‘The Changing World Order and Its Impact on Humanitarian Action’

On Monday 16 June, the Clingendael Institute hosted a full-day working conference on the evolving global order and its implications for humanitarian action, co-organised with the Humanitarian Knowledge Exchange (KUNO) platform and The Hague Humanitarian Studies Centre (HSC).

The event brought together a diverse group of key figures from across the Dutch humanitarian sector — including local and international NGOs, The Dutch Relief Alliance,  UN agencies, policymakers and academics - for an in-depth exploration of how humanitarian action can remain effective, principled, and relevant amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.

Clingendael's General Director, Monika Sie Dhian Ho, opened the conference by reflecting on the geopolitical context.

Keynote contributions from Hibak Kalfan (Executive Director NEAR Network), Michael Köhler (Grand Bargain), and Thea Hilhorst (Professor of Humanitarian Studies, ISS/EUR) helped set the scene for the further discussions on localisation, international humanitarian law, prioritisation logics, and possible future geopolitical scenarios for humanitarian action.

We’re grateful to all speakers and participants for contributing to a timely and insightful exchange — helping generate forward-looking perspectives for Dutch humanitarian policy and practice in a rapidly changing world and increasingly challenging working contexts to support populations in need of safety and dignity.

Read more about our humanitarian negotiation programme.