Donor governments pledged $1.161 billion to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, for 2026, slightly above last year’s record-high contributions. With an additional $350 million from UNHCR’s National Partners, total early pledges reach $1.5 billion, covering nearly 18% of projected funding needs. Multi-year commitments from several governments also strengthen UNHCR’s long-term planning.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi welcomed the support but warned that widening gaps threaten refugees worldwide. “Early and flexible funding gives us the lifeline we need to respond to emergencies and deliver solutions in neglected crises,” he said.
Top contributors include Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Iceland, with the European Union also confirming substantial funding. However, the share of unearmarked funding—which allows UNHCR to allocate resources where needs are greatest—has dropped to 17%, nearly half of the 2023 level.
Funding shortfalls have forced UNHCR to prioritize services, with severe consequences in several countries. In Afghanistan, protection services for women and girls were cut by over half; in South Sudan, 75% of safe spaces closed; and in Lebanon, over 83,000 refugees lost shelter support.
Flexible funding helped UNHCR reach over 8 million people with legal, child protection, and health services, provide nearly 5.9 million people with access to water and sanitation, and deliver relief items, cash, and shelter.
Grandi stressed the importance of sustained, flexible funding to preserve gains in education, child protection, and efforts to prevent sexual violence. Despite challenges, an estimated 7 million displaced people, including 2 million refugees, returned home in the first half of 2025—the highest figure in a decade—demonstrating that solutions are possible even in complex crises.
