The United States and Hungary have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly protect Christians and people of faith facing persecution, particularly in the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.
The agreement, signed at the US State Department, marks a significant step in international cooperation to address what both governments describe as a global crisis that too often goes unaddressed.
“Christians are the most persecuted religious group worldwide, yet atrocities and attacks against them too often go unaddressed,” the State Department said. “Such persecution presents a threat to American security and undermines the values upon which our nation was built.”
The Scale of the Crisis
The numbers are staggering.
According to Open Doors’ World Watch List, more than 380 million Christians face high to extreme levels of persecution and discrimination worldwide. That’s roughly 1 in 7 Christians globally — rising to 1 in 5 in Africa and 2 in 5 in Asia.
The violence is not abstract. Thousands of Christians are killed for their faith each year. Churches are bombed. Believers are imprisoned, kidnapped, and forced to flee their ancestral homelands. In some regions, ancient Christian communities that have existed for two millennia face extinction.
Nigeria remains among the most dangerous places on earth for Christians, with jihadist groups and ethnic militias carrying out systematic attacks. The sub-Saharan region has seen escalating violence, with all 15 countries in the region appearing on the World Watch List’s top 50.
North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, and Eritrea consistently rank among the worst persecutors. But the problem extends across dozens of nations — from Islamic extremism in the Middle East to Hindu nationalism in India to communist oppression in China and Laos.
Hungary’s Pioneering Approach
Hungary has emerged as an unlikely leader in defending persecuted Christians globally.
The Hungary Helps Program, launched by the Hungarian government, takes a distinctive approach: rather than encouraging mass migration, it provides direct assistance to help persecuted communities remain in or return to their homelands.
“Help should be taken where the trouble is, not the trouble brought here,” the program’s guiding principle states.
Through the Hungary Helps Program, the Hungarian government has funded the reconstruction of hundreds of destroyed homes, hospitals, schools, orphanages, and churches across the Middle East and Africa. Projects have focused on Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Nigeria, and other crisis zones.
One major project involved reconstructing the Chaldean Christian town of Telesqof in Iraq’s Nineveh plains. Hungary financed the reconstruction of 900 severely damaged residential units, enabling nearly 80 percent of displaced families to return home.
The program has also supported hospitals in war-torn Syria, educational facilities in Nigeria devastated by Boko Haram, and emergency food assistance for Christian communities facing famine.
Tristan Azbej, Hungary’s State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, signed the new agreement with US Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J. Rigas.
“This joint commitment transforms Hungarian-American relations into a civilisational alliance — a civilisational alliance for the defence of Christianity and persecuted Christians,” Azbej stated.
What the Partnership Means
The memorandum of understanding opens the door for joint US-Hungarian projects in crisis regions, including:
- Rebuilding churches, schools, and hospitals destroyed by violence
- Supporting Christians to return to or remain in their homelands
- Promoting religious freedom and peaceful coexistence
- Providing humanitarian assistance to affected communities
Both governments stressed that protecting religious minorities is essential to long-term regional peace and stability.
“Societies that respect religious freedom are more stable, enjoy greater prosperity, are more peaceful, and uphold the rule of law,” Rigas noted at the signing ceremony.
The agreement signals a shift in American foreign policy toward more targeted support for persecuted religious communities. US officials described the partnership as recognising Hungary’s pioneering work and drawing on its experience to potentially help “tens or even hundreds of millions” of suffering people.
A Different Approach to Aid
The Hungary Helps model differs significantly from traditional Western humanitarian approaches.
Rather than channeling funds through large international organisations, Hungary works directly with local churches and faith-based organisations. This ensures aid reaches those who need it most and supports the infrastructure — schools, hospitals, community centres — that allows communities to survive and thrive.
Importantly, these facilities serve everyone in the community, regardless of faith. A hospital rebuilt with Hungarian support treats patients of all religions. A school educates children from diverse backgrounds. This approach promotes peaceful coexistence rather than division.
“Helping Christian communities with infrastructure benefits all locals, as these are public institutions that can be used by people of all faiths,” observers note. “These spaces can bring people from different communities together, enabling them to meet in person and recognise their mutual interest in living together.”
The Hungary Helps Program has now reached people in more than fifty countries and assisted approximately two million people in Africa alone.
Why This Matters
For Christians in crisis zones, international partnerships like this one can mean the difference between survival and extinction.
Ancient Christian communities in Iraq and Syria — communities that trace their heritage back nearly two thousand years — faced near-total destruction during the rise of ISIS. Many fled, and without support to return and rebuild, these communities would simply cease to exist.
In Nigeria, where attacks on Christian communities have intensified, believers face a stark choice: flee or die. International support provides resources for protection, rebuilding, and the basic necessities of survival.
The persecution also creates broader instability. Religious violence destabilises entire regions, creating refugee crises that eventually impact Western nations. Addressing persecution at its source — rather than simply managing its consequences — offers a more sustainable path forward.
The Road Ahead
The US-Hungary partnership represents a concrete commitment, but implementing it will require sustained effort and resources.
Critics will watch to see whether the agreement translates into meaningful action. International Christian Concern, a persecution watchdog organisation, welcomed the announcement while urging both governments to follow up “with specific steps they plan to take towards this noble goal.”
“This work is too important for persecuted communities around the globe to be left waiting indefinitely in the planning stages,” the organisation stated.
For believers facing violence, imprisonment, and death for their faith, such partnerships offer hope that the world has not forgotten them.
As the State Department’s announcement concluded: “Hungary has answered that call, once again affirming its place as a true leader and defender of persecuted Christians.”
The question now is whether other nations will join them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Christians really the most persecuted religious group?
According to multiple research organisations, Christians face persecution in more countries than any other religious group. Open Doors’ World Watch List documents over 380 million Christians facing high to extreme persecution worldwide, roughly 1 in 7 Christians globally.
What is the Hungary Helps Program?
Hungary Helps is a Hungarian government initiative that provides humanitarian aid to persecuted Christian communities worldwide. Rather than encouraging migration, it supports communities to remain in or return to their homelands by funding reconstruction of homes, churches, schools, and hospitals.
What did the US and Hungary agree to do?
The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in supporting Christians and people of faith facing persecution, particularly in the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa. This includes joint projects to rebuild destroyed infrastructure and promote religious freedom.
Where are Christians most persecuted?
According to the Open Doors World Watch List, the most dangerous countries for Christians include North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan, Libya, Iran, and Afghanistan. Sub-Saharan Africa has seen particularly sharp increases in persecution.
How many Christians are killed for their faith each year?
Open Doors documents thousands of Christians killed for faith-related reasons annually. The majority of these deaths occur in Nigeria, where jihadist groups and ethnic militias target Christian communities.
What causes Christian persecution?
Major drivers include Islamic extremism (the primary global threat), authoritarian communist regimes, Hindu nationalism, ethno-religious conflict, and clan-based oppression. Persecution takes many forms, from violence to legal discrimination to social pressure.
How does Hungary Helps differ from other aid programs?
Hungary Helps works directly with local churches and faith-based organisations rather than large international bodies. It focuses on enabling communities to stay in or return to their homelands rather than relocating as refugees. Infrastructure projects benefit people of all faiths.
Why does the US care about religious persecution abroad?
The US government argues that religious persecution destabilises regions, creates security threats, and undermines values central to American identity. Stable societies that respect religious freedom tend to be more peaceful and prosperous.
What can Christians in the West do to help?
Believers can pray for persecuted Christians, support organisations working in affected regions, raise awareness about persecution, and advocate for government policies that protect religious freedom internationally.
Will other countries join this partnership?
The US State Department called on allies to expand efforts to protect persecuted Christians. Whether other Western nations follow Hungary’s lead remains to be seen. The partnership is designed to be a model that others can join.
“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” — Hebrews 13:3 (ESV)