The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will close its Port of Spain office from August 31.
In a statement issued on June 5 on its website help.unhcr.org/trinidadandtobago, UNHCR said the closure was caused by funding constraints.
Although the physical office will close on August 31, it will be open to the public until July 25.
“Many of you are already aware of recent global events that have significantly affected the funding of humanitarian and development organisations, including UNHCR and our partners. In many countries, funding has been significantly reduced. This means that, while needs remain great, there is less money available to support everyone. This has created financial uncertainty and global, regional, and local budget constraints. As a result, it was decided to close the UNHCR National Office in TT as of August 31, 2025.”
From that date, operations will be managed remotely from the UNHCR Multi-Country Office in Panama.
UNHCR has been operating in TT since 2016.
Data on its website says nearly 32,000 refugees and asylum seekers of more than 40 different nationalities live in TT. Of those registered with UNHCR, more than 86 per cent are from Venezuela. Cuban and Jamaican are also some of the main nationalities.
The UNHCR said it would continue working with the La Casita Hispanic Cultural Centre and the Caribbean Centre for Human Rights (CCHR) as partners in TT for refugee care.
