America News Agency

In a letter to staff, OCHA chief Tom Fletcher stated that the office plans to reduce its workforce by 20% due to budget cuts. Around 500 staff members are expected to be laid off.

Fletcher noted that the United States had cut its funding to the agency. The U.S. has long been OCHA’s largest donor, covering around 20% of its annual budget. No official statement has been made on how much funding OCHA will receive from the U.S. this year, and the matter is reportedly still under review.

U.S. President Donald Trump has significantly reduced government funding to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the U.S. government has also halted funding to some UN bodies and projects.