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U.N. Humanitarian Office Cuts 20% of Workforce Amid Severe Funding Shortfall

Facing a $60 million funding gap exacerbated by U.S. aid reductions, OCHA is downsizing staff and scaling back operations in key regions.

The United Nations headquarters building is pictured in New York on July 13, 2023. (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)
Tom Fletcher, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (OCHA) attends a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, December 3, 2024. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

Overview

  • The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is reducing its workforce by 20%, cutting approximately 500 positions across its global operations.
  • A funding shortfall of nearly $60 million, largely driven by significant cuts to U.S. humanitarian aid, has forced these measures.
  • OCHA will scale back its presence in nine countries, including Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey, and Zimbabwe.
  • The U.S., historically OCHA's largest donor, has drastically reduced its contributions as part of broader foreign aid cuts under the Trump administration.
  • The reductions come at a time of rising global humanitarian needs driven by conflicts, climate emergencies, and disease outbreaks, creating a critical mismatch between resources and demand.