Australia announces AUD 25.25M for Rohingya support

Australia has committed AUD 25.25 million in multi-year humanitarian funding to support Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, reaffirming its commitment to one of the world's largest and longest-running refugee crises.

The funding, announced jointly by the Australian government and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Sunday, will support life-saving assistance and protection for Rohingya refugees under Australia's 2026-2028 humanitarian assistance programme.

The announcement was made in the presence of Foreign Adviser Khalilur Rahman and Australia's Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs and Assistant Minister for International Education Julian Hill, according to a press release.

The flexible, multi-year contribution will enable UNHCR and its partners to continue delivering essential services across the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar, including protection, skills development and disaster risk reduction programmes for refugees living in highly vulnerable, disaster-prone areas.

The funding comes as humanitarian agencies face shrinking global aid budgets and mounting financial pressures. UNHCR described the contribution as a predictable and critical lifeline for nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi communities hosting them.
Australia reiterates support

Assistant Minister Julian Hill said Australia remained committed to responding to the region's most pressing humanitarian challenges.

"Australia continues to respond to the most significant humanitarian crises in our region, making our region safer, more stable and resilient," he said.

Hill reaffirmed Australia's support for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and Myanmar, noting that while the refugees wished to return home, conditions in Myanmar must first allow for a voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return.

"These conditions can only be achieved by addressing the root causes of the crisis in Myanmar," he added.
UNHCR urges sustained global attention

UNHCR Representative a.i. in Bangladesh Juliette Murekeyisoni warned that the Rohingya crisis risked slipping from international attention as new humanitarian emergencies emerged elsewhere.

"Australia's continued support sends a strong message that the Rohingya people have not been forgotten," she said.

She said virtually every Rohingya refugee she had met wanted to return home safely with their rights and dignity restored.

"Until conditions in Myanmar allow for voluntary, safe and dignified return with full citizenship, the international community must remain steadfast in its support," she said.
Support for refugees and host communities

Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Susan Ryle said the latest contribution would help provide critical assistance to the most vulnerable refugees, particularly women, girls and people living with disabilities.

"Australia remains committed to supporting Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh," she said.
Funding shortfalls deepen humanitarian crisis

Since the mass displacement triggered by widespread violence and persecution in Myanmar in 2017, around 1.2 million Rohingya refugees have remained in Bangladesh, most of them living in densely populated camps in Cox's Bazar.

Humanitarian agencies say persistent funding shortfalls have heightened vulnerabilities, forcing many refugees to adopt risky coping strategies, including undertaking dangerous sea journeys in search of safety and better opportunities.

According to recent reports cited by UNHCR, nearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead in 2025 while attempting perilous crossings across the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

The new Australian funding aims to strengthen protection services and expand access to essential assistance, reducing the need for such dangerous migration.
Growing needs amid fresh arrivals

UNHCR said funding shortages continue to disproportionately affect women, girls, older people and persons with disabilities.

Since 2024, an estimated 150,000 newly arrived Rohingya refugees have entered the camps, many of whom still lack adequate shelter and access to basic services, including clean cooking fuel.

The agency said that while addressing immediate humanitarian needs remains the priority, expanding education and skills development opportunities is equally important to strengthen refugees' resilience and prepare them for durable solutions.

UNHCR reiterated that sustained international solidarity would remain essential until conditions allow Rohingya refugees to return voluntarily, safely and with dignity to Myanmar.