STATEMENT
UNHCR 94th meeting of the Standing Committee.
2a. Finance and oversight
Statement by Norway delivered by Ms Therese Johansen,
Senior Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Norway
Check against delivery
8 September 2025
Thank you, Chair.
Norway aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union.
Norway appreciates UNHCR’s comprehensive reports and ongoing efforts in a challenging operational and financial context. We are concerned about the impact of reduced funding, which has led to restructuring, staffing reductions, and operational constraints at an unprecedented pace. We commend UNHCR for safeguarding core oversight functions, introducing fraud risk tools, and automating controls despite budget pressures.
Norway welcomes the unqualified 2024 audit opinion and the progress in closing previous audit recommendations. We note the 33 new recommendations from the Board of Auditors and encourage continued improvements in financial management, investment protocols, and inventory controls.
Maintaining strong risk management is critical, even more so in the current climate with severe budget cuts. Timely follow-up on audit recommendations, especially regarding field operations, is vital. Therefore, we encourage that oversight, evaluation, and ethics remain well-resourced.
We support HR reforms including continued focus on gender parity. We stress the importance of psychosocial support to staff during the substantive organizational changes.
UNHCRs continued efforts to prevent and address sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment are valued. We encourage ongoing ethics training, staff welfare support, and robust confidential reporting mechanisms.
Finally, with high levels of earmarked funding and a sharp decline in donor contributions, financial sustainability and income diversification are crucial. We
welcome UNHCRs progress with increased contributions from the private sector and a strong focus on innovative financing mechanisms.
We as donors also need to do our part. We encourage all donors to exercise good humanitarian donorship by providing predictable funding levels, and limit conditionality, to enable UNHCR to meet the needs of the most vulnerable refugees and internally displaced.
Chair, Norway remains committed to supporting UNHCR’s integrity, transparency, and effectiveness, and looks forward to further progress on audit and oversight recommendations and continued focus on adequate resourcing of accountability functions in 2025.
Thank you.