The head of the U.N. migration agency warned nations on Tuesday to prepare for even larger reductions in programs in 2026, following a record budget decrease of nearly 30% this year due to the conclusion of U.S.-funded initiatives and a pullback from other donors.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) had previously indicated a significant reduction in its projects after U.S. President Donald Trump’s cuts to foreign aid, cautioning that this would impact thousands of employees and severely affect migrants.
IOM’s American Director-General, Amy Pope, announced a projected budget decline from $4 billion to $2.89 billion.
This budget reduction is already hindering efforts related to refugee resettlement programs and operations in Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and with Rohingya refugees.
Pope stated, “2026 is expected to see the most significant budget impact—not solely due to the United States, but we have received indications from many of our donors that they foresee further cuts to humanitarian and development funding,” during a meeting in Geneva.
The U.S., which contributes over 40% of IOM’s funding, revealed this month that 80% of programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development have been canceled.
Pope mentioned that the IOM is still receiving updates from Washington regarding the implications of these changes, but cautioned that even contracts approved by the U.S. government might expire later this year.
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She also noted that the Geneva-based organization estimates that 7,000 jobs will be impacted—an increase from the previous estimate of 6,000—though some staff may be rehired.
Pope, who previously served as a White House adviser to U.S. President Joe Biden, raised concerns about how she and the organization would be affected under a potential Trump administration.
This topic was not discussed during the meeting, but several countries encouraged Pope to advocate with Washington to reverse the funding reductions.
