The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is facing a major financial shortfall driven by unfulfilled donor pledges, inflation and a 140 million CHF deficit carried over from 2022. In March 2023, the organisation approved a plan to reduce 430 million CHF in global costs across 2023–2024. As the ICRC notes, “the original 2023 appeal of 2.8 billion CHF represented only a 0.3% increase from 2022, despite rising needs and inflation.”
To manage the gap, the ICRC is closing 26 of its 350 locations, including full delegation closures in Mauritania, Malaysia and Greece, and scaling back operations in several regional hubs. Around 1,800 staff positions have been cut, with further impacts through recruitment freezes.
These reductions mean some communities will receive less assistance, particularly in cash‑based support. The ICRC is prioritising core protection activities, frontline presence and essential services while working to maximise impact with fewer resources.
