The Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants (R4V), co-led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has launched a major appeal for USD 763 million to support 1.2 million refugees and migrants across 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The appeal is part of the 2026 Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (RMRP), which seeks to strengthen integration, protection, and access to essential services for displaced populations in the region.
The plan brings together 152 organizations and responds to evolving migration trends, including declining northward movements and increasing southbound flows in several countries. Across the region, an estimated 4.2 million migrants and refugees require immediate assistance with housing, food, water, education, and protection. Education remains a critical concern, with nearly one in four children facing barriers to school enrollment and retention, threatening their long-term development.
“Despite limited funding this year, the R4V platform reached nearly 500,000 people through thousands of activities,” said Jose Samaniego, UNHCR Regional Director for the Americas. “This confirms R4V’s vital role as the leading coordination and response mechanism for mixed movements of refugees and migrants in the region, supporting authorities while creating conditions for displaced populations to contribute to the communities that host them.”
In response to declining humanitarian funding, the 2026 RMRP introduces a streamlined and harmonized structure designed to reduce duplication, optimize coordination, and align regional efforts with global standards. The plan emphasizes regularization and integration processes, recognizing that when migrants and refugees rebuild their lives safely, they are less likely to move again.
“Tackling the challenges ahead demands more than goodwill; it requires strategic planning and lasting investment,” said Maria Moita, IOM Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Together, we can foster inclusion and create pathways to resilience and opportunity.”
The RMRP prioritizes initiatives that scale the interventions of national and local authorities and locally driven responses, ensuring high impact in advancing the integration and inclusion of migrants and refugees. Its core objectives include improving safe and dignified access to essential goods and services, preventing and responding to protection risks, and strengthening socio-economic resilience for displaced populations and host communities alike.
The support of the international community, including governments, partners, and the private sector, is crucial not only to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid but also to enable long-term solutions that allow refugees and migrants to rebuild their lives, integrate into host societies, and unlock their full potential.
