$1.143 Billion Funding for UNHCR’s 2025 Operations to Aid Refugees and Displaced People

With an additional $355 million pledged by UNHCR’s private sector National Partners, the total raised for 2025 stands at $1.5 billion, covering 15% of the anticipated needs for the year.

At a pivotal pledging conference, donor governments committed a record-breaking $1.143 billion to support the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and its partners in providing protection, life-saving assistance, and long-term solutions for millions of people displaced by escalating conflicts worldwide. With an additional $355 million pledged by UNHCR’s private sector National Partners, the total raised for 2025 stands at $1.5 billion, covering 15% of the anticipated needs for the year.

These vital funds will allow UNHCR to begin 2025 with greater confidence, enabling the agency to continue providing critical aid to forcibly displaced people, addressing urgent emergencies, and working on sustainable solutions for the displaced.

The United States led the pledges with a significant $200 million contribution, followed by Denmark and Sweden. Other countries, including the Netherlands and Germany, also made notable increases in their pledges. Additionally, several nations such as Armenia, Bulgaria, and Lithuania showed strong early support, reflecting a broad international commitment to addressing displacement. Long-time supporters such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, and Ireland reiterated their contributions with flexible funding, empowering UNHCR to respond quickly to new emergencies and underfunded situations.

A crucial addition to the pledging conference was the commitment of $283 million in funding for 2026 and beyond, ensuring stability and continuity in UNHCR’s long-term programs and reinforcing efforts to find lasting solutions for displaced communities.

Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, praised the pledges as a much-needed sign of solidarity and humanity. “The robust support shown today to refugees and other forcibly displaced people resonates as a much-needed message of solidarity and humanity. The pledges made are a commitment to save lives, restore dignity, and bring hope to millions of people forced to flee,” he said.

UNHCR’s Global Appeal for 2025 calls for a total of $10.248 billion to meet the needs of forcibly displaced and stateless people. As forced displacement continues to reach unprecedented levels, with over 123 million displaced people globally, securing sufficient funding is critical for addressing both new and protracted crises. In the past few months alone, conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine, and Lebanon have led to large-scale displacement, while long-standing crises in countries such as Myanmar, Syria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo persist.

Despite the generous support received at the pledging conference, Grandi warned that humanitarian funding is not keeping up with the growing needs. “As peace becomes more elusive, and conflict and persecution continue to force millions from their homes, we are facing a dire situation, with few solutions and escalating crises,” he said. “Humanitarian aid must focus on reducing dependency and helping displaced communities thrive, not only survive. To achieve that, we need more and better funding, but also bold solutions.”

In 2024, UNHCR has already made a significant impact, assisting millions of people with critical services. By mid-year, over 3 million individuals had been registered, 1.2 million received support for their civil identity or legal status, and over 500,000 received legal assistance. Across its operations, UNHCR delivered life-saving cash assistance to over 2 million people, facilitated more than 9.5 million health consultations, provided water and sanitation services to 5.6 million individuals, and offered shelter assistance to 630,000 displaced people.

As 2025 approaches, UNHCR anticipates further displacement due to escalating conflicts, natural disasters, and ongoing crises. However, long-term solutions remain elusive for many refugees, who are often displaced for decades. To address these challenges, UNHCR plans to adopt more efficient and innovative approaches to protecting and finding solutions for refugees from the outset of emergencies. This includes expanding refugees’ inclusion in national and local services, as demonstrated in successful programs in Uganda, Colombia, and Kenya, and continuing efforts towards voluntary returns, local integration, and resettlement.

With the generous pledges made today, UNHCR is better equipped to meet the urgent needs of displaced populations while continuing its critical work towards sustainable and lasting solutions for those forced to flee their homes.