The World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul this week had ambitions to reform an overstretched global relief system. An estimated $15 billion gap stands between the resources available and the needs on the ground. Millions of people — mostly trapped in protracted conflicts and instability — are falling behind as a result.
After two days of high-level meetings, VIP-packed side events and dozens of individual announcements, the summit wrapped up with mixed results. Most notably, a “grand bargain” was struck between donors and relief organizations, trading more and more flexible funding for greater efficiency in aid delivery. Together, the two sides hope to find an extra $1 billion for humanitarian relief. Yet less progress was made on ending the man-made conflicts that have helped push global displacement to the highest level ever recorded.
Devex checks in on the grand bargain, as well as specific initiatives around cash delivery, the private sector, education in crises, where we stand on humanitarian reform, and crucially, what’s next.