UNHCR SC 97, September 2026
Agenda Item 3. Programme budgets and funding.
Statement delivered by Mr. Svenn Wroldsen,
First Secretary, the permanent Mission of Norway.
9 September 2026
Check against delivery
Chair,
Norway recognizes the exceptionally difficult financial environment facing UNHCR. We see the 2027 programme budget as a crisis budget under reform, as the organization adapts to a more constrained and uncertain funding environment.
Norway appreciates the extensive process of consultation that the UNHCR has provided for member states on issues of budget reform, including on budget modalities and financial rules.
Norway supports the proposed hybrid budget model as a necessary step towards greater realism and a clearer link between identified needs, expected income and operational priorities. We acknowledge that the UNHCR in this model has preserved the needs-based budget as UNHCR’s overall framework. However, we encourage UNHCR to further clarify how priorities will be determined when available resources fall significantly short of identified needs.
Greater transparency will be essential. Member States need a clearer understanding of which functions and activities will be protected, reduced or discontinued under different funding scenarios, and what the consequences will be for protection and humanitarian delivery.
Norway supports efforts to strengthen UNHCR’s financial resilience, including through appropriate reserve arrangements. A stronger reserve must be based on clearly defined criteria, robust governance and transparent reporting. We look forward to further dialogue on the design of the proposed operational reserve, including a timeline for decision making.
Finally, restructuring and efficiency measures must not disproportionately weaken field operations or protection capacity. We encourage UNHCR to demonstrate how it will maintain an appropriate balance between headquarters, support functions and field operations, and how efficiency and reform gains will be measured and reported.
Norway will continue to engage constructively as these reforms are developed and implemented.
Thank you.