UN agency warns funding crisis could leave 8.3 million people without aid

GENEVA - The United Nations refugee agency has sounded the alarm over a funding crisis that could leave nearly 8.3 million refugees and displaced individuals without the aid they need this year. UNHCR, already grappling with its most severe funding shortfall, faces a $5.789 billion gap after aid cuts from the United States and other nations.

The agency's report, detailing the repercussions of budget reductions on refugee registration, child protection efforts, and services for gender-based violence survivors, paints a grim picture.

As of July, UNHCR had only managed to secure 32% of the $8.505 billion it required for 2026, leaving the population under its purview near record levels at 131.2 million by year-end. The report warns that once a system reaches a certain tipping point, it not only deteriorates but fails altogether. Specific consequences are already being felt in countries hosting large displaced populations.

In Chad, 319,000 people are facing registration delays, while 200,000 women and girls could lose access to safe spaces and prevention programs. In Pakistan, registered Afghan refugees are starting to be deported, according to UNHCR. In Sudan, the world's worst displacement crisis, around 140,000 refugees and asylum-seekers remained unregistered by mid-year due to suspended registration activities.

UNHCR has already slashed its workforce by 33% in 2025, closed offices in 140 locations, and discontinued operations in 15 countries compared to 2024. Further cost-saving measures, it warns, will not suffice to bridge the funding gap. The agency's share of donor funding has also shifted, rising to 51% in 2026 from 19% in 2019, limiting its ability to redirect resources to the most urgent needs.

UNHCR stresses that the erosion of the protection system poses an increased risk of refugees remaining undocumented and survivors of gender-based violence lacking the necessary support.