Washington, D.C. — On the heels of one of the most productive years for international diplomacy and multilateralism in decades, world leaders and international actors are set to use 2016 as a launch pad to make humanitarian assistance more effective at a time of tremendous need around the globe.
The Center for American Progress has released an issue brief looking at the upcoming meetings, moments, and milestones that will likely shape the global effort to modernize humanitarian assistance as conflict, repression, and natural disasters have displaced more than 60 million people from their homes.
“The system for providing lifesaving assistance is groaning under the weight of demand from around the globe,” said John Norris, CAP Senior Fellow and co-author of the report. “And 2016 presents a rare opportunity not only to look at real reforms but also to bring new actors to the table at a time when there are simply not enough resources to help the people who need it.”
While the international community came together to tackle difficult issues during the Paris climate change agreement and the ratification of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, a fraying international system faces even a bigger test in coordinating responses to both man-made and natural disasters. Refugee crises in Syria and elsewhere; climate migration issues; and the erosion of the fundamental idea that civilians should not be targeted on the battlefield all combine to make handling these problems remarkably challenging.
Click here to read the paper.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at [email protected] or 202.481.7141.