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The UN refugee agency has warned that worsening funding shortages could leave millions of displaced people without essential assistance and weaken protection systems worldwide.
Mariyam Adheela
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Barham Salih addresses the United Nations Security Council, at the UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 25, 2026. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
Geneva: The UN refugee agency has warned that nearly 8.3 million refugees and forcibly displaced people could lose access to assistance this year as funding cuts deepen.
The UNHCR said it is facing a $5.789 billion funding gap after available funding fell 24 percent between 2024 and 2025.
By July, the agency had received only 32 percent of the $8.505 billion it required for 2026. It expects the number of people under its mandate to reach 131.2 million by the end of the year.
The agency said further cuts could disrupt refugee registration, child protection and services for survivors of gender-based violence.
UNHCR highlighted Chad, where delays in refugee registration could affect 319,000 people, while 200,000 women and girls could lose access to protection and prevention programmes.
In Sudan, around 140,000 refugees and asylum seekers remained unregistered by mid-2026 after registration activities were suspended for several months.
The agency has already reduced its workforce by 33 percent, closed offices in 140 locations and ended operations in 15 countries compared with 2024, warning that further cuts could weaken refugee protection systems.
