UNHCR Member Countries 2026

How UNHCR Membership Works

UNHCR involvement looks different from country to country. Some governments help shape refugee policy at the highest level by sitting on UNHCR’s Executive Committee, while others primarily host UNHCR operations on the ground. In many cases, countries do both.

Executive Committee members play a formal role in guiding UNHCR’s priorities, funding decisions, and long-term strategy. These countries tend to be deeply involved in international refugee policy, either as major donors, host countries, or both. Meanwhile, UNHCR field operations span a much wider group of countries and territories, reflecting where refugee and displacement needs are greatest at any given time.

Because humanitarian needs shift over time, a country’s role can change. Some nations that once hosted major operations later become policy contributors, while others move in the opposite direction as conflicts, migration routes, or regional crises evolve.

Where UNHCR Is Active Today

UNHCR currently runs field operations in more than 130 countries and territories, reflecting the global scale of displacement. These operations are most visible in crisis-affected regions such as Syria, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where UNHCR provides emergency shelter, food assistance, healthcare, and protection services.

Field operations also extend to major refugee-hosting countries like Turkey, Uganda, Pakistan, Colombia, and Bangladesh, where millions of refugees live outside formal camps and rely on long-term support for housing, education, and legal status. In smaller or more stable countries—including Costa Rica, Jordan, Greece, and Malaysia—UNHCR often focuses on asylum systems, policy support, and coordination with local governments.

Because displacement is driven by conflict, political instability, and climate-related disasters, UNHCR’s field presence shifts over time. Countries may be added during emerging crises or scaled back as conditions improve, making UNHCR’s operational map dynamic and closely tied to real-world humanitarian need rather than fixed membership alone.