UNHCR 2026 Budget & Evaluation: Delegates Address Funding Crisis and Refugee Protection

Evaluation Report Concerns

• ⚠️ The African Group expressed significant concerns regarding the 2025 evaluation report, citing limited evidence of measurable impact, lack of comparative data, and absence of regional specificity, especially after the closure of the UNHCR bureau for Southern Africa.
• 💡 They also noted a weak feedback loop between evaluation findings and programmatic adaptation, with recommendations lacking clear implementation roadmaps or accountability frameworks.
• 🔬 Switzerland raised concerns about budget cuts limiting the number of evaluations and stressed the need for strategic choices in identifying priorities for institutional learning.
• 📌 The UK highlighted the lack of a formal management process to monitor evidence-based decision-making and the challenge of timely management responses to evaluation recommendations.

Financial Crisis and Budget Reductions

• 📈 Delegates expressed deep concern over the UNHCR's immense financial strain, with the 2026 program budget facing a 20% reduction despite rising global humanitarian needs.
• 🌍 Africa remains the most underfunded region, with countries like Ethiopia reporting only 27% funding coverage and detailing severe impacts on protection, education, health, and livelihoods for refugees.
• 💔 The USA criticized "wishful budgeting" and urged UNHCR to present a realistic, achievable, and prioritized 2027 budget that aligns with actual resource projections.
• ⚠️ Sudan highlighted the devastating war and displacement, with the regional refugee response plan only 12% funded, leading to scaled-down life-saving interventions and critical service collapse.

Calls for Funding Reform and Support

• 💰 Many member states, including Uganda, Netherlands, and Belgium, strongly advocated for flexible, predictable, and multi-year funding to enable UNHCR to respond effectively to emergencies and unmet needs.
• 🤝 Germany called for broadening and diversifying the donor base, noting the unsustainability of over-reliance on a small number of major donors.
• ✅ Kenya urged prudent resource utilization and attention to optimal resourcing of solutions, including sustainable integration programs and livelihoods, to ease pressure on host countries.
• 💡 The Deputy High Commissioner acknowledged the immediate impact of budget cuts and reiterated that flexible resources are crucial for responding to the unexpected and addressing needs not covered by restricted funding.

UNHCR's Commitments and Way Forward

• 💬 UNHCR committed to providing a briefing to member states in the coming weeks to clarify the complex budget structure and how funds are categorized and delivered.
• 🚀 Despite overall budget reductions, UNHCR has tried to preserve and slightly increase funding for solutions, recognizing its importance for long-term refugee integration and self-reliance.
• 🤝 The organization reaffirmed its continued support for Southern Africa, despite the closure of the regional bureau, and emphasized the strong link between localization and budget presentation.
• 📊 The evaluation office is working to synthesize evidence across 16 outcome areas to inform future strategic directions and assess the relevance of UNHCR's actions.