Hong Kong supported 4.5 million people in need worldwide over one year through relief agency World Vision, its president has said, envisioning the city becoming a humanitarian aid hub.

Andrew Morley, president and CEO of World Vision International, a child-focused charity operating in more than 100 countries, also urged people to contribute more as he said government funding to humanitarian aid across the world decreased by about 25 per cent this year compared with 2024, despite a surge in need due to increased global conflicts and natural disasters.

In a recent interview with the Post, Morley described the drastic changes in global humanitarian work over the past 15 years as the “imperfect storm”, where the number of children in need had increased dramatically while relief funds had been scaled back.

“The need has definitely increased. It could be hunger-driven. It could be natural climate disasters. The number of areas of conflict across the world has increased,” he said.

“Reduced resources but increased need puts pressure on the system and we are certainly feeling that pressure.”

Meanwhile, he thanked the people of Hong Kong for their support. The funds raised by the organisation from the city, with a population of about 7.5 million, supported 4.5 million people worldwide during the financial year that ended on September 30, 2024.