Policy Updates

On January 13, 2026, Norway signed a two-year agreement with UNRWA , agreeing to provide NOK175 million (US$17 million) for core support in 2026 and 2027, plus an additional NOK100 million (US$10 million) for humanitarian work in 2026, totaling NOK275 million (US$27 million) in 2026.

Minister of International Development Åsmund Aukrust and State Secretary Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik signed the agreement in Oslo with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. The Norwegian leaders reconfirmed Norway's support for Palestinian refugees, stating the agreement sends a clear signal of solidarity with them as well as support for the UN decision to extend UNRWA's mandate, noting that the organization has faced major political and financial challenges.

Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide announced an emergency support package of EUR340 million (US$395 million) to Ukraine on January 12, 2026, to support the energy sector and help the Ukrainian government maintain critical services.

Norway will channel the funding through established partners including the EBRD and the Energy Community, a European organization that seeks to extend the EU internal energy market to third countries such as Ukraine. In addition, funding will also be channeled through the World Bank's multi-donor trust fund for Ukraine and will be used to pay salaries for teachers, healthcare personnel, and public sector employees as well as pensions and social benefits.

Ukraine's budget deficit in 2025 was covered in part by a loan to be repaid with proceeds from immobilized Russian assets. The budget support provided by Norway to the Ukrainian government administration will help alleviate the situation until the loan mechanism agreed by EU member states in December 2025 is in place.

On December 27, 2025, Norway announced increased support to the WFP by NOK129 million ( US$12.7 million) for emergency assistance and community resilience efforts in South Sudan, where 6 million people faced hunger.

Minister of International Development Åsmund Aukrust announced the additional funding will support emergency assistance and efforts to strengthen community resilience amid a severe humanitarian crisis, with 6 million people in South Sudan lacking sufficient food. The humanitarian situation has worsened due to escalating violence, extensive flood damage following a heavy rainy season, and large refugee flows from the war in Sudan. The UN estimated that the number of people facing hunger could exceed half of the population within six months.

Aukrust committed Norway to continued stabilization efforts through emergency assistance and longer-term measures to reduce population vulnerability to hunger. Norway has maintained a long-standing partnership with the WFP in South Sudan. The new agreement ensured that emergency aid reached the most vulnerable while supporting long-term measures to build resilience in local communities.

Norway announced over NOK24 million (US$2 million) on December 10, 2025, in emergency assistance for flood-affected populations in Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah and catastrophic flooding that affected nearly 11 million people across South and Southeast Asia.

Minister for International Development Åsmund Aukrust stated that Norway allocated NOK20 million (US$2 million) to the Red Cross movement and the UN system in Sri Lanka to provide shelter, food, health care, and support for rebuilding local communities. Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka on November 28, 2025, bringing heavy rainfall and winds that triggered landslides and severe flooding. The UN estimated that floods and landslides across Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Malaysia since November 17, 2025, resulted in approximately 1,600 deaths and displaced 1.2 million people. The disasters destroyed critical infrastructure and increased health risks from water-borne diseases and poor sanitation.

The UN Emergency Relief Fund CERF released US$5 million for flood response in Sri Lanka, with Norway's contribution to the fund corresponding to approximately NOK5 million (US$455,000). Norway also supported the affected population through the WFP crisis response mechanism, funded a UN expert to facilitate relief work, and adapted mine clearance operations through Mines Advisory Group and the HALO Trust to protect populations from explosives displaced by floodwaters.

On Decembr 2, 2025, donors pledged US$1.2 billion at the annual UNHCR Pledging Conference in Geneva for 2026 operations, slightly above the 2025 pledge and covering nearly 18% of UNHCR's projected funding needs.

UNHCR's National Partners committed an additional US$350 million from private sector fundraising, bringing total pledges to US$1.5 billion. Several governments confirmed multi-year contributions extending into 2027 and beyond to strengthen UNHCR's long-term planning.

UNHCR Comissioner Filippo Grandi stated that early and flexible funding provided a lifeline to respond quickly to new emergencies and deliver solutions in neglected crises. Top government contributors included Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, and Norway, with substantially increased contributions from Ireland, Luxembourg, and Iceland. The European Union confirmed significant funding already committed for 2026, while Austria and Spain joined the group of governments pledging support to UNHCR.

Unearmarked funding pledged dropped to 17% of total pledges, nearly half of 2023 levels, while earmarked funding for specific countries and activities increased. Norway, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and Ireland pledged the largest amounts of unearmarked funding.

Norway has announced NOK450 million (US$45 million) to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund for 2026 and increased 2025 support by NOK20 million (US$2 million) to NOK470 million (US$47 million) on December 2, 2025.

Minister for International Development Åsmund Aukrust stated that CERF is one of the most important mechanisms for providing rapid life-saving assistance and protection to those most in need. Humanitarian needs continued to increase while global funding decreased, with persistent war, conflict, and climate-related disasters driving the growing number of people in need.

Aukrust emphasized that predictable and flexible funding as core support to CERF enabled humanitarian actors to deliver quickly and effectively when crises arose or worsened. CERF was also one of the most important mechanisms for early intervention in advance of crises to minimize consequences of natural disasters.

The UN and partners plan to launch the global humanitarian plan for 2026 in mid-December 2025. Aukrust noted that although Norway is maintaining humanitarian support, total funding is expected to continue to decline.

On November 21, 2025The Global Fund held its Eighth Replenishment Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa, co-hosted by the governments of South Africa and the UK on the margins of the G20 Leaders' Summit, securing US$11.3 billion in pledges to sustain the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

Partners from more than 30 countries pledged support to save lives and strengthen systems for health, marking the first replenishment held on African soil. The summit demonstrated global solidarity despite fiscal tightening, conflict, and global uncertainty, though total pledges fell short of the ambitious target set in the Investment Case and several donors had yet to confirm their pledges.

The US, the Global Fund's largest donor, committed US$4.6 billion. The UK pledged GBP850 million (US$1.1 billion), while Germany confirmed EUR1 billion (US$1.2 billion) and Canada pledged CAD1.02 billion (US$723 million). France noted that its support remained unchanged. Spain increased its pledge to EUR145 million (US$167 million), Italy pledged EUR150 million (US$173 million), the Netherlands contributed EUR146 million (US$169 million), and additional pledges came from many other donors. South Africa committed US$37 million, including US$10 million from the private sector. African countries made solidarity commitments totaling US$52 million. G20 member states reached US$9 billion in commitments.

Within the private sector, the Gates Foundation pledged US$912 million, the Children's Investment Fund Foundation pledged US$135 million, and (RED) committed US$75 million. Overall, private sector support reached US$1.3 billion.

Norway announced NOK465 million (US$47 million) in humanitarian support to Ukraine on November 19, 2025, bringing total Norwegian support to Ukraine and refugees in neighboring countries in 2025 to NOK3 billion (US$300 million).

The contribution supplemented NOK120 million (US$12 million) for food security announced at the international summit on food security in Kyiv on November 19, 2025 following increased casualties and displacement from intensified attacks.

Norway channeled funds through key UN partners, the International Red Cross Movement, and Norwegian humanitarian organizations, prioritizing protection and emergency assistance for vulnerable populations on front lines, support for evacuations and internal displacement, and assistance for people who lost homes. The funds also supported repairs and upgrades of power plants and energy infrastructure following escalated Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy grid since summer 2025.

Recipients include:

• Norwegian humanitarian strategic partners, NOK198 million (US$20 million);
• UNICEF, NOK45 million (US$5 million);
• WHO, NOK55 million (US$6 million);
• ICRC, NOK40 million (US$4 million);
• UNFPA, NOK39 million (US$4 million);
• UNHCR, NOK35 million (US$4 million);
• Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, NOK35 million (US$4 million);
• IFRC, NOK15 million (US$2 million); and
• UNOCHA, NOK3 million (US$300,000).

The Tropical Forest Forever Facility secured endorsements from 53 countries and financial commitments exceeding US$5.5 billion launched at the COP30 Leader's Summit in Belém, Brazil, on November 6, 2025, hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

The TFFF Launch Declaration received endorsements from 53 countries, including 19 potential sovereign investors. A total of 34 tropical forest countries endorsed the declaration, representing over 90% of tropical forests in developing countries, including Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and China.

Countries announced the following financial commitments:

• Norway committed US$3 billion over the next 10 years, subject to specific conditions;
• Brazil and Indonesia reconfirmed commitments of US$1 billion each;
• France indicated that, under specific conditions, it would consider committing EUR500 million (US$578 million) until 2030;
• Portugal committed US$1 million;
• Netherlands committed US$5 million for the secretariat; and
• Germany fully endorsed the TFFF, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz scheduled to discuss financial commitments with President Lula.

The TFFF is a shift in global efforts to protect and restore tropical forests. The facility will address a market failure while recognizing the value of and paying for ecosystem services provided by tropical forests to the world.

The UN Association of Norway criticized the Norwegian government's proposed NOK100 million (US$10 million) cut in core support to both UNICEF and UNDP in the 2026 state budget, prompting Minister for Development Cooperation Åsmund Aukrust to defend the cuts by asserting that overall UN support would increase.

Aukrust emphasized that the government would continue providing substantial UN support through the Nansen Programme for Ukraine, where UNDP remained a major recipient. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that UNDP received over NOK1.1 billion (US$109 million) through the Nansen Programme for Ukraine in 2025, while UNICEF received NOK230 million (US$13 million) for its Ukraine work, with both organizations expected to receive continued funding in 2026.

Catharina Bu, Secretary General of the United Nations Association of Norway, acknowledged the government's continued support but emphasized that earmarked funds for Ukraine could not compensate for cuts in core support. She argued that core support delivered better results and that flexible funds were essential during the UN's global crisis.

Aukrust acknowledged that UN reform was occurring due to funding cuts across multiple countries, while maintaining that Norway remained a steadfast UN supporter both financially and politically.