The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is set to cut its workforce by 20% following a $58 million funding shortfall.
This move will impact operations in Nigeria and eight other countries, as the agency restructures to cope with declining financial resources.
U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher announced the restructuring in a letter to staff, confirming that the 20% workforce cut comes in response to a $58 million funding shortfall.
OCHA, which employs about 2,600 staff across more than 60 countries, plans to reduce its workforce to around 2,100 and scale back operations in certain regions.
This follows a sharp cut in funding from its largest donor, the United States, leaving a major gap in the organization’s budget.
“OCHA relies heavily on voluntary contributions, with the U.S. alone accounting for the largest share,” Fletcher stated.
Fletcher noted that the annual U.S. contribution of $63 million usually accounts for 20% of OCHA’s extrabudgetary funding.
The reduction has already started to strain humanitarian efforts, affecting local aid groups, international organizations, and other U.N. agencies on the ground.
OCHA plays a critical role in coordinating global humanitarian responses, mobilizing aid, advocating for crisis-affected communities, and sharing information.
Amid financial challenges, the agency plans to streamline its operations by cutting bureaucracy, reducing senior positions, and decentralizing decision-making to enhance efficiency.
As part of the restructuring, OCHA will scale back its presence and activities in Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Gaziantep (in Turkey), and Zimbabwe.
“This strategic shift,” Fletcher noted, “aims to empower country leadership and provide context-specific coordination services, all while maintaining the effectiveness of our global humanitarian agenda.”
Fletcher emphasized the agency’s commitment to improving efficiency by allocating 70% of its budget to operations in country and regional offices, with only 30% allocated to headquarters functions.
