Financial Plan and Budget

In 2007, OCHA forecasted that the United Nations Regular Budget allocation for 2008 was $13.8 million. During 2008, this allocation was slightly reduced to $13.4 million.

As published in OCHA in 2008, OCHA forecasted that its activities in 2008 would require $199.3 million in extrabudgetary resources. The OCHA overall budget is a working document that nevertheless remained flexible and responsive to the numerous changes in the humanitarian environment, particularly in sudden-onset emergencies.

OCHA Mid-Year Review kept requirements for extrabudgetary donor contributions constant. Adopting an overall zero growth policy as compared to original forecasts, OCHA realigned the 2008 budget in accordance with changing strategic humanitarian priorities. Resources were thus shifted from headquarters to the field, while supporting significant or unexpected additional requirements for existing field offices, including in Kenya, Niger and oPt.

New requirements also arose during 2008, primarily relating to OCHA response to sudden onset and rapidly changing emergencies such as with “Afghanistan, Georgia and Myanmar. The final forecast also included supplementary requirements for field activities, such as Sudan, as well as adjustments to the administrative overhead costs of the United Nations. Accordingly, the final OCHA extrabudgetary forecast was $220.7 million.

Chart 1: OCHA Extrabudgetary Forecast for 2008 (US$)

The original total budget, including regular and extrabudgetary resources, forecasted that activities for 2008 would require $213.1 million. The zero growth policy resulted in a slight downward adjustment at the Mid-Year Review, while additional requirements amounted to a final budget for 2008 of $234.1 million.