The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, Malta office is scaling down some of its activities since the organization is fighting a terrible worldwide funding shortfall. Although UNHCR will keep an operating presence in Malta, some supporting services, like public relations, will henceforth be centrally managed by its Italian multi county office.
Although the specifics of the new operational plan are still “under review,” a UNHCR Malta representative emphasized that services to those covered by the agency’s mission in Malta would persist. Since 2005, the UNHCR has been active in Malta.
Last week, the Malta communications office informed journalists to send any forthcoming media inquiries to the Italian office, therefore making the shift public.
The global funding crisis comes after substantial reductions in humanitarian budgets across the planet. Up to 11.6 million displaced people and refugees may lose assistance this year, UNHCR has cautioned. The agency’s funding requests for 2025 are $10.6 billion, yet only 23% of this has been secured by midyear.
A great drop in donations from prominent contributors has made the situation even worse. In line with the Trump administration’s more general effort to cut foreign aid, the United States—which last year contributed 40% of UNHCR’s budget—has severely reduced financing starting in January.
Consequently, UNHCR has suspended or stopped approximately $1.4 billion worth of relief projects globally, including a 60% cut in financial and emergency assistance in nations such as Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Sudan.
To satisfy the rising needs of displaced communities all around, UNHCR keeps pleading with governments to give more.
