In a statement released from Riyadh, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned that nine million displaced people in Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon and Afghanistan will need additional aid to survive the coming winter.
UNHCR estimates that the four countries will require at least $50 million in emergency funding, a $3 million increase over the support gathered last year. According to the agency, soaring energy and food prices have made it harder to source the supplies needed to keep refugees warm.
The urgent appeal comes as winter is fast approaching in the region. Displaced people in all four countries, many of whom are without adequate shelter, face the dual threat of harsh weather and continuing shortages of heating fuel and cooking gas.
Dominique Haidt, UNHCR’s Director of External Relations, said the agency is “concerned about the scarcity of resources and the rapidly rising costs” that threaten to undermine last year’s progress in protecting refugees’ basic needs.
"Resources are scarce and costs are rising at a rapid pace," she said. "Millions of people in these four war‑torn countries are at risk of exposure to the harsh winter conditions without sufficient protection against the cold."
The agency highlighted that millions of refugees already struggle with the lack of adequate heating and cooking facilities. As fuel and food prices continue to climb, the gap between what refugees need and what is available widens.
UNHCR noted that in Ukraine, the war has displaced millions who now live in improvised shelters, while in Syria, many refugees still reside in overcrowded camps. Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis has left migrant communities with little access to essential supplies, and in Afghanistan, the ongoing conflict keeps displaced populations vulnerable.
In the statement, the agency called for the international community to meet the new funding target, noting that “without additional support, the situation is likely to deteriorate,
