The international Red Cross cuts budget, staffing levels as humanitarian aid dries up

GENEVA (AP) — The part of the international Red Cross that deals with conflict and prisoners of war announced it will trim its projected budget by about one-eighth next year and cut nearly 20% of staff at its headquarters. The International Committee of the Red Cross, which among other things has focused on detainees on both sides of Russia’s war in Ukraine, says it will reduce its initial 2024 budget forecast to 2.1 billion Swiss francs (about $2.4 billion). That’s down about 13% compared to its already revised budget for this year. The ICRC is a sister outfit of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which focuses on disaster relief, health emergencies and other humanitarian aid activities.