Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has affirmed that the UAE is an active and innovative backer of humanitarian responses worldwide.

He highlighted that year after year, the country is supporting the UN's efforts to provide vital aid to the most vulnerable around the globe.

Fletcher, who was appointed in November 2024, emphasised in a statement to Emirates News Agency (WAM) that humanitarian action is embedded in the culture and prioritised by the country's leaders.

He pointed out that collaborating with the UAE is driven by the energy, ideas and problem-solving mentality inherent in the country's approach to crises.

Regarding the strategy for enhancing global humanitarian response and accelerating the pace of emergency relief aid delivery, Fletcher stated, "As Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, I coordinate the UN humanitarian sector – but in my role as Emergency Relief Chief, I also chair the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the body that coordinates the global humanitarian community, including NGOs."

Fletcher also revealed the launch of a bold plan to further spur efficiency in the humanitarian sector following a meeting of IASC heads in Geneva last week. He said, "We are working to be lighter, faster and less bureaucratic – to reduce duplication and define our lifesaving work more clearly. At a time when more than 300 million people around the world urgently need support, we must deliver that assistance more effectively."

He continued, "We will continue to broaden our partner base, including by stepping up engagement with the private sector, World Bank and the broader public. I believe there is a movement of billions of people who care and will stand in solidarity with those in need of assistance and protection."

On UAE-UN humanitarian cooperation, Fletcher affirmed that the UAE is an active and innovative backer of humanitarian responses worldwide, consistently supporting UN efforts to provide critical assistance to vulnerable groups worldwide.

This includes efforts in Gaza, where the UAE committed nearly US$223 million to the "Flash Appeal for the Occupied Palestinian Territory" initiative. He also mentioned a UAE-drafted UN Security Council resolution, adopted in December 2023, which demanded the immediate, safe, and unhindered delivery of large-scale humanitarian assistance directly to Palestinian civilians throughout Gaza.

Fletcher also highlighted the UAE's critical support to the Humanitarian Fund overseen by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), ensuring that those closest to communities in need have the means to respond to crisis.

"The UN is grateful for the UAE's engagement to deliver lifesaving assistance, both in the region and beyond," he stated.

Discussing the role of innovation and AI in supporting global humanitarian needs, Fletcher highlighted the ongoing efforts to leverage AI and innovation to enhance humanitarian response and adapt to future challenges. "In the UAE, we see that innovation and strive to learn from it," he said.

He explained that OCHA, through the Centre for Humanitarian Data in The Hague, has been exploring predictive analytics that can drive anticipatory action to get ahead of a crisis. "We want to foster partnerships across the world – including here in the UAE – that help us build capacity and community around innovation," he added.

Addressing challenges in the humanitarian field, Fletcher noted that workers are facing a polycrisis that is driving needs around the world, with growing needs and increasingly complex challenges. He pointed out climate change as a major challenge, with OCHA launching a Climate Action Account as part of the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to help finance humanitarian responses to climate shocks.

In conclusion, Fletcher commended the UAE's humanitarian efforts, including the establishment of the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council, followed by a dedicated body to implement lifesaving support for those in need, the UAE Aid Agency. The UAE also hosts the world's largest humanitarian logistics hub, Dubai Humanitarian, which has been critically important to global response efforts.