The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will have to cut more posts and undertake urgent reforms due to a sharp drop in funding, even as humanitarian crises continue to worsen around the world.
In a letter to member states seen by Reuters, UNHCR High Commissioner Barham Salih indicated that the organization plans to have just over $3 billion in funding in 2026, about 15 percent less than in 2025.
The UNHCR, which works particularly with displaced populations in Ukraine, Sudan and several conflict zones, had already announced thousands of job cuts last year.
According to the letter, the agency's available funding fell by about 30% in 2025 compared to 2024, mainly due to reduced contributions from the United States and other donor countries, some of which are redirecting their budgets towards military spending.
Barham Salih believes that the current situation is "neither financially nor operationally viable" and warns that hundreds of employees risk losing their jobs by the end of September due to a lack of available positions.
This crisis comes at a time when the number of people displaced by wars and persecution continues to rise worldwide.
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