The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Thursday announced that it closed its office in Guyana due to severe and ongoing funding constraints. This decision, the agency stated, follows a global strategic review aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of UNHCR’s operations.
Despite the closure, UNHCR said remains firmly committed to supporting forcibly displaced populations in Guyana. Coordination and support will be managed through the Multi-Country Office (MCO) in Panama.
In the last year alone, and in collaboration with the Government, civil society, and UN partners, UNHCR counseled on access to protection services to over 5,000 people, including access to education, legal assistance, healthcare, and direct assistance for vulnerable groups, including women and girls.
“The decision to close our office in Georgetown has not been taken lightly. We are aware of its impact on forcibly displaced people, host communities, and our partners,” said José Egas, UNHCR Representative for Belize, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Central and Southern Caribbean. “We will continue to closely follow the situation and find new ways of supporting Guyana and the displaced people it hosts and protects.”
UNHCR continues to advocate for sustained and flexible funding to meet rising humanitarian needs and ensure that people forced to flee are not left behind. (reliefweb.int)
