UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (OCHA) Tom Fletcher and Luxembourg Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel held a joint press conference in Luxembourg City on Friday, discussing the challenges of delivering humanitarian aid to all those in need amid the current geopolitical climate. Around 239 million people worldwide are currently dependent on humanitarian aid, yet only 87 million can be reached with assistance at present – for Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel, this is not purely a question of funding.
“It is also a political problem, driven by a rise in conflicts. Every six months a new conflict emerges. We have attacks on civilians, climate change [...], so, many factors that can push people into an emergency situation from one day to the next and leave them in need of help”, he said.
Luxembourg allocated €115 million to humanitarian aid last year and has also invested in innovation, having begun two years ago to build up a dedicated humanitarian stockpile.
“This stockpile allows us to deliver essential items, generators, blankets, clothing, essentially everything except food, anywhere in the world within just a few days”, Bettel explained. “We have already responded to six catastrophes: in Myanmar, Cape Verde, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Mozambique.”
Tom Fletcher, OCHA Under-Secretary-General, spoke warmly of the UN’s partnership with Luxembourg. “Luxembourg is a consistent, reliable and demanding partner for us. You rightly expect us to deliver results”, he said.
In Gaza, the UN is currently distributing 1.6 million hot meals per day and working to reopen schools, but Fletcher was clear that far more needs to be done and that progress depends first and foremost on the opening of all border crossings.
Both Fletcher and Bettel underlined the indispensable role of the UN in addressing the world’s mounting humanitarian crises, highlighting that only by working together can the international community hope to respond effectively.
