The International Committee of the Red Cross, one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world, announced on Tuesday that it had been forced, due to insufficient donations, to adopt an austerity plan that specifically requires the abolition of about 1,500 jobs.

The Geneva -based International Committee of the Red Cross employs about 20,000 people in more than 100 countries.

The humanitarian organization said in a statement that the austerity plan approved by the Board of Directors also provides for a cost reduction during the current year and early next year by 430 million Swiss francs.

"As humanitarian aid budgets abroad will decrease over the next two years, the ICRC will have to direct its efforts to the programs and places where we can have the greatest impact," the statement added.

The International Committee of the Red Cross initially appealed for donations of 2.8 billion Swiss francs (approximately 2.8 billion euros), but like many other aid organisations, the donations they received were less than they needed.

Donors have reduced their aid for several reasons, most notably the huge sums spent by the West to support Ukraine in confronting the Russian invasion.

Faced with this situation, the International Committee of the Red Cross was forced to reduce its budget to 2 billion Swiss francs.

With regard to job cuts over the next 12 months, the ICRC intends to limit layoffs as much as possible and instead freeze hiring and not replace those who retire or leave of their own accord.

The Committee will reduce its operations in places where other humanitarian partners can take over the tasks it currently performs.