Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy
Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN General Assembly
meeting on the strengthening of the coordination of emergency
humanitarian assistance of the United Nations.
Today, we come together to reflect on another year of dire
humanitarian needs and sobering milestones. 2024 was the
deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel, famine was
confirmed in Sudan and polio returned to Gaza for the first time
in 25 years.
In the face of such challenges, we must look ahead and we must
step-up.
The UN estimates that in 2025, 305 million people will require
humanitarian assistance. Behind this staggering number are
individuals. Men, women and children, whose homes have been
destroyed, families ripped apart by the impacts of conflict and
climate change.
These 305 million people are looking to us, and asking us to do
better.
The UK is committed to doing just that.
First, meeting these needs requires funding. This financial year
we have provided over $1 billion in response to humanitarian
crises around the world. And just this morning my Prime Minister
announced an additional $14 million in humanitarian support for
the people of Syria. We will continue to be a leading
humanitarian donor in 2025.
Second, we must focus on prevention.
We need to strengthen the international humanitarian,
development, climate and peace architecture, to better predict
and prevent crises.
We can do this by scaling-up early warning, building community
resilience and empowering locally-led solutions. Through
investment in the Resilience and Adaptation Fund, the UK is
supporting thousands of families in places like Ethiopia and
Bangladesh, to withstand shocks and build local capacity in the
long-term.
Finally, we must focus our political and diplomatic efforts on
preventing and resolving crises and protecting the most
vulnerable.
Humanitarians cannot solve the world's problems alone.
Last month, my Foreign Secretary doubled UK aid to Sudan,
providing an extra $143 million, and we brought a resolution to
the Security Council to increase aid access and protect
civilians.
In 2025 we will keep demanding action to protect the people of
Sudan. We will use our seat on the UN Security Council to call
for unimpeded humanitarian access, protection of humanitarian
personnel and an end to conflict in Sudan, Gaza, Myanmar and
other crises across the world.
Colleagues, as we look to a difficult year ahead, let's remind
ourselves what is at stake. Not only 305 million people in need,
but our shared humanity.
Let's work together to make next year better than the last.
