UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Monday its ultimate aim in 2026 is to raise a total of 33 billion U.S. dollars to support 135 million people through 23 country operations and six plans for refugees and migrants.

OCHA noted its immediate priority for next year is to save 87 million lives with 23 billion dollars in funding.

The United Nations and its partners on Monday launched the 2026 global humanitarian appeal to save millions of lives where shocks hit the hardest -- in wars, climate disasters, earthquakes, epidemics and wherever crop failures occur, the office said.

"This appeal sets out where we need to focus our collective energy first: life by life," UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said.

Fletcher noted that the Global Humanitarian Overview 2026 is grounded in reform, evidence and efficiency, emphasizing that the United Nations is shifting power to local organizations and putting more money directly into the hands of the people who need it.

The Global Humanitarian Overview 2026, published Monday, is an annual assessment of global humanitarian needs and how to respond to them, and provides an analysis of the drivers of needs and an overview of the resources required to support people targeted for assistance.

"As you know, a brutal funding crisis cut this year strained and even snapped humanitarian lifelines," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, told a daily briefing. ■