Canada is renewing $6 million in institutional funding over three years for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Secretary of State (International Development) Randeep Sarai announced Monday in Ottawa.
Sarai made the announcement while meeting Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, who was visiting Canada, Global Affairs Canada said in a news release. The department said the money will help OCHA ensure people affected by conflict, disasters and displacement can get timely and effective aid.
Sarai and Fletcher discussed what the department described as an increasingly complex humanitarian landscape, marked by rising needs, declining respect for international humanitarian law and growing financial pressure on the international system. They also exchanged views on major emergencies and challenges expected in the coming year, and on ways to strengthen coordinated responses.
Global Affairs Canada said OCHA helped humanitarian partners collectively reach nearly 98 million people through coordinated responses in 2025.
"Canada is a long-standing partner of OCHA, and its leadership is more important than ever as humanitarian needs grow," Sarai said.
Fletcher said Canada has contributed US$430 million so far this year toward helping people at the highest levels of humanitarian need. "Your renewed multi-year support for OCHA will also help us coordinate more aid to more people, faster," he said.
The department said the US$430 million, approximately C$600 million, goes toward the most urgent needs identified in OCHA's 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview.
Canada will chair the OCHA Donor Support Group as of July 2027. In that role, it will lead and coordinate engagement between OCHA and its top donors. Sarai said Canada is committed to supporting reform of the humanitarian system as it prepares for the role.
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