2025 ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment and ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development

Since 1998, the ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment (HAS) has been an essential platform for discussing the activities and issues related to strengthening the coordination and effectiveness of the humanitarian assistance of the United Nations. The HAS provides a key opportunity for Member States, the United Nations system, humanitarian partners, development actors, and the private sector to discuss current and emerging humanitarian challenges and priority themes and share experiences and lessons learned.

The 2025 HAS took place from 18 to 20 June in Geneva. The HAS was chaired by Her Excellency Ambassador Maritza Chan-Valverde, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations in New York, in her capacity as the ECOSOC Vice-President for the HAS. On the basis of the ECOSOC decision agreed on 16 April, the theme for the 2025 HAS is “Renewing global solidarity for humanity: saving lives, reducing suffering and mobilizing solutions for humanitarian action” (E/2025/L.4).

Four high-level panel discussions were held during the HAS under the following themes:

1. “The humanitarian reset: a dialogue with principals on the future of humanitarian action”;
2. “The humanitarian consequences of armed conflict: promoting respect for and good practices in the application of international humanitarian law”;
3. “Mobilizing and adapting humanitarian financing for an effective and efficient response”;
4. “Reimagining the humanitarian system: innovative models to save lives, reduce suffering and promote peoples’ resilience and livelihoods”.

In addition to high-level panel discussions, the HAS included opening and closing sessions, including a general discussion. A limited number of side events were held on the margins of the HAS from 16 to 20 June.

In advance of the HAS, the Vice-President responsible for the Segment circulated a Call to Action under her authority to send a strong, collective message of support, both to those affected by humanitarian emergencies, and to the humanitarian system working under enormous pressure to assist them.

The ECOSOC Meeting to Discuss the Transition from Relief to Development will be held immediately preceding the HAS in Geneva on 17 June, under the theme “Transition from relief to development: driving solutions and addressing challenges for people in vulnerable situations in crisis contexts” (E/2025/L.5). The meeting will be co-chaired by His Excellency Ambassador Krzysztof Szczerski, Permanent Representative of Poland to the United Nations in New York, in his capacity as ECOSOC Vice-President of the Operational Activities for Development Segment, and Ambassador Maritza Chan-Valverde, in her capacity as ECOSOC Vice-President for the HAS. The meeting will be held pursuant to General Assembly resolution 75/290 A.

Please find below the HAS and Transition Meeting programme and all related updates. For further information on the HAS and the Transition Meeting, please contact ochaecosochas@un.org.

General Statements

Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, European Union, France, G77 and China, Germany, Global IHL initiative workstream on protecting civilian infrastructure, Greece, Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nordic Countries, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sudan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Ukraine  

Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, IFRC, Sovereign Order of Malta 

FAO, ILO, UNFPA, WFP 

Remarks

Humanitarian Affairs Segment (18-20 June 2025)

Opening session of the Humanitarian Affairs Segment (watch here) 

Keynote statement by ECOSOC President Bob Rae

Remarks by HAS Vice-President Maritza Chan-Valverde

Remarks by Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

Remarks by Nour Hussein Al Sewaty, Shamaa Organization, Sudan 

Remarks by Sahar Safi, Executive Director, SEYAM Development, Education, and Services Organization, Afghanistan

Remarks by Amjad Shawwa, Director, Palestinian NGO Network  

High-level panel discussion 1: The humanitarian reset: a dialogue with principals on the future of humanitarian action (watch here)

Remarks by HAS Vice-President Maritza Chan-Valverde

Remarks by Dominik Stillhart, Ambassador and Head of Humanitarian Aid, SDC 

High-level panel discussion 2: The humanitarian consequences of armed conflict: promoting respect for and good practices in the application of international humanitarian law (watch here)

Remarks by HAS Vice-President Maritza Chan-Valverde

Remarks by Ramesh Rajasingham, Director, Coordinator Division, OCHA 

High-level panel discussion 3: Mobilizing and adapting humanitarian financing for an effective and efficient response (watch here)

Remarks by HAS Vice-President Maritza Chan-Valverde

Remarks by Lisa Doughten, Director, Financing and Partnerships Division

Remarks by Dr. John Agbor, UNICEF Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Remarks by Aisling Quirke, Director, Visa Government Solutions

Remarks by Erika Veloza, Director, GENFAMI

High-level panel discussion 4: Reimagining the humanitarian system: innovative models to save lives, reduce suffering and promote peoples’ resilience and livelihoods (watch here)

Remarks by HAS Vice-President Maritza Chan-Valverde

Remarks by Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

Remarks by Kelly Clements, Deputy High Commissioner, UNHCR

Remarks by Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General, FAO

Remarks by Lucia Elmi, Director of Emergency Operations and Programmes, UNICEF

Remarks by Anna Tazita Samuel, Executive Director, Women for Change South Sudan

Closing session of the Humanitarian Affairs Segment (watch here)

Closing remarks by Lisa Doughten, Director, Financing and Partnerships Division, OCHA

Closing remarks by HAS Vice-President Maritza Chan-Valverde

ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development (17 June 2025) 

Opening (watch here)

Remarks by Co-Chair of the ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development & ECOSOC HAS Vice-President Maritza Chan-Valverde

Remarks by Co-Chair of the ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development & ECOSOC OAS Vice-President Krzysztof Szczerski

Keynote statement by ECOSOC President Bob Rae

High-level panel discussion 1: Advancing durable solutions for internally displaced persons (watch here)

Remarks by Co-Chair of the ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development & ECOSOC HAS Vice-President Maritza Chan-Valverde

Remarks by Ramesh Rajasingham, Director, Coordination Division, OCHA

Remarks by Christine Knudsen, Vice President of Humanitarian Policy, InterAction 

High-level panel discussion 2: Mobilizing partnerships, solutions and financing for affected countries and people in crisis contexts (watch here)

Remarks by Co-Chair of the ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development & ECOSOC OAS Vice-President Krzysztof Szczerski

Remarks by Bob Rae, ECOSOC President and Chair of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti

Remarks by Celeste Drake, Deputy Director-General, ILO

Remarks by Ted Chaiban, Deputy Executive Director, UNICEF

Remarks by Yembuani Yves Ouoba, Executive Director, Association Tin Tua

Closing 

Remarks by Co-Chair of the ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development & ECOSOC HAS Vice-President Maritza Chan-Valverde