The Fund, established by the United Nations (UN) Global Solutions Hub, supported 10 joint programmes during 2025 through catalytic investments of up to $3 million each. According to the report, these initiatives helped unlock approximately $2.5 billion in national budget allocations for the protection of and solutions for internally displaced people, while mobilising a further $850 million in development finance.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), welcomed the findings, describing them as evidence that targeted investments can drive long-term solutions to displacement.
IOM Deputy Director General for Operations Ugochi Daniels said the results demonstrate the value of investing in systems that help displaced people rebuild their lives. “The evidence is clear: when we invest in systems that help people rebuild their lives, displacement becomes more manageable, and communities grow stronger,” Daniels said.
She added that the next challenge will be scaling up these efforts through stronger alignment of funding, policies and partnerships.
UNDP Crisis Bureau Director Shoko Noda said internal displacement should be viewed not only as a humanitarian issue but also as a development and governance priority. “The IDSF is helping governments embed solutions into national plans and unlock much larger sources of financing,” Noda said.
She noted that collaboration with international financial institutions and the private sector presents an opportunity to expand nationally led solutions that promote stability and economic opportunity.
UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations Raouf Mazou pointed to signs of progress, noting that more than 10 million internally displaced people returned home during 2025, the highest level recorded in recent years. “Solutions are possible when governments, communities and partners come together,” Mazou said.
At the same time, he cautioned that many returns remain fragile and require sustained investment to ensure they lead to lasting and dignified outcomes.
The report highlights a number of concrete achievements supported by the Fund. Programmes have helped allocate nearly 98 000 hectares of land for housing, livelihood opportunities and local integration. More than 200,000 internally displaced people have also obtained legal documentation, improving access to public services, employment opportunities and government support programmes.
The Fund’s leverage effect was another key finding. According to the report, every $1 invested through the IDSF helped mobilise an estimated $168 from development partners and financing institutions.
–UNHCR/ChannelAfrica–
