ForewordAyaki Ito, Director,Division ofEmergency, andProgramme Support Contents Emergency deployment mechanisms4 Thank you to our 2025 active Standby Partners6 When UNHCR first called for external surgepersonnel in 1991, few could have foreseen howsignificantly the resulting partnerships would shapethe next 35 years of its emergency capacity. Today,with rapidly changing operational contexts andgrowing demands, the need exceeds what UNHCRcan address alone, echoing that pivotal moment. 2025 in review7 strengthen existing systems, and promote effective,context-appropriate responses. Our role is to bringall actors together to meet the needs of refugees,internally displaced people, and host communities. 2025 Standby Partner deployments8Global map of 2025 deployments10Standby Partner deployments over years12 Deployment stories14 In 2025, an estimated 117.3 million people wereforced to flee their homes. New or ongoing conflictsand humanitarian crises drove displacementworldwide, pushing many into dangerous journeysand compelling others to return home underadverse conditions. Standby Partnerships are essential to this effort. Byproviding surge capacity and specializedknowledge, our partners help ensure that peopleforced to flee receive the protection and assistancethey need. Refugees return to Syria with hopes and challenges15MCF deployment brings light to Yemen16NORCAP reinforcesUkrainian protection systems18Danish Refugee Counciladvancessite management solutionsin theDRC20NORCAP addressescomplex energy needs in Nigeria22ZIF supports search for durable solutions in the Lake Chad Basin24MCF reinforces supply systems in South Sudan26SDC deployee strengthens heartbeat of education in Niger27Building connectivityintheBurundi refugee emergency28MCF build base campsin support of the refugee response in Chad30Geneva Technical Hub - GTH enters new phase of localization and knowledge management32iMMAP and DRC provide coordination and support to Myanmar33SDC strengthens peacebuilding in Bangladesh34Australia Assists partners to protect girls in Pakistan36Irish Aidstrengthens thelong-term livelihood strategyin the Americas38 UNHCR’s mandate positions it as an organizationuniquely suited to addressing displacementchallenges, ensuring that protection is thecornerstone of our work. As global humanitarianneeds rise and funding constraints challengeresponse efforts worldwide, the collaboration andcommitment of our Standby Partners remain vital toour mission. As needs grow, UNHCR continues to reaffirm thevalue and resilience that collaboration brings toeven the most difficult of operational contexts.Standby Partnerships are pivotal to UNHCR’spreparedness and response capacity, providingoperations with critical resources and expertisethrough the deployment of experts and servicepackages. Nearly half of all 2025 deployments supportedemergency operations, including responses tocrises in Afghanistan, Chad, Democratic Republic ofCongo, Myanmar, South Sudan, and Sudan. StandbyPartners also provided strategic support in areassuch as protection, energy, solutions, and mentalhealth and psychosocial support, while experts atthe Geneva Technical Hub delivered technicalassistance to operations worldwide. Thank you to all our partners and their donors foryour continued support. Donor Acknowledgement39 UNHCR’s emergency response increasingly aims tosupport inclusive and sustainable approaches.Through an inclusion from the start approach, wework to empower local and national actors, Ayaki Ito Director, Division of Emergency, and ProgrammeSupport Standby Partnerdeployments in 2025 Emergency deploymentmechanisms 4 deployment schemes used in emergencies The main deployment profiles for 2025: Description •Protection (28%)•Shelter/Site Planning (15%)•Energy & Environment (15%)•Information Management (8%) Our standby partners are organizations or entitiesthat support UNHCR through the deployment ofpersonnel or through the Standby Partnershipmechanism to enhance UNHCR’s response tohumanitarian crises. NORCAP, SDC, MCF, DRC, and CANADEMdeployed the highest number of experts toUNHCR operations in 2025. Several partnersincreased deployments compared to the previousyear, compared to the previous year: DRC andMCF both doubled their deployments between2024 and 2025. Overview Standby partners provide emergency surgecapacity including service packages such as basecamps or internet connectivity. They also providesupport to strategic areas with technical expertise.Of the 151 standby partner deployments in 2025, Partnership Updates •37% addressed declared emergencies;•41% filled strategic gaps;•13% provided specialized technical expertise;•9% supported service packages. A two-pronged approach of an internal roster capacity and standby partnerships enables UNHCR torespond to diverse needs within multi-faceted operations. In 2025, UNHCR maintained an internal rosterof 110 active members. UNHCR maintains 21 emergency standbypartnersh