- CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY -

Mr. President, Excellencies,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its 27 Member States.

The Candidate Countries Montenegro *, Serbia^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia, as well as San Marino align themselves with this statement.

In the face of escalating humanitarian needs, exacerbated by by armed conflict, climate change, environmental degradation and disasters, the European Union and its Member States reaffirm their steadfast commitment to coordinated, principled humanitarian action. We remain convinced that the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence are indispensable for assistance and protection.

The 2025 Global Humanitarian Overview, launched last week, asks for 47 billion US$ to help 190 million people with life-saving assistance and protection in 72 countries.

The scale of these challenges demands a united response. The European Union remains fully committed to strengthening the global humanitarian system, established under UN General Assembly Resolution 46/182, to ensure it is fit for purpose in addressing the humanitarian needs of millions of people in today’s complex emergencies and protracted crises.

We welcome the adoption of the Pact for the Future in September this year, as a crucial step towards further ensuring that humanitarian assistance reaches those who need it most.

This holds particularly true in today’s complex reality, where climate change continues to have a devastating impact on the resilience and livelihoods of vulnerable communities, triggers forced displacement and further undermines peace and security, particularly in areas already affected by conflict or humanitarian emergencies.

These combined interactions severely undermine the capacity to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to climate risks and hazards.

At the same time, armed conflicts remain the major driver of humanitarian needs, including by triggering record levels of food insecurity and displacement with the impact on civilians particularly acute where fighting takes place in populated areas and involves the use of explosive weapons. This comes as the operational humanitarian environment is increasingly constrained.

Once again, 2024 has seen an unprecedented number of attacks and threats against humanitarian workers. United Nations and NGO personnel, Red Cross/Red Crescent movement staff and volunteers, all humanitarian workers deserve our utmost respect and our protection.

They are not a target!!

Against this background, I have three messages to highlight today:

1. On upholding International Humanitarian Law, ensuring humanitarian access, protection of humanitarian aid workers:

The European Union reaffirms its commitment to respect and ensure respect for International Humanitarian Law.

The European Union condemns attacks on all humanitarian workers, and we will continue to prioritize safe and enabling environments for humanitarian operations worldwide. In this regard, as Facilitator, we are proud of the reinforced language in the Safety and Security resolution.

Safeguarding humanitarian space is not limited to ensuring physical access, but also requires maintaining the trust of local communities in humanitarians.

Information manipulation, including disinformation and misinformation, incitement to violence and hate speech targeting humanitarian workers, undermines the standing of humanitarian organisations, puts their personnel at serious risk and has a negative effect on humanitarian operations. It is in our shared interest to continue countering such harmful practices.

To give full effect to the respect for International Humanitarian Law, we remain committed to ending impunity and ensuring accountability for all violations of international law and international humanitarian law, and recall the importance of supporting and implementing decisions of international courts. The strengthening of accountability language in the Safety and Security resolution this year is an important achievement in this regard. 

2. On Building resilience and addressing climate impacts:

The European Union is committed to integrating climate resilience and disaster risk reduction into humanitarian action, including in conflict-affected areas where adaptive capacities are limited. In the Natural Disasters resolution and the Humanitarian Omnibus resolution this year, we strongly advocated for anticipatory action, coherence with climate and development financing, stronger integration of climate and disaster displacement, and sustainable humanitarian practices to minimize environmental impacts.

Addressing the nexus of climate change, conflict, and food insecurity is critical and we will continue to advocate for coordinated action and support for the most vulnerable. In this respect, the European Union and European Investment Bank continue to support multi-sectoral responses with UN and international partners in various contexts.

3. On strengthening the humanitarian system through quality funding and localisation:

To address growing and unmet humanitarian needs, the EU supports quality funding that is multi-year, flexible, and predictable, as well as enabling effective and timely responses. We need a more balanced funding structure, which draws on the resources of Member States philanthropic foundations, the private sector, and financial institutions.

In this regard, the EU strongly advocated for expanding both the understanding and listing of sources of financing, for localization and empowerment of local and national actors, including women-led organisations, in this year’s humanitarian resolutions.

The European Union and its Member States have consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to shoulder their share of responsibility. Thus far, the EU and its Member States have allocated this year over 9 billion US$ to support the provision of principled humanitarian assistance worldwide.

We have also mobilized more resources, including a recommendation for Member States of the European Union to devote 0.07% of gross national income to humanitarian action. Some have already enshrined this target in their national legislation or have achieved and even exceeded this benchmark.

Let me conclude by underscoring that, the EU will work to remain a predictable and principled humanitarian partner for the international community, and those left behind. We look forward to working closely with the UN and all stakeholders to strengthen coordination, address emerging challenges, and ensure humanitarian assistance reaches those who need it most.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.