Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Donor governments late Tuesday pledged an initial US$857 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to fund operations destined to help some 67 million displaced or stateless people worldwide in 2018.

The UNHCR said in a statement that the pledges amount to around 11 per cent of the commissioner's total 2018 funding needs of over US$7.5 billion.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi noted that "refugee crises grow". Refugee needs grow as well." He stated that UNHCR is often asked what these figures mean and what the impact of funding gaps is." It means that UNHCR has to prioritize, sometimes mercilessly," he explained.

He further added "this can mean some (refugees) will be left to fend for themselves during the harsh winter months and others won’t get the assistance they need to reintegrate upon return." UNHCR’s work globally is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from governments, intergovernmental institutions and, increasingly, from individuals, corporations and foundations, Grandi explained.