UN slashes global aid plan over ‘deepest funding cuts ever’

The United Nations said on Monday that it was drastically scaling back its global humanitarian aid plans due to the “deepest funding cuts ever” — leaving tens of millions of people facing dire straits.

The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said it was seeking $29 billion in funding for 2025 compared to the $44 billion originally requested in December, in a “hyper-prioritised” appeal.

UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said later on Monday that it would have to terminate 3,500 jobs, cutting 30 percent of its workforce costs, as aid funding evaporates.