International migration organization seeks $2.5 billion for 2026 crisis response

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has released its 2026 Crisis Response Plans, outlining 32 prioritized country and regional projects to address the world’s most urgent humanitarian crises. The plans provide an evidence-based, people-centered framework for delivering assistance to those in need.

At a time when global humanitarian demands continue to rise, IOM aims to reach 22.7 million people—including migrants, internally displaced persons, and host communities—with life-saving aid and resilience-building interventions. Implementing this response will require $2.5 billion, reflecting the scale of human need and forming a core part of IOM’s Global Appeal 2026.

“For 2026, we have had to prioritize, focusing on the most urgent needs and engaging where we can make the most difference, in partnership with communities, governments, and a wide range of other actors,” IOM said.

“While the USD 2.5 billion funding requirement is a reduction compared to previous years, it does not reflect a reduction in needs. Rather, it ensures that limited resources are directed to where needs and impacts are greatest—focusing on the most severe crises, the most vulnerable populations, and the interventions most likely to save lives and stabilize communities, while maintaining flexibility to scale up as funding becomes available.”

The scale of the challenges is stark. In Sudan, nearly one in three people has been displaced, internally or across borders, since the outbreak of conflict. IOM seeks $170 million in 2026 to assist 1.3 million people affected by the war, working with partners to meet urgent humanitarian needs while strengthening resilience among displaced and returning populations. Priority is being given to local actors and institutions, with investments aimed at enhancing their capacity to deliver quality assistance and ensure sustainable, locally led responses.

“Across all 32 plans, the underlying equation is clear: millions of lives depend on timely, predictable funding,” the organization said. “The 2026 Crisis Response Plans translate global needs into actionable priorities, demonstrating how every dollar invested contributes directly to reaching people in crisis, providing safety, dignity, and pathways to recovery.”

IOM is calling on partners, donors, and the international community to support these plans and deliver a response proportionate to the scale of the crises, grounded in evidence, and centered on the people whose lives have been upended by conflict, displacement, and disaster.

By Vafa Guliyeva