2026 ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment and ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development

Photo: OCHA/Yao Chen
Start date:
End date:
Location

New York, United States of America

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 2026 HAS will take place from 17 to 19 June in New York. The HAS will be chaired by His Excellency Ambassador Héctor Gómez, Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations in New York, in his capacity as the ECOSOC Vice-President for the HAS.

Three high-level panel discussions will be held during the HAS. In addition to the high-level panel discussions, the organization of the HAS will include opening and closing sessions, including a general discussion. A limited number of side events will be held on the margins of the HAS from 15 to 19 June.

The ECOSOC Meeting to Discuss the Transition from Relief to Development will be held immediately preceding the HAS in New York on 16 June. The meeting will be co-chaired by His Excellency Ambassador Wellington Bencosme, Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations in New York, in his capacity as ECOSOC Vice-President for the Operational Activities for Development Segment, and Ambassador Héctor Gómez, in his capacity as ECOSOC Vice-President for the HAS. The meeting will be held pursuant to General Assembly resolution 75/290 A.

The HAS and Transition Meeting programme and all related updates will be provided on this website as soon as available. For further information on the HAS and the Transition Meeting, please contact ochaecosochas@un.org.

Informal consultations on the themes of the 2026 HAS and Transition Meeting 

16 February 2026

Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Héctor Gómez, ECOSOC Vice-President responsible for the 2026 Humanitarian Affairs Segment and Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations in New York, on the suggested themes and priorities of the 2026 Humanitarian Affairs Segment.

Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Wellington Bencosme, ECOSOC Vice-President responsible for the 2026 Operational Activities for Development Segment and Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations in New York, on the suggested themes and priorities of the 2026 ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development.

Remarks by Mr. Aurelien Buffler, Officer-in-Charge, Policy Branch, OCHA.