Pekka Haavisto, a Finnish lawmaker who has served as his country’s minister of the environment, minister of foreign affairs, and minister of international development, is in the race to become the next United Nations high commissioner for refugees, joining a slate of about a dozen candidates keen on leading the financially strapped agency.
Haavisto, speaking to Devex by Zoom from a small cubicle in the Finnish Parliament, acknowledged that restoring hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. and European funds this year may not be in the cards.
The U.N.’s premier refugee agency has been hit hard by U.S. foreign aid cuts, forcing it to lay off some 5,000 workers this year. But it has also faced a drop off in funding from traditional European donors, who have soured on its previously more receptive attitude towards refugees in recent years.
About the author
Colum Lynch
Colum Lynch is an award-winning reporter and Senior Global Reporter for Devex. He covers the intersection of development, diplomacy, and humanitarian relief at the United Nations and beyond. Prior to Devex, Colum reported on foreign policy and national security for Foreign Policy Magazine and the Washington Post. Colum was awarded the 2011 National Magazine Award for digital reporting for his blog Turtle Bay. He has also won an award for groundbreaking reporting on the U.N.’s failure to protect civilians in Darfur.
