The Financial Comet
  • Business
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • Business
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Investing

The Financial Comet

World News

UN humanitarian agency will lay off hundreds of staff due to funding crisis

by admin April 12, 2025
April 12, 2025
UN humanitarian agency will lay off hundreds of staff due to funding crisis

The United Nations’ emergency and disaster response agency will reduce its global workforce by 20% and scale back operations in nine countries, as it confronts a severe funding crisis and escalating global needs, it announced on Friday.

In sobering letter to staff shared on the agency’s website, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) head Tom Fletcher outlined “brutal cuts” driven by a nearly $60 million funding shortfall for 2025, compounded by rising humanitarian demands.

OCHA will withdraw or adjust operations in Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey, and Zimbabwe, and aim to prioritize “dynamic and full responses” in remaining locations where it operates.

OCHA plans to lay off approximately 500 staff members from its workforce of about 2,600 employees across over 60 countries with a more concentrated presence in fewer locations, according to Najwa Mekki, Director of Communications at OCHA citing a separate letter Fletcher wrote.

The cuts follow months of austerity measures, including a hiring freeze and travel restrictions, which saved $3.7 million.

“The humanitarian community was already underfunded, overstretched and literally, under attack. Now, we face a wave of brutal cuts,” Fletcher wrote, emphasizing that the reductions stem from financial constraints rather than diminished needs.

Fletcher stressed the agency’s pivot toward a “lighter, faster” model focused on core priorities: crisis response, sector reform, and humanitarian leadership. The moves align with the UN’s broader “Humanitarian Reset” – a ten-point plan agreed upon in February by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) – and Secretary-General António Guterres’ UN80 reform initiative.

Fletcher defended the decisions, insisting OCHA must “coordinate, not replicate” efforts to preserve lifesaving work. “We believe passionately in what we do,” Fletcher wrote, “but we cannot continue to do it all.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

previous post
Bomb goes off outside Hellenic Train offices in Athens
next post
Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro hospitalized with abdominal pain

Related Posts

Musk’s comments that Germany should ‘move beyond’ Nazi...

January 28, 2025

Zelensky says ‘no encirclement’ of Ukrainian troops in...

March 16, 2025

Pope gives Easter blessing in highest-profile appearance yet...

April 21, 2025

The world’s smallest elephants are facing extinction. One...

May 1, 2025

Canadian Filipinos mourn after car ramming attack on...

April 28, 2025

How to help those affected by the Myanmar...

March 30, 2025

Power is back on in Spain and Portugal,...

April 30, 2025

Indian military chief acknowledges loss of fighter jets...

June 1, 2025

New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks alliances...

March 17, 2025

Germany and other allies lift restrictions on Ukraine...

May 27, 2025

    Join our mailing list to get access to special deals, promotions, and insider information. Your exclusive benefits await! Enjoy personalized recommendations, first dibs on sales, and members-only content that makes you feel like a true VIP. Sign up now and start saving!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Editors’ Picks

    • 1

      Trump re-designates Iranian-backed Houthis as terrorists: ‘Threaten[s] security of American civilians’

      January 23, 2025
    • 2

      DeepSeek hit with large-scale cyberattack, says it’s limiting registrations

      January 28, 2025
    • 3

      Bank of America CEO says financial industry will jump into crypto payments if regulators allow it

      January 23, 2025
    • 4

      FDA officially authorizes Zyn nicotine pouches for sale following health review

      January 23, 2025
    • 5

      Universal’s ‘Wicked: For Good’ creates a unique marketing challenge

      January 27, 2025
    • 6

      UnitedHealthcare taps company veteran Tim Noel as new CEO following Brian Thompson killing

      January 27, 2025
    • 7

      Lara Trump to host weekend show on Fox News

      February 7, 2025
    • About us
    • Contacts
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Email Whitelisting

    Disclaimer: thefinancialcomet.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.


    Copyright © 2025 thefinancialcomet.com | All Rights Reserved