Caption: Ambassador Scott in dark blue cap listens to UNHCR Livelihood Officer Richmond Msowoya on livelihood activities being implemented in Dzaleka. Photo: © UNHCR Malawi Rumbani Msiska

The United Nations has announced that agencies operating in Malawi are preparing for staff reductions of between 25 and 40 percent following a major global funding decline, raising concerns over the future of humanitarian and development programmes across the country.

According to UN officials, the financial crisis is already forcing agencies to scale down operations, reduce field presence, and rethink how essential services are delivered to vulnerable communities.

Speaking in Lilongwe during the UN/Government of Malawi National Steering Committee meeting on the Malawi-UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, UN Resident Coordinator Rebecca Adda-Dontoh said the funding pressures are weakening the organisation’s operational capacity worldwide.

The cuts are expected to affect several major humanitarian agencies operating in Malawi, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the World Food Programme (WFP), with some agencies reportedly preparing staffing reductions of up to 30 percent.

“These global pressures are significantly weakening the UN’s operational capacity worldwide,” said Adda-Dontoh.

The development raises concerns about the future of programmes that many communities across Malawi rely on, including food assistance, refugee support, migration services, disaster response, healthcare initiatives, and technical support to government ministries.

For communities connected to Dzaleka Refugee Camp, the impact could be especially significant. Dzaleka remains one of the largest refugee communities in the region, where thousands of residents depend directly or indirectly on humanitarian systems linked to food security, education, healthcare, livelihoods, and social support programmes.

Adda-Dontoh warned that shrinking budgets may reduce community-level engagement and frontline programme delivery across the country.

“Limited budgets may require adjustments to field operations and monitoring, which could influence aspects of programme delivery and local engagement,” she said.

She also noted that technical advisory support to government institutions may be reduced, potentially affecting policy planning, programme oversight, and coordination across several sectors.

The United Nations estimates that the global funding crisis could disrupt humanitarian and development assistance for between 30 and 60 million people worldwide.

In Malawi, the warning comes at a time of ongoing economic hardship, food insecurity, climate shocks, and growing pressure on public services — challenges that have historically relied heavily on international humanitarian and development assistance.

Source: AllAfrica / Nyasa Times