GENEVA (Reuters) -The U.N. agencies for food and refugees are planning deep cuts due to unprecedented funding shortfalls, with the former set to reduce its workforce by up to 30%, affecting up to 6,000 jobs, according to internal memos sent to staff and seen by Reuters.
The humanitarian sector has been roiled by funding cuts from major donors, including by former top donor the United States under President Donald Trump, and by other Western countries as they prioritise defence spending.
In an internal memo sent to staff on April 24, World Food Programme (WFP) director Stephen Omollo said that the cuts were necessary due to the “unprecedented funding environment”, with the 2025 donor outlook at $6.4 billion, or a 40% reduction versus last year, without naming countries.
“We remain concerned that the situation shows no sign of improving,” he said, adding that the planned cuts may not be sufficient and that further downsizing actions are being explored.
The note to staff from U.N. refugee agency chief Filippo Grandi dated April 23 said that it planned an overall reduction in costs of 30% and that senior positions would be cut in half.
“We will have to close some country offices, instead covering these countries through strengthened multi-country office structures,” he said.
A spokesperson for the WFP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“UNHCR as well as many other humanitarian organisations has been severely affected by the funding uncertainty coming from our donors,” said spokesperson William Spindler. “We have had to respond to this by stopping a lot of work we have been doing in the field.”
(Reporting by Emma Farge; Additional reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin; Editing by Miranda Murray and Sharon Singleton)
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