Note: A complete summary of today’s Security Council meeting will be made available after its conclusion.
MAINTENANCE OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY
Briefings
CINDY MCCAIN, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), speaking via videoconference, said that the humanitarian sector is one of the world’s biggest growth industries, pointing out that the relentlessly rising demand for the Programme’s services is happening across the United Nations and the wider humanitarian system. War, economic turmoil, and increasingly, climate change and environmental degradation are driving millions of people into poverty each year. Up to 783 million people do not know when – or if – they will eat again. WFP estimates that nearly 47 million people in over 50 countries are in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Phase 4 – just one step away from famine. Moreover, a staggering 45 million under five years old are now estimated to have acute malnutrition, she reported, warning that concurrent and long-term crises will continue to fuel global humanitarian needs, just as funding for humanitarian relief operations is drying up.
WFP has had to make the agonizing choice of cutting food rations for millions of vulnerable people, she continued, noting that more cuts are on the way. Pointing to the private sector’s contributions in reducing global poverty, bringing diseases under control and developing medicines and vaccines, she declared: “It’s time to rethink how we engage and find new models of cross-sectoral partnerships.” She called on business leaders to help develop the smart innovations and solutions required to build resilience and tackle the root causes of hunger and poverty. Private enterprise must lead efforts to build essential infrastructure, supply affordable goods and services, spur innovation, expand skills and create new employment opportunities. In that regard, local businesses and private enterprise must be front and centre. WFP relies on the entrepreneurialism of private sector partners to help it deliver on the ground. Emphasizing that everyone benefits from this approach, she underscored: “When people and communities thrive, so do businesses.”
She went on to detail WFP’s work with partners such as Amazon, DHL and Takeda towards reinforcing its world-class supply-chain and logistics networks. Other private enterprises have helped improve its data analysis capabilities and food baskets’ nutrition, as well as remotely assess disaster zones via a satellite monitoring system. In 2022, WFP sourced 50 per cent of its food commodities locally and regionally, injecting $1.6 billion into local markets. “We are also the world’s largest humanitarian provider of cash and digital payments, distributing over $3.3 billion to 56 million vulnerable people in 72 countries last year,” she pointed out, noting that Mastercard shared its payments and technology expertise with WFP to help it improve and scale up its systems for delivering digital food vouchers. The Mastercard team has been supporting WFP’s mission to end hunger ever since they joined forces over a decade ago, she added.
In fragile places, the private sector is often what keeps extremely vulnerable populations afloat, she said. Yet, this also leaves them the most vulnerable to shocks like the war in Ukraine or sanctions regimes. Council members should be resolute in using the Council’s powers and influence to create the broader conditions that will allow public-private partnerships to flourish. Governments must use their convening power and public policy levers to create a conducive environment for public-private partnerships, and international financial institutions must support these efforts with capital finance. “We need the private sector to step up and embrace their responsibility to help build the societies that enable their enterprises to succeed,” she stressed, underscoring that private sector profitability can, and must, go hand-in-hand with the Sustainable Development Goals.
JARED COHEN, President of Global Affairs at Goldman Sachs, pointed out that the meeting follows a crisis that happened 760 days ago, 7,000 miles away, when Kabul fell to the Taliban. Recalling that hundreds of thousands of Afghans were put at risk, he said: “Most had nowhere to go. Much of the world closed its doors.” He recognized the assistance provided by Qatar’s and Iraq’s high-level officials in evacuating, resettling and transporting refugees, also noting that, around the world, “countless” chief executive officers and individuals with no business interests or connections covered planes, resettlement and living expenses for those people. He also outlined that many of today’s crises would look familiar to the leaders who founded the Security Council 78 years ago, but others are newer, including cyberattacks, climate change and lethal drugs, such as fentanyl.
“Our historic institutions must rise to today’s challenges,” he stressed, expressing hope that the 15-member organ can engage private sector stakeholders to that end. Underscoring that many challenges in today’s “era of great Power competition” cannot be solved by great Powers alone, he pointed to the “geopolitical swing States” – stable and thriving countries that have a global agenda, the will and the capacity to turn those agendas into reality. He recalled that Japan’s Prime Minister has not only pledged more than $7 billion in aid to Ukraine, but his statements of support and his visit to Kyiv have changed “how much the world thinks about the war”. In many instances, “geopolitical swing States” offer new leaders, who better represent a changing world with flexible resources, diplomatic leverage and credibility.
“The largest employers in the world are not just Governments – they are also businesses,” he underscored, noting that five American companies have more than 500,000 workers. Recognizing that globalization has put the private sector at the geopolitical table, he spotlighted the importance of sustained partnerships and real-time innovation. To that end, Goldman Sachs has deployed more than $2.2 billion in humanitarian aid, working with 9,400 non-profit organizations and impacting 140 countries. “Local connections matter. Goldman Sachs relies on our people,” he emphasized, reporting that it has 45,000 employees in 42 countries. Recalling that the White House has announced it would welcome more than 100,000 Ukrainian refugees – a historic objective – he said that the technological knowhow to make that happen is in the private sector. For this reason, working with “Welcome US”, Goldman Sachs’ engineers built “Welcome Connect” – a platform to match American sponsors with Ukrainian refugees.
“Our business is business. It makes everything I said possible,” he stated, noting that his company works through global markets to allocate capital where and when it is needed. Recognizing that the private sector cannot do what Governments do, he said that business is still a part of the solution and economic growth is the foundation of sustainable recovery. “We’ve done this before. During the Marshall Plan, businesses played a crucial role in Europe’s recovery. We are ready to do that again,” he asserted.
MICHAEL MIEBACH, Chief Executive Officer of Mastercard, affirmed the shared belief that businesses cannot succeed in a failing world. Humanitarian relief has long been the domain of Government, philanthropic and development institutions, while the private sector was seen as a source of financial donations for supplies and in-kind aid. “That has changed,” he stated, as “the private sector stands ready to tackle the challenges at hand in partnership with the public sector” – further encouraging the UN to be even more direct and deliberate in its outreach. When like-minded groups come together, they can align on objectives, he said.
However, he cited the example of India’s COVID-19 surge in the spring of 2021, when many companies rushed in to help – but were working in silos. As a result, he recalled, the Government and non-governmental organizations had to identify what the needs were. From there, roles could be assigned so that the right impact – doctors, field hospitals, beds and respirators – could be delivered. “With structured public and private partnerships, we can see one plus one equal three,” he stressed. Further emphasizing the transformational power of technology, he noted that it “is not simply an app”, but a tool that can serve as a foundation and infrastructure to do more. There must be a deep understanding of the local context – an approach that has helped the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Red Cross and Red Crescent and others implement digital cash and voucher-assistance programmes – which “have since become a fast, transparent, secure and more effective way to deliver life-saving assistance at the last mile”, he stated.
The value of technology is also in making the complex simple, he said, noting that when a natural hazard strikes, data can direct people to the services they need. After the recent Hawai’i wildfires, data helped people find nearby fuel stations and other businesses that were still open. He urged partners to leverage generative artificial intelligence and other emerging technology in such efforts. Turning to capacity-building, he noted that in the Global South, 80 per cent of the agricultural industry are smallholder farmers. He cited the example of Christina Kibonde, a coffee farmer in Uganda, whose family, for generations, was dependent on middlemen to reach buyers, with a limited view about market prices. A technology platform called Farm Pass created new access, and technology ensured she is digitally included – and today, she is connected directly with buyers, negotiating the best price for her beans.
Millions of other smallholder farmers are activating this platform, he emphasized. He called for investment in local capacities like education, financial literacy, cybersecurity skills and more – and ahead of time, not only in response to emergency scenarios. “When we are successful in this effort, we will enable more people to create more opportunities for the long-term,” he stressed. Even with our collective effort, “we will not be able to stop disasters from happening” – but partnerships can help more people prepare and be resilient, having a say in their future. “You have a willing and committed partner in the private sector,” he affirmed. “We just need to be engaged.”
Statements
IGLI HASANI, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania and Council President for September, spoke in his national capacity, noting that in its 2023 mid-year review of the Global Humanitarian Overview, the United Nations assessed that nearly $55 billion is needed to assist 249 million people. “Year after year, crisis after crisis, we are faced with a shortage of funds and available aid, despite the generosity of donors,” he said, stressing that a greater and structured contribution by the private sector can go a long way towards addressing this pressing shortfall. The private sector can not only contribute funds, food, and medicines but also offer access to cutting-edge technology, research and development, and operational capabilities. His country first started exploring the possibility of greater private-sector involvement in humanitarian operations when it welcomed thousands of Afghan men, women and children in 2021. Albania, a small country, does not have the resources and infrastructure needed for offering shelter, in dignified conditions, to such large numbers of people.
However, working closely with Schmidt Futures and the Yalda Hakim Foundation, his country managed to conceive a new model of humanitarian operations, he reported, adding: “We saw first-hand how efficient the private sector can be in providing humanitarian assistance and the essential logistical support in a timely manner.” It was out of this experience that the idea for a public-private humanitarian partnership was born. A private sector humanitarian alliance can help mobilize resources more efficiently within the first few days of any crisis in full compliance with the UN principles of humanitarian aid. Advancing the idea of this partnership is not only necessary, but the right thing to do. “By working together, we can maximize the impact of assistance, save more lives and build resilient communities in the face of adversity,” he said.
VANESSA FRAZIER (Malta) said that, today, global humanitarian needs driven primarily by conflict and climate change are placing unpredicted pressure on the global humanitarian architecture. As such, twenty-first century humanitarian action will require a realignment of its operating modalities, she pointed out, noting that the private sector can play a central role in providing technological support, resources and sustainable solutions to humanitarian challenges. Flexible financial contributions from the private sector would go a long way in bridging the current gaps in humanitarian response plans across the globe. However, stringent safeguards must be put in place to ensure the legitimate origin of all funds, she asserted. Outlining numerous ways the private sector can immediately contribute to humanitarian efforts, she said that private sector partners could provide more affordable and efficient communication systems and renewable energy solutions to humanitarian organizations. This would significantly enhance humanitarian operations in regions with poor connectivity and infrastructure.
LANA ZAKI NUSSEIBEH (United Arab Emirates) said public-private humanitarian partnerships must no longer be considered simply as useful additions to the core of humanitarian work, but as a crucial part of that work. Noting that her country has been developing a digital platform to support Governments’ ability to better harness international support in the wake of natural hazards, she said that digital tool, by serving as a central information exchange and integrating advances in artificial intelligence, could be used by disaster-hit countries to specify the types and quantities of aid needed at specific locations. Her country looks forward to working on this with Governments, the private sector and humanitarian organizations in the coming months to launch a new tool to turbo-charge the international community’s crisis response capabilities. Moreover, a new public-private initiative between companies in her country and Africa50 aims to deploy $4.5 billion to accelerate clean energy projects across the African continent.
ZHANG JUN (China) noted that multinational corporations have benefited from developing countries’ resources and markets and thus bear the responsibility to help relevant countries out of their humanitarian predicament. However, the participation of the private sector should not lead to Governments cutting their investment or shifting responsibility. Further, public and private institutions should stick to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and should not attach any political preconditions to their aid. “At the Security Council, there has been constant controversy over the issue of humanitarian access,” he observed, advocating against complicating simple issues and politicizing issues. He also stressed that the private sector should be more relevant to the actual needs of the countries concerned. “For some time, international humanitarian assistance has been overly focused on certain countries: the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo], Somalia, Haiti, South Sudan […] A situation like this is not normal and cannot go on as such,” he stressed, calling for resources to help all countries in need. He also urged that more importance be given to economic development. The international community should jointly urge relevant countries to immediately lift unilateral sanctions, eliminate their negative effects and create favourable conditions for international humanitarian actions, he added.
SÉRGIO FRANÇA DANESE (Brazil) outlined the Brazilian Government’s existing private sector partnerships to integrate refugees and migrants, including by creating a database of migrants’ curricula vitae for companies to directly search for employees. In addition, it has set up a private donor fund to partly finance the Interiorization Strategy which has relocated more than 100,000 migrants to nearly 1,000 Brazilian cities that offered better opportunities for socioeconomic integration. He also reiterated the importance of resolution 2664 (2022) to address overcompliance to counterterrorist financing regulations that impedes the provision of impartial humanitarian aid. In contexts where sanctions apply, the fear of criminal accountability has driven banks and companies to hinder the provision of neutral humanitarian assistance. Ultimately, “public-private partnerships are already a reality on the ground and exist out of sheer necessity”, he pointed out, adding: “A whole-of-society approach to humanitarian aid strengthens our power to assist people in the grip of conflict, natural disasters and forced displacement. Let us make full use of this powerful tool.”
BARBARA WOODWARD (United Kingdom), expressing her condolences to the peoples of Morocco and Libya, stressed that, with these recent losses of lives and global humanitarian needs soaring, the role of the private sector is becoming increasingly important. An example of a public and private partnership was the removal of over 1 million barrels of oil from the decaying Safer tanker in Yemen to avert a catastrophe. Outlining three ideas for public-private partnership, she called for bringing together all efforts to sustain peace, including the development of “peace bonds”. She urged that all tools be engaged in order to get ahead of crises before they hit. In this regard, she voiced support for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) risk-transfer mechanism which would unlock $22 million of private funding in humanitarian crises to reach an additional 6 million people. She also emphasized supporting humanitarian responses through new technology, adding that the United Kingdom has invested in mobile innovation funds that have supported the rapid treatment of cholera, reducing its detection time from three days to just 30 minutes.
ISHIKANE KIMIHIRO (Japan), underlining the necessity to reinforce humanitarian aid through public-private partnership, spotlighted several examples by his country’s private sector, including Fast Retailing, the parent company of UNIQLO, and its 12-year partnership with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Fast Retailing has provided clothing to refugees and has implemented a sewing skills training project in Bangladesh, aimed at empowering 1,000 Rohingya refugee women by 2025. He also spotlighted other initiatives, including the Japan Bank for International Cooperation’s support of humanitarian efforts for displaced Ukrainians resulting from the Russian Federation’s unlawful aggression against Ukraine. The Bank provided guarantees for the issuance of Samurai bonds amounting to ¥93 billion by the Polish Development Bank for medical care, education, housing facilities and social security. The private sector is eager to support the Sustainable Development Goals, he emphasized, also drawing attention to the meeting of the Japanese Business Federation with various UN agencies, as well as the Japan Sustainable Development Goals Award for private companies. “Neglecting humanitarian needs, which may further destabilize fragile regions and exacerbate conflicts, helps no one, whether in the public or private sphere,” he stated.
MICHEL XAVIER BIANG (Gabon), noting that 360 million people globally require humanitarian aid, spotlighted the $45 billion financial deficit for such assistance. Humanitarian needs are growing at the exact pace at which available financial resources are shrinking, he said, adding that sometimes financing is allocated in a manner detrimental to “almost forgotten wars”. Welcoming the $150 million mobilized for 14 Sahel countries through the Emergency Fund, he added that Gabon has contributed $2 million to UNHCR to support two countries in Central Africa. He also highlighted that only 30 per cent of all financial needs are met, underscoring the importance of partnerships with financial institutions. In this regard, he called for bolstering synergies between UN specialized agencies, the private sector and research institutes in providing data, technical capacity and monitoring tools to prevent conflict, emphasizing: “Science must be used to assist decision-making processes.”
PASCALE BAERISWYL (Switzerland) noted that with the world in the grip of more than 100 armed conflicts, the number of people with humanitarian needs has more than quintupled – while in 2022, only half of those needs were funded. The Security Council is on the front line, but humanitarian needs can be reduced through investing more in anticipatory action, “and if we work in partnership”, she affirmed. New technology plays an important role, making early warning systems more effective, while a stable and secure Internet connection is crucial, she stressed. Further, taking full advantage of technological innovation requires stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors. She cited Switzerland’s long experience in this area, emphasizing that local actors must be at the centre of any humanitarian response, better integrating their expertise and networks. Despite the progress made over the last 10 years, she emphasized that the potential of public-private partnerships still remains under-exploited.
NICOLAS DE RIVIÈRE (France) praised the significant increase in private sector participation in humanitarian initiatives over the past 15 years, citing the response to the war in Ukraine as an example of what can be envisioned in the future. He applauded the signing of conventions in France and across Europe with businesses that are keen to contribute to humanitarian initiatives, such as the School Meals Coalition. It is the world’s collective duty to be innovative and think of the modernization and effectiveness of humanitarian action, he underscored. The private sector can be a valuable partner not only in the response, but also in the prevention and forecasting of crises. At the same time, a number of questions need to be addressed, such as ensuring that all parties respect the principles of humanitarian law to avoid deadweight costs, he stressed.
HERNÁN PÉREZ LOOSE (Ecuador), highlighting the 30 per cent increase in people requiring humanitarian assistance, warned that the gap between humanitarian need and financial resources available continues to widen, with the recent release of $125 million from the Central Emergency Fund as proof thereof. To step up humanitarian efforts, the private sector can play a vital role, especially in light of its capacity for innovation. Observing that the private sector is often among the first to respond to humanitarian emergencies on the ground, he called for enhancing that sector’s strategic commitment to humanitarian, development and peace agendas. He also urged that the normative framework governing the relationship between the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the private sector be strengthened. The Black Sea Initiative serves as an example of a successful cooperation between multiple stakeholders, he pointed out.
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