XUNICEF News and Views

Devex is perhaps the premier news line on the world of development work. Development work is actually a large complex business spread all over, not just aid to poor countries, but also the business side of supplying or contracting that assistance. Here’s a current summary of what’s on the mind of the development world. John Inside US-UN plan to remake funding for humanitarian crises Colum Lynch Devex January 13, 2026 Click here for the article Summary A confidential memorandum of understanding reveals the United States pledged $2 billion through 2026 for UN humanitarian relief in seventeen countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Syria, and Sudan. 

Many UN staff and observers question why Tom Fletcher and OCHA are presenting their deal with the Trump administration as a victory. The answer extends beyond OCHA's consolidation of control over US humanitarian funding, though this is undoubtedly part of the calculation. 

"Adapt, Shrink or Die"  State speaks their new form of English. OCHA gains. Is this a rejection of UN style, ie the agencies waste too much time and money with their elaborate program planning?  Even with global media howling, the US appears to remain lead donor. John Gilmartin

  US pledges $2B for UN humanitarian aid as Trump slashes funding and warns agencies to 'adapt or die' Jamey Keaten and Matthew Lee,  Associated Press, December 28, 2025 Click here for the article Summary: The United States announced a $2 billion pledge for U.N. humanitarian aid on December 28, representing a dramatic reduction from traditional U.S. humanitarian funding which has run as high as $17 billion annually in recent years.  The pledge establishes an umbrella fund administered through the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), led by Tom Fletcher, from which money will be distributed to individual agencies based on U.S. priorities. Under the arrangement, individual U.N. agencies "will need to adapt, shrink, or die" according to the State Department.  The funding will target 17 countries initially including Bangladesh, Congo, Haiti, Syria and Ukraine, but notably excludes Afghanistan and Palestinian territories.  The move cap...

The Mandate That No Longer Exists: OCHA, the GHO 2026, and the Political Collapse Behind Humanitarian Triage Author: Thomas Byrnes Publication: Tom's Aid&Dev Dispatches (LinkedIn) Date: December 10, 2025 Click here for the article Summary: The Global Humanitarian Overview 2026, launched December 8 by UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher, sets a prioritized target of 87 million people with $23 billion—a dramatic departure from the $47 billion appeal for 250 million people in actual need. 

GHF and the UN: How a closed-door meeting ignited a humanitarian legitimacy crisis Combined brief based on reporting by The New Humanitarian (Aug 13, 2025)  and commentary by Geneva Solutions (Aug 14, 2025) Click here for the article (UNRWA letter & UN meeting report)  Click here for the article (Norah Niland op-ed) Summary A secret 6 August meeting in New York between senior UN humanitarian officials (including OCHA), the ICRC, InterAction, and the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) cracked open a rift at the heart of humanitarian action.

Briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation and the protection of aid workers in Gaza

Article shared by Tom McDermott OCHA has formally rejected the US / Israeli plan for distribution of aid in Gaza.  In response the US has heavily criticized the UN, claiming that the UN finds itself on "the same side as Hamas". 

New York, 8 April 2025 As delivered Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, Since we briefed the Security Council on Ukraine two weeks ago, Russian Federation air strikes have continued to kill and maim civilians, including children, and destroy civilian infrastructure.

  Article and video shared by Tom McDermott It is clear that no one living and working in Gaza is safe - including aid workers traveling in well-marked vehicles. Even so, this attack sets a new low, bearing signs of summary executions, and apparent efforts to bury the evidence.  Moreover, the news comes shortly after the Israeli attack on a UN guest house which killed an international staff member.  Just two days ago the Israeli military lifted a system for reporting and safekeeping the movements of aid workers. At least one UN staff member was killed along with Red Crescent and civil defense workers traveling to rescue others who had been shot. That one victim was found with his hands tied and that the vehicle and bodies were then buried by an Israeli bulldozer adds to the horror. Tom Click here for the article Summary Fifteen Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers, including at least one United Nations employee, were killed by Israeli forces “one by one” and burie...

Briefing the Security Council on the dire humanitarian situation, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher confirmed that Israeli forces had resumed widespread airstrikes, accompanied by new evacuation orders.

Dear IASC Principals, This is a defining moment for the humanitarian community. As I set out in my statement following our meeting in February, we face a profound crisis of legitimacy, morale, and funding.

“As the ceasefire entered into force today, humanitarian aid moved into Gaza as part of a prepared surge to increase our support to survivors. More than 630 trucks with humanitarian aid entered Gaza today, with at least 300 of them going to the north. There is no time to lose. After 15 months of relentless war, the humanitarian needs are staggering.

Shared by Lou Mendez  The new USG Humanitarian is quite media savvy  Lou https://tomfletcher.global/ 

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Tom Fletcher of the United Kingdom as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). He succeeds Martin Griffiths of the United Kingdom to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for his outstanding work, dedicated service and long-standing commitment to the Organization.

Robert Piper Tom Fletcher The two finalists to replace Martin Griffiths as head of OCHA (Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs & Emergency Relief Coordinator) are Robert Piper, an Australian-British national with extensive experience in humanitarian crises, and Tom Fletcher, a former U.K. ambassador to Lebanon with no experience in humanitarian relief but who has led reviews of British diplomacy and the future of the U.N.

Article shared by Niloufar Pourzand It is deeply worrying that, at such a critical time, the post of OCHA head and emergency relief coordinator remains vacant.  The retirement on medical grounds of Martin Griffiths was known well in advance of his departure.  The fact that the post is sitting empty is due to UN traditions demanding the post be filled by a UK national, while the UK seems unable to find a suitable candidate, is particularly concerning. Equally concerning is the suggestion of the author that the UK may not have a candidate for the post until after the US elections in November.   This situation underscores the need to reevaluate appointment processes for key humanitarian roles, ensuring they prioritize global needs over national interests. On another point made in the article, we regret to learn that PassBlue is temporarily suspending publication as it searches for funders. PassBlue has long been a reliable source of news from within the UN, and its abs...

Article shared by Gloria Kodzwa Interesting article, sharing with colleagues. Gloria Click here for the article Excerpts: "“He’s emerged as UN fixer-in-chief dealing with a lot of crisis situations,” echoed Richard Gowan, who oversees UN advocacy at the Crisis Group think tank. “He’s led from the front and gained a degree of trust and leeway from the [secretary-general] in a way very few other people do.”

"Staff responsible for billions of dollars in contracts are not scrutinised by a United Nations programme that monitors conflicts of interest, a recent audit from the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight (OIOS) found. The loophole is one of many findings included in the audit of the Financial Disclosure Programme, an ethics scheme that requires some staff – but not all – to declare their financial interests to avoid possible conflicts. The audit found that some staff, across a range of agencies and departments that manage more than $10 billion in contracts and grants, are not mandated to take part in the financial disclosure programme – even if they are directly involved with contracts and are categorised as “high risk” of conflicts of interest." Click here for the full article in the New Humanitarian UN Financial Disclosure Programme (FDP) - UN Ethics Office