GHO 2025 launch in Nairobi: “Investing in localization for the transformation of humanitarian response”

GHO 2025 Event in Nairobi, in partnership with the African Union 

Investing in localization for the transformation of humanitarian response
14:00 - 15:30 GMT+3 
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On 4 December 2024, OCHA, will host three launches of the 2025 Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) in Nairobi, Kenya (in partnership with the African Union), in Kuwait City, Kuwait (in partnership with the Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and in Geneva, Switzerland.

As one of the most important system-wide humanitarian flagship events, the GHO launch aims to raise global awareness of pressing humanitarian needs and support systemwide resource mobilization efforts. The overarching theme will be “Strengthening Global Solidarity and Empowering Local Communities” reflecting our collective commitment to enhanced inclusivity, shared responsibility and effectiveness. The event in Nairobi will add a specific focus on the need to invest in localization to better serve people in need of humanitarian assistance.

In times of crisis, affected communities, national and local actors, including local authorities, are often the first to respond, leveraging their deep-rooted community connections and proximity to emergencies. Their action fosters trust and enables them to respond to the needs and challenges faced by affected communities. In complex situations, local organizations often address needs in hard-to-reach areas, where international entities face access challenges. Local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) possess invaluable experience in emergency response, making them an indispensable part of the humanitarian community. 

Since the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016, the international humanitarian community has made significant strides in promoting localization and holding humanitarian response to account by the people it serves. In places where localization advances, key decisions can be made at the grassroots level and enable local actors to develop their own programmes in feasible, collaborative and complementary ways to tackle key risks and root causes of crises. 

For example, OCHA-managed pooled funds support partnerships that enable inclusive and locally-led response, which, in turn, strengthening local actors. In 2024, 44 per cent of Country-based Pooled Funds (CBPFs) grants were allocated to local and national partners. CBPFs in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan have proven instrumental in enhancing the capacities of national partners and facilitating direct support to local actors. The Regional Humanitarian Fund for West and Central Africa allocated 29 per cent of its funding directly to local partners, and a similar fund in Southern and Eastern Africa has been launched.

The African Humanitarian Agency (AfHA) has emerged as a strategic ally in advancing the localization agenda. By embedding localization within humanitarian coordination mechanisms across African Union Member States, regional organizations and local communities, the AfHA fosters greater participation and inclusion in humanitarian efforts. This enhances local skills and knowledge in humanitarian diplomacy, disaster preparedness and response. 

By continuing to empower local actors, we can enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of humanitarian interventions, saving lives and restoring hope in communities affected by crisis. Our goal is to transform the humanitarian response to be as local as possible while remaining as international as necessary.