The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) may face a budget deficit of 700 million Swiss francs ($750 million) by the end of 2023 due to an imbalance in the distribution of funds caused in part by Ukraine conflict, ICRC Director General Robert Mardini said on Tuesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th March, 2023) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) may face a budget deficit of 700 million Swiss francs ($750 million) by the end of 2023 due to an imbalance in the distribution of funds caused in part by Ukraine conflict, ICRC Director General Robert Mardini said on Tuesday.
"Our budget deficit by the end of the year could reach 700 million Swiss francs if sponsors do not arrive," Mardini said in an interview with Swiss broadcaster RTS.
Mardini also acknowledged that the organization faced an imbalance in the distribution of funds among its missions in different countries due to the assistance provided to Ukraine.
"If we look at the ten largest ICRC operations (Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia and Nigeria), then we will see that except for Ukraine, which has a positive forecast, all the rest are underfunded," Mardini added.
He warned of a possible worsening of the situation and noted that the next few months would be decisive.
"We will have to curtail our ambitions if sponsors do not appear," Mardini noted.
The ICRC director general also did not rule out staff cuts at the ICRC's headquarters in Geneva.
