By American Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has announced that it will implement substantial reductions to its operations in 2026, cutting nearly 20 percent of its annual budget and eliminating approximately 2,900 positions, as global humanitarian funding continues to decline.
In a statement released on Friday, ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric warned of a “dangerous convergence” involving the intensification of armed conflicts, steep reductions in aid financing, and a growing global tolerance for serious violations of international humanitarian law. According to the organisation, its spending will drop to $2.2bn next year, a figure that underscores what it describes as an “unprecedented financial crisis” affecting the broader aid sector.
A spokesperson confirmed that while the United States remains the organisation’s top donor, Washington has scaled back its contributions this year. This trend mirrors similar cutbacks by other key donors, including the United Kingdom and Germany.
Despite the financial strain, Spoljaric stressed that the ICRC remains committed to maintaining its presence in “the front lines of conflict, where very few organisations are able to function.” However, she acknowledged that “the financial reality is compelling us to make difficult decisions to ensure we can continue providing essential humanitarian relief to the people who need it most.”
The widespread funding shift is attributed to governments reallocating resources towards defence and security spending, leaving aid agencies struggling to maintain support for vulnerable populations as conflicts intensify, displacement grows, and global needs continue to rise.
This development comes amid broader changes to US foreign assistance under President Donald Trump, whose “America First” policy has altered international funding priorities.
As a result of the combined financial pressures, the Geneva-based institution is initiating one of its most extensive restructurings in decades. The planned job cuts represent roughly 15 percent of the ICRC’s total workforce of 18,500 employees, including around 200 positions at its Geneva headquarters, where the organisation was established in 1863. The ICRC confirmed that it will streamline leadership structures, consolidate departments, and prioritise operations in active conflict zones in order to safeguard its central mission.
Although operating with a reduced budget, the organisation has vowed to retain its activities in key regions such as Sudan, Ukraine, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Approximately one-third of the job losses are expected to occur through voluntary departures or by not refilling vacant positions.
Active in more than 90 countries, the ICRC supports civilians caught in conflict, monitors the treatment of prisoners of war, and serves as an impartial intermediary. Most recently, it played a crucial role in facilitating the transfer of Israeli captives from Gaza and Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons as part of the US-backed ceasefire agreement reached on October 10 relating to the war in Gaza.
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