STATEMENT
UNHCR Standing Committee: 92nd Session, 11-13 March 2025
Agenda Item 4 - Update on budgets and funding (2024 and 2025)
Statement by Norway
Check against delivery
13 March 2025
Norway would like to thank you for this update on budgets and funding.
Despite efforts to diversify and expand sources of humanitarian funding, the financial outlook for 2025 is bleak.
We are concerned about the impact on UNHCR operations of the abrupt funding freeze by UNHCR’s single largest donor. We are also concerned about consequences of significant cuts in humanitarian budgets signaled by other major donors. This is happening at the same time as the total number of displaced persons has reached an all-time high.
For Norway, our humanitarian budget remains stable. Our priorities remain the same. We will continue to promote gender equality and protection. We will accelerate disbursement of agreed funding to alleviate liquidity challenges.
Norway will continue to provide unearmarked funding. We want UNHCR to be able to respond quickly and be able to adjust to rapidly shifting needs.
We encourage all donors to exercise good humanitarian donorship by providing predictable funding levels, and limiting conditionality, to enable UNHCR to meet the needs of the most vulnerable refugees and internally displaced.
Based on last year’s funding gap of 51%, and the likelihood of an even worse funding situation in 2025, we welcome UNHCR’s comments on how it will adapt to the new funding environment.
Let me end by reiterating that protection of all persons of concern will continue to be Norway’s core humanitarian priority. In this, UNHCR is a most valued partner.
Thank you.