UNHCR Chief Calls for Shift From Aid Dependency to Durable Solutions

Salih stressed that while humanitarian assistance remains indispensable, it must not become a permanent substitute for solutions.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih has called on Member States to drive a decisive shift in the global response to displacement, urging a measurable reduction in long-term aid dependency and a renewed commitment to international protection, durable solutions and responsibility-sharing.

Speaking in his first formal briefing to Member States since assuming office at the start of the year, Salih outlined an ambitious direction for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), including a comprehensive reform agenda to strengthen effectiveness, accountability and impact.

Measuring Success by Lives Rebuilt, Not Aid Delivered

Salih stressed that while humanitarian assistance remains indispensable, it must not become a permanent substitute for solutions.

“Humanitarian assistance saves lives and must continue wherever needs arise,” he said.“But when emergency tools become the long-term default, and entire generations remain trapped in dependency, we are not building sustainability. We must measure success by whether people can rebuild their lives.”

Protection Obligations Remain Central

The High Commissioner reaffirmed that international protection lies at the heart of UNHCR’s mandate, noting that 2026 marks the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

“The responsibility to uphold the Refugee Convention is as important as ever,” Salih said.

Globally, nearly 117 million people are forcibly displaced, including 42.5 million refugees, many living for years or decades without realistic prospects for return, integration or resettlement. While often safe from immediate conflict, many remain excluded from national systems and dependent on humanitarian aid — a situation Salih said must not be treated as inevitable.

Strategic Goal: Reducing Protracted Displacement

Salih set out a clear strategic objective: to substantially reduce the number of refugees trapped in protracted displacement and dependent on humanitarian assistance over the next decade.

Achieving this, he said, will require:

• advancing voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement

• linking humanitarian action with development and peace efforts

• expanding opportunities for self-reliance and livelihoods

• strengthening inclusion in national systems, including education, health and labour markets

Lessons From the Field

Since taking office, Salih has visited several displacement settings to assess needs and solutions firsthand.

In Kenya, he saw the benefits of policies allowing refugees to work, study and integrate.In Chad, where refugees continue to flee the conflict in Sudan, he witnessed “the scale of need and the limits of available resources.”In Türkiye and Jordan, his discussions focused on Syrian refugees and the conditions required for safe, voluntary and dignified return.

“These situations show UNHCR’s dual responsibility,” Salih said,“to save lives today, and to prevent lives from becoming trapped in indefinite displacement tomorrow.”

Reform Agenda and Financial Transparency

The High Commissioner announced an independent management review aimed at strengthening UNHCR’s efficiency, accountability and financial transparency, following a period of fiscal contraction.

The reform agenda will include:

• clearer prioritisation of activities

• outcome-based benchmarks

• enhanced real-time budget monitoring

The review aligns with the UN80 and humanitarian reset initiatives, aimed at improving system-wide performance.

“This is not about reducing ambition,” Salih said.“It is about aligning ambition with resources so that the people we serve do not pay the price for inefficiency.”

UNHCR is seeking $8.5 billion for its 2026 operations, with $1.574 billion already recorded.

Call for More Flexible and Predictable Funding

While thanking donors for their support in 2025, Salih voiced concern over increasing levels of earmarked funding, which limit operational flexibility.

He called for more predictable and unearmarked resources and announced a stronger push to diversify financing, supported by the planned creation of a Global CEO Council.

Partnership With States at the Core

Salih concluded by reaffirming his commitment to a practical partnership with Member States.

“If we stabilise the organisation, anchor reform in protection, and focus the international effort on durable solutions, we can deliver more effectively for refugees, host communities and States alike.”