Overview
- Washington and OCHA formalized the funding in a memorandum of understanding signed in Geneva by U.S. undersecretary Jeremy Lewin and UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher.
- The agreement finances 17 UN emergency assistance programs in 2026, with detailed country allocations yet to be disclosed.
- OCHA is seeking $23 billion next year to reach 87 million people, and UN officials warn the system remains overstretched and underfunded, forcing hard prioritization.
- U.S. officials frame the deal as part of a push for a leaner, more accountable aid system, with Lewin saying American assistance will be "twice more efficient."
- The pledge follows steep U.S. cuts in 2025, when UN-tracked humanitarian contributions fell to about $3.38 billion from $14.1 billion in 2024 after a 2022 peak of roughly $17.2 billion.