UNHCR would stop assisting 8.3 million refugees due to cuts

Nearly 8.3 million refugees and displaced people could stop receiving humanitarian assistance due to drastic funding cuts, as reported on Tuesday by the international outlet DW and echoed by El Nacional. The UN Refugee Agency warned that the reduction in funds jeopardizes basic protection across multiple global crises.

The agency detailed in a report released on Tuesday that its available funding fell from $5.2 billion to $3.9 billion between 2024 and 2025. This decline responds mainly and directly to the reduction in contributions from the United States, the organization's largest historical donor.

The financial situation remains critical amid the growing global needs. Assistance operations depend on voluntary contributions that sustain the provision of food, shelter and medical care in areas of prolonged conflict, where the sudden withdrawal of resources often leads to the collapse of local reception systems.

UNHCR warned that below certain budget thresholds, aid stops reaching vulnerable groups entirely, directly affecting violence prevention and economic inclusion programs in host countries.