U.N. Aid Budget Is Cut in Half

The United Nations budget for emergency aid to people affected by war and natural disasters has been cut in half after wealthy donor nations like the United States and some European countries significantly slashed their foreign aid spending. The U.N. sought $47 billion for aid operations in 2025 but has so far only raised $12 billion from donor countries toward that goal. Its budget for 2026 will be just $23 billion, according to Tom Fletcher, the top U.N. official for humanitarian affairs.

As Richard Gowan wrote in WPR in October, the U.N. is currently "going through a moment of crisis and introspection" as major powers are divided about what they want from the body and amid the Trump administration's hostility toward multilateralism. But throughout its history the U.N. has demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt to changing circumstances. "The key to the organization's resilience and survival for the past 80 years has been its ability to shape-shift over time," Gowan wrote. "It will need to once again tap into that ability if it is to survive for 80 more."