UN agencies and aid groups are asking for $763 million to support 1.2 million refugees and migrants across 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean next year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. The appeal is part of the 2026 Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (RMRP), led by the R4V platform and 152 partner organizations, and aims to strengthen protection, basic services, and long-term integration for people on the move.
The plan reflects a shifting picture of migration and displacement in the region, with fewer people heading north and more moving south across several countries. In total, 4.2 million migrants and refugees of different nationalities need urgent help with housing, food, water, education, and protection. Nearly one in four children face serious education problems, with barriers to school enrolment and staying in class threatening their long-term prospects.
“Despite limited funding this year, the R4V platform reached nearly 500,000 people through thousands of activities,” said Jose Samaniego, UNHCR’s Regional Director for the Americas. He said this shows R4V’s role as the main coordination and response mechanism for mixed refugee and migrant movements in the region, helping authorities sustain and scale their response so newcomers can contribute to the communities that host them. As humanitarian funding falls, the 2026 plan uses a more streamlined structure to cut duplication, simplify coordination, and focus on the most vulnerable communities.
IOM Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Maria Moita said goodwill alone is not enough. “This plan places strong emphasis on regularization and integration processes, recognizing that when migrants and refugees rebuild their lives safely, they are less likely to move again,” she said. The RMRP backs national and local authorities and locally led responses, aiming for high-impact support that advances inclusion and integration across the region.
Core goals include improving safe and dignified access to essential goods and critical services, reducing protection risks, and boosting resilience and socio‑economic integration for refugees, migrants, and host communities. UNHCR and IOM stressed that support from the international community—including the private sector—is crucial, both to keep life‑saving aid flowing now and to build lasting solutions that help people rebuild their lives and reach their full potential.
