UNOG Library Talk “Blinded by Humanity”

Distinguished Panellists and Guests
Dear Friends:

A very warm welcome to you all for this unique UNOG Library Talk. It is a really genuine privilege to be here with so many outstanding colleagues, and it is a particular pleasure to be here with Martin who is an old friend and colleague from my own beginnings in the United Nations. Not just because it brings back many good memories – as well as some flashbacks of difficult political situations! – but also because today’s topic is one that we are all passionate about: how to improve the United Nations’ work in the humanitarian area, and across our very vast agenda.

Martin’s book “Blinded by Humanity” is a sharp and highly intelligent analysis of the United Nations’ humanitarian work – and a very pragmatic and thoughtful look at how to strengthen it. This is very much needed. We face greater humanitarian crises than ever. Our system is severely stretched. And it will only be stretched further in the immediate future and beyond, as a result of a combination of long-running conflicts, new crises and the impact of our changing climate. I hope that many policy-makers will read this book ahead of the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016 because it will give them a good sense of the fault-lines, a healthy dose of realism from the situations on the ground and some very practical ideas on how to move forward.

One thing that struck me as I was reading the book was how many of the core challenges have in essence remained unchanged over the past 20 years, despite much progress in the efficiency in delivery of humanitarian assistance: How to ensure better coordination in a highly fragmented system? How to ensure that we actually put people at the centre of our efforts and our activities? How to ensure that we have human resource policies that enable us to deliver? We still grapple with these fundamental questions today. Unfortunately.

There is a reference at the end of the book to how all United Nations officials always quickly go to the index of a book to see if they are mentioned. And of course, I did the same with Martin’s book! I was in luck: there was, in fact, a reference to how we worked together on the Note of Guidance on relations between Representatives of the Secretary-General, Resident Coordinators and Humanitarian Coordinators, which was all about ensuring better coherence and coordination of our work. Much has improved since then, but the basic challenge of ensuring greater coherence in a highly dispersed system, with many actors both inside and outside the United Nations, remains.

For me, an important overarching point in the seven areas highlighted in the final chapter of the book is the need for proper political processes. We can continue to improve humanitarian assistance at the technical level, we can facilitate better coordination, more inclusiveness and greater efficiency in delivery, but none of this can substitute for a political process. Political solutions are indispensable, and this takes leadership and moral courage rather than technical fixes.

There can be no doubt about the scale and the scope of the challenges. But I also think that there is much hope to draw from what Martin points out. And that hope derives from the quality and the commitment of our humanitarian workers. Apart from the astute analysis and the useful recommendations, this book is a testimony to the incredible asset that our staff represent, delivering often in the most difficult and dangerous circumstances. The colleagues on the panel here with me are certainly examples of the tremendous drive and determination of our humanitarians, of their human and their professional qualities. We owe it to them all and to the people we serve to give them the political support and the tools they need to do their job.

As Martin so rightly says, there is nothing inevitable about the challenges that plague our humanitarian system. They derive from a mix of short-sighted decisions and a misguided sense that they offer an easier option. This book is one of the most persuasive and eloquent calls to get out of the vicious cycle of short-sighted policies and rushed implementation.

I very much look forward to hearing from all the panellists and to our discussion.

Thank you very much.