Humanitarian Fault Lines

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Alex de Waal. He is the Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation and a research professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He is, most recently, co-author of “Sudan’s Unfinished Democracy: The promise and betrayal of a people’s revolution” (Hurst 2022). Jamie asks him about the conflict in Sudan. Alex describes how the two sides grew into this conflict, and he explains how there’s been a failure of diplomacy. He emphasizes how the window to calm the violence is closing quickly. Jamie asks Alex what the potential outcomes are, and her gives honest answers on a difficult situation.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Gabriella Waaijman, Global Humanitarian Director of Save the Children. They discuss a variety of topics on the humanitarian sector, including how aid work has evolved over the last several decades. Gabriella explains that while there have been improvements, there is a lack of input from local organizations. She talks about how Save the Children is partnering with local groups to help them have a say in how donor dollars are distributed. Jamie asks Gabriella about staying neutral as humanitarians which has been tested with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They also discuss the trade offs they are forced to make as humanitarians when states put pressure or even kick out aid workers for speaking out.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Ulrika Richardson, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti. They discuss the complex and difficult situation in the country. The United Nations has reported an increase in violence, with more than 600 people killed in and around the capital, Port-Au-Prince, in April. Ulrika explains what’s prompting the violence and the discussions happening to try and bring stability to the nation. She also talks with Jamie about the challenges in getting resources to people. Gangs have blocked off access to various areas, and it’s forced aid workers to use airdrops and barges to get basic necessities to those who need it. Jamie asks Ulrika about fundraising for the expensive aid response, and she lays out a framework for improving the situation going forward.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with journalist and policy analyst David Rieff, author of the seminal 2003 book A Bed For The Night. That book, and those that followed, prompted the humanitarian sector to reflect on their work and how it could be improved. Jamie speaks with David about his analysis of the humanitarian space and how it has evolved. They also discuss the United Nations, its strengths and its shortcomings. David is currently writing a book about the role of memory in the Russo-Ukrainian War, a continuation from his book In Praise of Forgetting: Historical Memory and its Ironies. He tells Jamie about that work and gives his thoughts on Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Somalia. Adam gives an overview of the crisis in the country, with climate shocks and conflict creating a difficult environment. There are millions of people, including children, who are in desperate need of life saving assistance. After several years of poor rainy seasons, food insecurity is high. Famine is a very real risk. Adam speaks about trying to get support from donors with other crises taking attention away from Somalia. He also discusses working with officials at the national and local levels to provide aid.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Jeremy Konyndyk, President of Refugees International. They go over a variety of issues in the humanitarian space. Jeremy discusses major changes he would like to see in the system, arguing local groups need a bigger seat at the table with how donor dollars are used. Jamie and Jeremy talk about current crises, including Ukraine and Yemen, and how crises today are lasting longer than crises several decades ago. Jeremy explains why humanitarians have to navigate politics, saying aid workers receive blame for political mistakes made by states. Also, Jeremy lays out his goals for Refugees International which include giving a voice to those who are being neglected.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Suzanna Tkalec, Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the Democratic Republic of the Congo since July 2021. She discusses the current crisis in the eastern provinces and the challenges humanitarians face in the region. Suzanna gives an overview of the different armed groups battling in the area, including M23, and efforts to bring much needed security and stability. Jamie asks her about the difficulty in getting financial support from donors with crises in the other parts of the world competing for donor dollars. Suzanna explains that aid workers are trying to assist people displaced from the violence and struggling with extreme poverty. It’s an honest conversation about a grueling, long running crisis.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with members of Palestinian human rights organizations on issues in the region. Tensions are high between Palestians and Israelis with a noted uptick in violence in the West Bank since the start of the year. The escalation in violence in the West Bank coincides with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returning to power with an ultra right wing coalition. There are fears that the violence will increase around Ramadan and Passover. In Jamie’s conversations with these human rights groups, they discuss the physical and mental toll all of this is having on people. They talk about the lack of basic needs, like electricity and access to adequate shelter. Members of these groups also explain the economic struggles, with unemployment high, especially with younger people.The guests include Dr. Ayed Yaghi of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, Hamdi Shaqoura from the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, Milena Ansari from Addameer, Ubai Al-Aboudi from the Bisan Center for Research and Development, and Wesam Ahmad from Al-Haq.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Hugo Slim, Senior Research Fellow at the Las Casas Institute for Social Justice, Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford, on a wide range of topics. They discuss crises in Haiti, Afghanistan, and Ukraine, and the challenges in providing assistance to those countries. Hugo talks about how humanitarian aid has grown over the last several decades, describing the positives and negatives which have come from that growth. Jamie asks Hugo about the difficulty in speaking out as a humanitarian worker, when it could mean losing access to populations in need of help. Finally, the pair consider the ramifications climate change will have and how that will impact the humanitarian sector in the future.

Host Jamie McGoldrick talks with Julien Harneis, Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan, about efforts to provide aid to a country dealing with climate disasters and skyrocketing prices. Floods in the nation have devastated and uprooted millions of people. The value of Pakistan’s currency has fallen dramatically. Citizens are paying more for basic goods, with the cost of petrol and diesel continuing to increase. Julien outlines the crisis and explains what is being done to provide shelter and health care to citizens. He also details the challenging efforts to secure funding from donors.