Finance
Red Cross to shed nearly 3,000 jobs, scale back budget amid donor fatigue
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on November 21, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on November 21, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
The Red Cross will cut 2,900 jobs and reduce its 2026 budget by 17% due to donor fatigue and shifting priorities towards defense.
GENEVA (Reuters) -The International Committee of the Red Cross will reduce its 2026 budget by 17% to 1.8 billion Swiss francs ($2.23 billion)and cut 2,900 jobs, it said in a statement on Friday.
Aid budgets are facing an unprecedented shortfall as donors shift their focus towards defence, forcing humanitarians to make difficult decisions about whom to help amid multiple conflicts and record displacement.
At the same time, the top global aid contributor, the United States, is overhauling its foreign assistance programmes under President Donald Trump as he prioritises 'America First' policies.
"The ICRC remains committed to working on the front lines of conflict, where few others can operate," said President Mirjana Spoljaric after a meeting of its assembly.
"But 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 job cuts amount to about 15% of the ICRC's global staff of 18,500 and follows previous belt-tightening measures in 2023.
A third of them will be made through voluntary redundancies and leaving vacant posts open, the statement said.
The Geneva-based humanitarian body is present in more than 90 countries and its activities range from providing basic humanitarian aid to visiting prisoners of war.
It acts as a neutral intermediary in conflicts and transferred hostages from Gaza as well as Palestinian prisoners under the terms of the October 10 ceasefire.
($1 = 0.8054 Swiss francs)
(Reporting by Emma FargeEditing by Ludwig Burger and Miranda Murray)
Humanitarian aid refers to assistance provided to people in need, especially during crises such as natural disasters or conflicts, aiming to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity.
A financial crisis is a situation in which the value of financial institutions or assets drops significantly, leading to a loss of confidence in the economy and often resulting in widespread economic instability.
Charitable projects are initiatives aimed at providing assistance or support to those in need, typically funded by donations or grants, and focused on social welfare and community development.
Donor fatigue occurs when donors become less willing to contribute to charitable causes due to repeated requests for support, often leading to a decline in funding for organizations and initiatives.
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