLACED, MEANING THEY'VE LEFT WHERE THEY WERE LIVING BECAUSE OF THE WAR AND MOVED TO OTHER PLACES.

AND OUR TEAMS THAT WERE ALREADY ON THE GROUND IN TAIZ, A MAJOR CITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO AND ALSO MIGRATING THROUGH, WE ARE SEEING THAT.

WE ARE SEEING A HUGE INFLUX OF PEOPLE ARRIVING DEHYDRATED, EXHAUSTED, HAVING ENDURED A DIFFICULT AND COSTLY JOURNEY LOOKING FOR SHELTER, FOOD, WATER, AND OTHER THINGS TO SUSTAIN THEIR FAMILIES AS THEY FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET TO SAFETY AND STAY SAFE.

>> WE SHOULD REMIND OUR AUDIENCE THAT THERE WAS A TRUCE BROKERED BY THE U. N. BACK IN 2022.

THINGS HAD GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

BUT WHAT'S HAPPENED RECENTLY TO MAKE THIS SO MUCH WORSE?

>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS A CONFLICT THAT HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR A WHILE.

THERE IS A RECENT ESCALATION.

SO IT'S JUST GOTTEN MUCH WORSE IN RECENT DAYS.

BUT WHAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON IS THE NEEDS, THE CRIPPLING NEEDS THAT WE NOW SEE IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN UNDER THE SITUATION FOR QUITE A WHILE.

YEMEN, THE U. N. ESTIMATES KIND OF HOW MUCH IS NEEDED TO HELP IN THE SITUATION.

THIS CRISIS WAS ALREADY ONLY FUNDED AT 20%.

SO THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDERFUNNELEDED, THAT MANY HAVE HAD TO MOVE ALREADY MULTIPLE TIMES, AND WHO HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH IMPACTS FROM RED SEAS, WITH FOOD AND FUEL COSTS AS WELL.

SO IT'S A DESIRE SITUATION.

>> WHAT HAPPENS WHEN 125,000 PEOPLE MOVE ALL AT ONCE?

THAT'S A SIZABLE POPULATION FOR ANYWHERE.

BUT THE PLACE THAT YOU ARE PROVIDING AID, KIND OF ILLUSTRATE THAT FOR ME.

>> YEAH.

AN EXAMPLE OF A FAMILY THAT WE WORKED WITH RECENTLY, IT'S A 67-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHER OF SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN.

AND SO AT SOME POINT, THAT MAKES THEIR LIVING ON LIVESTOCK, HAS A LOT OF ANIMALS, LIVESTOCK.

AND AT SOME POINT THEY HAD TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION IF THEY COULD STAY SAFE WHERE THEY WERE OR THEY SHOULD LEAVE.

OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF PEOPLE PROBABLY CHOSE TO LEAVE THE AREA AT THE SAME TIME.

AND SO SHE SOLD WHATEVER LIVESTOCK SHE COULD TO GET CASH FOR THAT JOURNEY, AND A LOT OF IT LEFT BEHIND.

THEY LEFT WITH THE CLOTHES ON THEIR BACK.

THEY'VE MADE THE JOURNEY.

ALONG THE WAY THEY'VE HAD TO FIND SHELTER.

THEIR MONEY HAS BEEN DEPLETED VERY QUICKLY.

AND YOU HAVE THESE SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN OF VARIOUS AGES DOING THIS ARDUOUS JOURNEY.

AND COSTS ARE EXECUTIVE WHEN THIS KIND OF MIGRATION IS HAPPENING.

MARKET FORCES PREVAIL.

THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF EVERYTHING ALONG THE WAY, AND THINGS ARE AT A PREMIUM.

SO THIS IS --IT'S REALLY A TOUGH SITUATION.

>> THE U. N. POPULATION FUND ESTIMATES THAT AMONG THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE DISPLACED NOW, THERE IS 2,000 PREGNANT WOMEN THAT ARE ALSO REFUGEES.

WHAT KIND OF HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE ARE THOSE PREGNANT WOMEN WALKING TO OR GETTING TO?

>> YEAH, AND OBVIOUSLY PREGNANT WOMEN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE ARRIVE IS DEHYDRATION.

AND PREGNANT WOMEN REQUIRE MUCH MORE WATER THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

SO IT'S VERY DIRE.

THE HEALTH SYSTEMS IN TAIZ AND SURROUNDING AREAS WERE ALREADY VERY STRAINED.

THEY WERE PRIORITIZING EMERGENCY SURGERIES AND CRITICAL CARE.

THERE ARE NOT SPECIALISTS FOR A LOT OF THINGS.

THEY FACE BASIC SHORTAGES OF THINGS LIKE BLOODS AND OXYGEN.

ALSO, THE INCREASED FUEL COSTS HAVE ALSO IMPAIRED THEIR GENERATORS AND THEIR AMBULANCE SERVICES.

SO YOU HAVE PREGNANT WOMEN WHO ARE PROBABLY DEHYDRATED, NEED SOME MORE IMMEDIATE SUPPORT, AND GOING INTO A HEALTH SYSTEM THAT ALREADY IS VERY CRIPPLED.

SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER LAYER OF COMPLICATIONS.

I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE HAVING COMPLICATIONS IN A PREGNANCY OR NEED A HIGHER LEVEL OF NEED.

>> LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RIPPLE EFFECT HERE THAT WE'RE USUALLY NOT SEEING ON THE NEWS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.

MOST PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE CONNECTING THE DOTS AND SAYING WELL, MY FUEL PRICES ARE UP.

BUT IN YEMEN, WHICH IMPORTS THE MAJORITY OF ITS FOOD, TELL ME WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE PRICE OF FOOD, WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THE PRICE OF FUEL, AND WHAT'S THE EFFECT.

>> THIS REALLY --WE TALK ABOUT FUEL.

THIS IS VERY MUCH A FOOD CRISIS.

YEMEN IMPORTS THE VAST MAJORITY OF FOOD THAT FOOD COMES OVER ON THE SAME CONTAINERS.

THE OTHER COMPONENTS, THIS IS ALSO WHERE FERTILIZER COMES FROM.

A LOT OF THE FERTILIZER IN THE REGION HAS TO COME THROUGH THAT AREA.

SO FOR THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS THAT ARE IN YEMEN FACING A PLANTING SEASON WHERE THEY HAVE A VERY SMALL WINDOW TOE MAKE A DECISION AND GET THINGS IN THE GROUND, LIKE A SHORTAGE OF FERTILIZER THAT DRIVES PRICES UP CAN AFFECT THE FOOD SUPPLY AVAILABLE LOCALLY FOR MONTHS AND YEARS TO COME.

IN TERMS OF THE AVERAGE POPULATION, THE FOOD COSTS, AS FOOD IS MORE AT A PREMIUM, THERE IS LESS OF IT AVAILABLE, THE PRICE OF THAT HAS RISEN.

AND ALSO IN PLACES LIKE YEMEN, THEY REQUIRE FUEL A LOT OF TIMES FOR GENERATORS.

IT'S NOT JUST FOR AUTOMOBILES OR GETTING AROUND.

IT'S FOR GENERATORS.

AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE WHOLE FOOD SUPPLY SYSTEM, IT'S NOT ONLY LESS FOOD COMING IN, BUT THE COST TO TRANSPORT THAT FOOD AND TO GET IT AROUND THE COUNTRY IS NOW MORE EXPENSIVE.

AND ULTIMATELY, IT'S CONSUMERS.

IT'S THE AVERAGE CIVILIAN THAT IS JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE THAT IS PAYING THE PRICE.

THEY --THE PEOPLE IN THESE SITUATIONS PAY A MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THEIR INCOME AND THEIR MONEY FOR FOOD THAN WE WOULD EVER IMAGINE DOING IN THE U. S. OR EUROPE.

>> YOU'RE HERE DURING A WEEK WHERE THERE ARE LITERALLY COUNTRIES ON STAGES THAT ARE IN DIFFERENT WAYS PLEDGING SUPPORT TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAUSES.

AND YOU'VE POINTED OUT THAT THE COMMITMENTS ARE NOT MAKING IT ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUND.

WHEN YOU SAY 20% OF THE KIND OF FUNDING THAT IS NECESSARY, BREAK THAT DOWN FOR ME.

>> WHAT THAT HAS MEANT IN REALTIME OVER RECENT YEARS IS, YOU KNOW, IN TIMES WHERE WE SUPPLIED FOOD, WE MAY HAVE HAD TO CUT THE RATIONS TO FEED A FAMILY OF TWO VERSUS A FAMILY OF FOUR.

NOW OBVIOUSLY, IT'S STILL A FAMILY OF FOUR.

IN MANY CASES, IT'S A LARGER FAMILY.

AND SO THE LITTLE SUPPORT WAY WERE ABLE --WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE SOMETIMES, IT'S JUST MEANT LESS SUPPORT TO THE PEOPLE WHO URGENTLY NEED IT.

AND ESPECIALLY NOW WITH THE OTHER COMPLICATIONS OF FOOD.

IT ALSO MIGHT MEAN LESS SUPPORT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE REMOTE AND FURTHER AWAY.

AND I JUST CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THE RESILIENCE OF THE CIVILIANS IN YEMEN.

IT IS QUITE LOW.

THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH SEVERAL ROUNDS OF DISPLACEMENT.

ALREADY HAVE BEEN SUFFERING THE EFFECTS OF THIS WAR, AND NOW IT'S JUST DRAMATICALLY WORSENED IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

SO PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT LIKE TODAY AND HOW THEY STAY SAFE AND WORRIED ABOUT CONFLICT COMES FURTHER IN.

BUT THEY'RE ALSO THINKING ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THEIR TOMORROWS.

AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NEED TO FUND THE CRISIS, WE ALSO -- WE CAN'T JUST THINK ABOUT THE LIFE- SAVING MOMENT.

WE ALSO HAVE TO BE THINKING WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WEEK, NEXT MONTH, AND HOW DO PEOPLE REBUILD THEIR RESILIENCE OR GIRD UP TO TRY TO LIVE AS NORMAL A LIFE AS POSSIBLE.

>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES, IT ALSO MAKES ME WONDER ABOUT WHAT IS THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY HERE IF EVERYONE IS TRANSIENT, OR IF YOU CAN'T REALLY COUNT ON ANYBODY TO STICK AROUND, THE RELATIONSHIPS YOU MAKE, ALL OF THAT, A SENSE OF NOT JUST HOME, BUT A SENSE OF PLACE.

>> IT'S HEARTBREAKING.

ONE OF THE FAMILIES WE WORKED WITH RECENTLY, THEY HAD TO WALK 18 HOURS TO GET TO TAIZ.

BUT THE FAMILY THEY HAVE THAT IS BASED THERE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH ALSO TO ALSO LEAVE THEMSELVES.

PEOPLE WHO ARE REMAINING BEHIND, THERE IS A STRONG COMMUNITY SPIRIT.

PEOPLE THAT REMAINED BEHIND ARE REALLY TRYING TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AS OTHERS COME IN AND KEEP THEIR NETWORKS GOING.

BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT FAMILIES SUFFER OVER TIME.

I WAS IN SUDAN A FEW MONTHS AGO.

AND YEARS INTO THE CIVIL WAR, AND PEOPLE ARE JUST STARTING TO REUNITE OR TRY TO GO BACK TO ONE PLACE.

SO THESE TIES WERE THERE, AND THEY'RE JUST DISRUPTING NORMAL LIFE FOR PEOPLE.

SO IT'S EVEN LESS OF A SAFETY NET AS WELL.

>> YOU ALSO TOOK A RECENT TRIP, A HUMANITARIAN TRIP TO SYRIA.

AND THERE ARE 5.

5 MILLION PEOPLE STILL IN THESE DIFFERENT DISPLACEMENT CAMPS.

WHAT IS THAT SOCIETY LIKE NOW?

>> SO AFTER 14 YEARS OF CIVIL WAR, I WAS ABLE --I DID A BIT OF A ROAD TRIP FROM ALEPPO TO DAMASCUS.

AND REALLY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A COUNTRY OF RUBBLE, PARTICULARLY OUTSIDE OF DAMASCUS.

SO MUCH DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION.

I HEARD OF FAMILIES, A PARTICIPANT WAS TELLING ME THAT HER HOUSE WAS ONE OF THE LEVELS WAS RAZED.

THERE IS ONE ROOM THAT HAS A FUNCTIONING WINDOW.

SO THEIR FAMILY OF SIX HAS COLLAPSED INTO THIS ONE ROOM.

AND WE SEE THAT.

AS I SAW BUILDINGS THAT WERE DESTROYED, YOU'D SEE WATER TANKS ON THE TOP OF THE BUILDINGS.

PEOPLE ARE STILL TRYING TO LIVE IN THOSE AREAS.

SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALSO JUST SEVERELY DAMAGED.

WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK TRYING TO REBUILD THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GO BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES, BUT LOT OF THE BASIS SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN DAMAGED AND DESTROYED.

AND SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE LIFE AGAIN.

BUT IN THAT SITUATION, PEOPLE OF SYRIA ARE VERY HOPEFUL.

PEOPLE ARE GOING BACK TO SYRIA FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.

THEY'RE GOING BACK TO SEE WHAT IS LEFT AND TRYING TO REALLY PICK UP AND REBUILD.

SO THERE IS THIS MOMENT WHERE THEY NEED BOTH INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE, BUT YOU STILL HAVE THIS LARGE POPULATION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY -- WHO STILL RELY VERY MUCH ON HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT FOR BASIC SERVICES BECAUSE THEY'RE LACKING RIGHT NOW.

>> PROSPER GLOBAL ESTIMATES WHAT, 16 MILLION PEOPLE, NEARLY 70% OF THE POPULATION HAS SOME SORT OF HUMANITARIAN NEEDS ASSISTANCE.

IT'S HARD FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE A BIG ABSTRACT NUMBER LIKE THAT AND PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE.

ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT 7 OUT OF 10 PEOPLE THAT ARE IN SYRIA TODAY DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES, HAVE A JOB, KEEP THEIR FAMILIES SAFE.

>> IN TERMS OF LIKE INDIVIDUALS AND WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, A WOMAN, OLA, I MET, HER HUSBAND WAS INJURED IN THE CONFLICT.

HE USED TO BE THE ONE THAT DID THE WORK.

SO NOW SHE HAS A SMALL PLOT OF LAND, AND SHE HAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK.

AND SO EVEN THE PROVISION OF SEEDS AND THINGS TO HELP HER GET STARTED TO GET GOING AGAIN HAVE THEN ALLOWED HER ON HER OWN TO DO MORE.

FOR SOME PEOPLE, IT'S GETTING ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER EVERY DAY THAT'S THE CHALLENGE.

SO PEOPLE, WHEN I TALK TO THEM, WE'RE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK, TO TRADE, TO REALLY GAIN OUR LIVELIHOODS BACK AND FOR NORMAL LIFE TO RESUME.

BUT FOR SOME HOUSEHOLDS IT'S MUCH WORSE.

THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A LIVELIHOOD OR HAVING DIFFICULTIES REBOUNDING.

SO THEY STILL NEED BASIC THINGS LIKE FOOD AND WATER, AND MEDICAL SERVICES ARE VERY SCARCE IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS AS WELL.

>> AND WHERE ARE THE SOURCES OF THOSE INVESTMENT?

IS IT FROM INTERNATIONAL AID ORGANIZATIONS?

IS IT ECONOMIC INSTITUTIONS, THE WORLD BANK, THE U.N.?

>> WE REALLY NEED GOVERNMENTS TO STEP UP FOR THE LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY.

SYRIA HAS BEEN ABLE TO STRIKE SOME MODEST ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE WORLD BANK, BUT IT IS REALLY IS --PRIVATE CAPITAL IS GREAT.

I THINK THAT NEEDS TO COME IN STRONG FORCE.

THAT'S INVESTORS, DIASPORA PEOPLE COMING BACK AND INVESTING.

I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.

FOR THE HUMANITARIAN NEEDS, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF SUPPORT SYSTEM OR IN MORE REMOTE AREAS, IT IS LIKE WORKING THE INGO AND LOCAL NGOs ARE TRYING TO SUPPORT.

AND THAT'S FUNDING THAT THE LARGE AMOUNTS NEED TO COME FROM WORLD BANK AND DONORS LIKE THE U. S. OR EUROPE.

>> WE TALK ABOUT YEMEN AND YOUR RECENT TRIP TO SYRIA.

BUT I'D BE REMISS IN NOT MENTIONING GAZA ALSO SORT OF IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND ACCORDING TO THE U.N., 1.9 MILLION PALESTINIANS IN GAZA, OR ABOUT 90% OF THE POPULATION HAVE BEEN DISPLACED DURING THAT WAR.

FROM THE TEAMS YOU HAVE IN THE REGION, WHAT IS THE MOST ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENT FOR CIVILIANS THERE RIGHT NOW?

>> WHAT WE'RE SEEING, THE SEWAGE SYSTEM HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED.

THERE IS A REAL LACK OF ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER, AND YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF LIKE SKIN DISEASES AND OTHER INFECTIONS.

AND THE SEWAGE SYSTEM HAS BEEN A REAL PROBLEM.

AND YOU STILL HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE CRAMMED INTO VERY SMALL AREAS WITH INADEQUATE HOUSING.

SO VERY SUBJECT TO WEATHER CONDITIONS.

WE HAVE REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON GETTING CLEAN WATER TO PEOPLE AS WELL AS PROVIDING DIRECT ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PRIORITIZE WHERE THEY SPEND THEIR MONEY.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF BASIC NEEDS ARE BEING UNMET.

AT THE SAME TIME IN GAZA, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO WORK, WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED GAZA SKY GEEKS WHERE FOR YEARS WE'VE BEEN TRAINING PEOPLE ON REMOTE WORK.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO OFFER SOME COWORKING SPACES WITH ELECTRICITY AND WIFI ACCESS THAT PEOPLE WHO CAN TRY TO GO BACK TO A NORMAL LIFE.

BUT IT IS VERY MUCH STILL A POPULATION THAT IS CRAMMED INTO A VERY SMALL AREA.

MOST OF THE HOUSING SUPPLY HAS BEEN DESTROYED AND THE LACK OF SEWAGE IS A REAL PROBLEM FOR HEALTH AND SURVIVAL.

>> YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR A WHILE.

AND I WONDER IF YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOME SORT OF A REAL LIFE VERSION OF THE HUNGER GAMES WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMPETING TO TRY TO GET THE ATTENTION OF FOLKS AROUND THE PLANET IN SAYING LOOK, LOOK AT ANY CRISIS, LOOK AT HOW BAD THIS IS, PLEASE HELP.

>> IT IS A VERY DARK TIME IN THE WORLD.

AND I THINK THE NATURE OF WARFARE, I THINK IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE ALLOWED --WE'VE ALLOWED THE NATURE OF WARFARE TO BE MUCH MORE DANGEROUS AND DEADLY TO CIVILIANS.

A LOT MORE ATTACKS ON CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE ENERGY, POWER PLANTS, PORTS, HOSPITALS, THINGS THAT CIVILIANS NEED TO SURVIVE.

LIKE WE'VE SEEN A PROLIFERATION OF THAT.

AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, I ALMOST HATE TO MENTION HOW BIG THE NUMBERS ARE.

I HAVE TO COMMUTE THERE IS THIS LARGE NEED.

BUT BEHIND THOSE NUMBERS ARE INDIVIDUALS WITH GREAT INDIVIDUAL STORIES.

I'VE MET THEM.

I'VE MET THESE PEOPLE AND THEY'RE LIKE YOU AND ME.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO ARE SEEING CLIMATE-RELATED DISASTERS LIKE THE LANDSLIDE IN NEPAL OR THE EARTHQUAKE IN VENEZUELA.

AND SO THESE ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS TRYING TO MAKE A WAY FOR THEMSELVES.

AND I THINK WE HAVE TO --WITHIN THE BIGGER PICTURE, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND REALLY PRIORITIZE MAKING THINGS SAFE FOR CIVILIANS WHERE CIVILIANS AREN'T SUFFERING COLLECTIVELY BECAUSE OF CONFLICTS BETWEEN PARTIES THAT THEY'RE NOT A PARTY TO.

>> THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST SET OF YEARS WHERE THE UNITED STATES HAS WITHDRAWN A LOT OF ITS SUPPORT, OR AT LEAST WITHHELD A LOT OF THE PAYMENTS FOR THE UNITED NATIONS.

AND I WONDER IN THE AID COMMUNITY, ARE YOU SEEING OTHER COUNTRIES, OTHER INSTITUTIONS FILL THE GAP RIGHT NOW?

>> THE REALITY IS THAT THE U. S. WAS BY FAR THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO THESE EFFORTS.

AND WE HAVE --AND FOLLOWING THE U.S., YOU SAW SOME EUROPEAN NATION.

AND SO THE U.S.

HAS WITHDRAWN PRECIPITOUSLY IN A VERY LARGE AMOUNT.

AND THEN EUROPEAN NATIONS NOW FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO SPEND MORE ON THEIR OWN DEFENSES.

SO THEY'VE PULLED BACK.

THE GULF STATES WERE PROVIDING A LOT OF SUPPORT TO SOME OF THESE COUNTRIES LIKE YEMEN AND GAZA.

THEY ALSO ARE NOW --I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE OUTLOOK FOR THEIR FUNDING IS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO NOW THINKING ABOUT THEIR OWN DEFENSES.

AND SO BUT WITH THE U. S. NUMBER BEING SO BIG, THERE IS NO WAY TO FILL THAT GAP.

I THINK FOUNDATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS HAVE GIVEN.

THE REALITY IS THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THAT GET LEFT BEHIND THAT WEREN'T LEFT BEHIND BEFORE.

AND WE AS A HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO MORE WITH LESS.

AND WE'RE JUST NOT THERE YET.

THE NEEDS ARE TOO HIGH, AND THEY KEEP GROWING AS NEW CONFLICTS EMERGE.

>> THE CEO OF PROSPER GLOBAL, TJADA D'OYEN McKENNA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.