UN says 8.3 million refugees could be left without aid due to lack of funding
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned that an acute funding shortfall could leave nearly 8.3 million refugees and internally displaced persons without assistance. The agency is facing one of the worst funding crises in its history after cutting aid from the U.S. and other countries.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned that an acute funding shortfall could leave nearly 8.3 million refugees and internally displaced persons without assistance. The agency is facing one of the worst funding crises in its history after cutting aid from the U.S. and other countries. The shortfall is $5.789 billion.
As of July, UNHCR received only 32% of the $8.505 billion needed for 2026. The number of people in need is approaching record levels. By the end of the year, 131.2 million people will be under the agency’s mandate. Reduced funding has already led to cuts in registration, child protection and assistance to victims of gender-based violence.
The consequences are particularly severe in Chad, Sudan and Afghanistan. In Chad, 319,000 people face delays in registration, and 200,000 women and girls may lose access to shelters. In Sudan, some 140,000 refugees remain unregistered. In Afghanistan, payments were more than halved.
UNHCR notes that further measures to reduce its own spending cannot compensate for the funding shortfall. By 2025, the organization had already cut staff by 33%, closed offices in 140 cities and regions, and ceased operations in 15 countries compared to 2024.
Ekaterina Naumova
