These cuts are not taking place in a vacuum. 300 million people around the world are in need of humanitarian assistance this year – the equivalent of nearly 90 per cent of the entire US population – and existing cuts are already taking a toll. Nearly two thirds of these people are unlikely to receive assistance and protection going forward as a result of the US cuts and those of other major donors.
In Lebanon, for example, assistance that helps refugees buy what they need in local markets has been cut by up to 65 per cent, with close to 350,000 people removed from the UNHCR–WFP cash program since January. Around 40,000 refugees have already lost access to primary healthcare, and 45,000 more are expected to lose access to secondary care by December. In Somalia, where over 60 per cent of humanitarian organizations rely on US funding to support communities in need, funding cuts have forced program suspension, reduced field staffing, as well as withdrawal of support from hard-to-reach areas. As funding dries up, the Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) teams in Somalia have reported more and more people gathering at NRC community centers in the camps for displaced families, hoping to be included in the programs that remain. Every day NRC is forced to make impossible choices about who it can help.
But it is not too late to reverse course and restore the US’ longstanding bipartisan tradition of humanitarian leadership. As Congress looks to set the funding levels for FY26, NRC USA urges members to support foreign assistance funding levels at or beyond those originally enacted in FY25. There is no shortage of humanitarian needs or partners that stand ready to deliver US support efficiently and transparently to the millions of people devastated by disaster, war, and displacement who depend on this vital lifeline.
Notes:
- Around the world, more than 300 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance (OCHA). In June, in the wake of aid cuts, the United Nations announced a ‘hyper-prioritised’ plan which aims to reach 114 million of the 300 million people in need, with 29 billion US Dollars (OCHA).
- According to the World Food Program, assistance in local markets has been cut by up to 65 per cent, with close to 350,000 people removed from the UNHCR–WFP cash program since January. Around 40,000 refugees have already lost access to primary healthcare, and 45,000 more are expected to lose access to secondary care by December (WFP Lebanon Situation Report - June 2025 - Lebanon | ReliefWeb).
- A report by the Somali NGO Consortium highlights the impact of funding cuts where over 60% of humanitarian organizations rely on US funding (https://www.icvanetwork.org/uploads/2025/02/Impact-of-suspended-aid-on-Somalia-final.pdf).
For more information, please contact: nrcusa@nrc.no