Warns agencies to ‘adapt, shrink or die’ in reforms

Washington on Monday pledged an initial $2 billion for United Nations humanitarian aid in 2026 -- far less than it has provided in recent years -- warning UN agencies to "adapt, shrink or die".

With its pledge, announced at the US mission in Geneva alongside UN aid chief Tom Fletcher, the United States is pursuing a dramatic overhaul of how it funds UN humanitarian work.

Instead of handing funds to individual agencies, the United States will funnel its contributions through the UN aid agency OCHA, headed by Fletcher, which earlier this year launched a so-called Humanitarian Reset to improve efficiency and accountability.

The US funds,  welcomed by the UN chief, will then be distributed to 17 selected countries.