UN Humanitarian Aid Funding Reduced by $10 Billion Under New US Agreement

US to Contribute $2 Billion to UN Humanitarian Assistance

The United States has announced its contribution of $2 billion to the United Nations’ humanitarian assistance program. This amount represents a significant reduction from previous years, when the US provided up to $17 billion in funding.

The reduced commitment will be allocated into a pool that can be directed at specific countries or crises. Seventeen countries, including Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have been initially targeted for assistance. Afghanistan and Palestine are not included on the list.

The UN has launched a 2026 appeal for $23 billion in funding, which is half of what it needs. The agency had previously warned that substantial program reductions would be necessary due to deep funding cuts in the international aid sector.

Other Western countries, including Germany, have also reduced their funding. The impact of these cuts can be seen across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa, where millions of people are at risk of losing access to essential services.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported that over 11 million refugees would lose access to aid in July. Basic services for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh were also at risk of collapse, while education for over 230,000 Rohingya children was expected to be suspended.

A senior US official stated that the $2 billion is part of a broader plan to consolidate leadership authority among UN agencies. The OCHA chief has previously expressed concerns about international “apathy” towards humanitarian needs and has welcomed the new funding arrangement.

Source: Al Jazeera