GENEVA: The Int­ernational Committee of the Red Cross said Friday it was cutting its 2026 budget by 17 percent amid declining donor contributions and would slash thousands of jobs.

The ICRC said “a challenging financial environment in the humanitarian sector” had led its assembly to approve a 2026 budget of 1.8 billion Swiss francs ($2.2 billion) — down 17 percent compared to this year.

The organisation war­n­­ed that the cuts come at a time when the number of conflicts worldwide and the need for aid are surging. “We face a dangerous convergence of escalating armed conflicts, significant cuts to aid funding and a systemic tolerance for grave breaches of international humanitarian law,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement.

“The ICRC remains committed to working on the front lines of conflict, where few others can operate,” she insisted, warning, though, that “the financial reality is forcing us to make difficult decisions to ensure we can continue to deliver critical humanitarian assistance to those who need it most”.

The cuts meant the organisation will need to reduce the equivalent of around 2,900 full-time positions around the world.

The announcement com­­es as the world grapples with a dramatic international aid funding crisis.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2025