The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) will need to cut more jobs and implement urgent reforms as it faces a decline in funding and foreign aid, its chief said in a letter seen by Bond.az.
High Commissioner Barham Salih told member states that available funds in 2026 are expected to reach just over $3 billion, about 15% lower than in 2025. The agency already announced thousands of job cuts last year.
The shortfall comes as the number of people displaced by war and persecution continues to climb. UNHCR works with people forced from their homes in Ukraine, Sudan, and other conflict-hit countries.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that our projected financial situation requires urgent steps,” Salih said in the letter dated May 15.
UNHCR, which relies mostly on voluntary donations, suffered a roughly 30% drop in available funding in 2025 compared with 2024, as the U.S. and other donors cut contributions. The agency has about 3,000 international staff for only 1,800 positions.
“Regrettably, we will need to terminate contracts of staff who have not secured positions by September,” Salih said.
The World Health Organization has also announced workforce reductions of over 2,000 jobs by mid-year after the U.S. withdrew funding.
