Bridging Gaps in Humanitarian Aid: Insights from the 4th European Humanitarian Forum (EHF)
Amid rising geopolitical tensions and prolonged conflicts, the European Humanitarian Forum (EHF) serves as a vital platform for unifying actors, fostering dialogue, and finding effective solutions to humanitarian gaps and unmet needs.
The 4th European Humanitarian Forum was held from 19th to 20th May 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. Since its inception, EHF serves as a platform that facilitates high-level exchange between political decision makers and key stakeholders within the international humanitarian community. A-PAD was also represented at the event by Mr. Firzan Hashim, COO of A-PAD and Country Director of A-PAD Sri Lanka.
Centered on humanitarian diplomacy and integrated approaches to fragility, the forum served as a platform for dialogue on urgent humanitarian challenges and fostered collaborative solutions among key actors. It promoted coordinated and sustainable responses in fragile contexts.
The programme opened with a video message by the President of the European Commission, Madam Ursula von der Leyen, who reaffirmed the EU’s commitment as a principled humanitarian donor, actor, and policymaker.
The plenary discussion on ‘Moving Forward on Fragility and Resilience’ featured many esteemed panelists; Ms. Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Mr. Thomas Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator OCHA, Mr. Achim Steiner, Under Secretary-General, UNDP Administrator, and Ms. Elsebeth Søndergaard Krone, State Secretary for Development Policy, Danish MFA. It was moderated by Mr. Maciej Popowski, Director-General European Commission, Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations.
The session shed light on many important aspects. Key takeaways are,
The Private Sector: A Hidden Engine of Recovery
The private sector isn’t just big corporations—it’s the corner shop, the displaced entrepreneur, the community responder. These often-overlooked actors are key to post-crisis recovery. They aid with localization and facilitate transfer of expertise and knowledge. In conflict zones, micro-enterprises can reignite local economies. Small grants empower communities to rebuild livelihoods, while investment in host communities fosters resilience and reduces tensions.
Humanitarian Aid Needs a Reset
Funding cuts due to ideology are costing lives at present and the system urgently needs reform to ensure aid remains neutral, impartial, and independent. At the same time, the current aid model, in many cases, fuels friction between host and displaced populations because of its prolonged nature.
Localization: From Rhetoric to Reality
The most challenging aspect of humanitarian aid is localization. Effective humanitarian and development work lies in sending funding directly to the local level, where the expertise resides. The donors must engage more with local partners and act early to address needs on the ground.
From Reaction to Anticipation
Fragility today is more complex, volatile, and multifaceted. Simply responding is no longer enough. A forward-looking, adaptive approach is needed—one that prioritizes collaboration, local ownership, and proactive strategies to reduce risk before crises escalate.
