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ABOUT nine million people in Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon and Afghanistan need additional assistance to cope with the approaching winter, prompting the United Nations refugee agency to appeal for at least US$50 million in emergency funding.
The appeal by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is US$3 million higher than the amount raised last year, as the agency faces dwindling resources and rising costs ahead of winter in the northern hemisphere.
UNHCR Director of External Relations Dominique Hyde said the funding shortfall was putting millions of people in fragile and conflict-affected countries at risk of facing freezing temperatures without adequate protection.
“Resources are stretched thin and costs are rising sharply as winter approaches in the northern hemisphere.
“Millions of people in these fragile and war-affected countries risk facing the cold without adequate protection.
“We need to protect them urgently,” she said.
The need is particularly acute as millions face rising energy and food prices, alongside shortages of fuel for heating and cooking.
In Ukraine, temperatures are expected to fall to minus 20 degrees Celsius as the country enters its fifth winter since Russia's full-scale invasion.
The situation is expected to worsen amid increased Russian attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers, while electricity supply disruptions are adding to the hardship faced by communities affected by the war.
In Afghanistan, nearly four million people returned from Pakistan and Iran between January 2025 and July 2026, many with limited resources to rebuild their lives.
In Syria, millions of refugees have returned following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, but UNHCR warned that their prospects could become increasingly uncertain without additional funding for basic needs, including shelter, clothing and heating fuel.
In Lebanon, an estimated 300,000 people are expected to need winter assistance, but the agency can afford to help only half of them because of funding constraints.
UNHCR said 117.8 million people worldwide were displaced from their homes at the end of 2025, down slightly from a record 123.2 million in 2024.
Despite the persistently high number of displaced people, the agency has been forced to cut its workforce following budget reductions.
It has appealed for US$8.5 billion to fund its programmes in 2026, but only US$3 billion was available as of Oct 9. - October 30, 2026
