RIYADH: According to the World Health Organization’s Health Emergency Appeal 2025, over 1.6 billion people currently live in settings of conflict or displacement.
“In this critical moment, we need not only to scale up, we need to speed up and to provide the aid in a more efficient and fast manner,” Jorge Moreira da Silva, under-secretary-general and executive director, executive office of the UN Office for Project Services, told Arab News during the 4th Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum.
“I think that when an emergency happens, a natural disaster or a conflict, we don’t have the same time to plan as when we discuss development, and that is why the search capacity and the quick response is fundamental,” he said.
When asked how this can be achieved, the UN undersecretary stressed the need for more collaboration.
“Scaling up and speeding up requires more collaboration across UN agencies, more collaboration between the UN and the governments but also civil societies and the private sector,” he said.
He called for unity in emergencies, such as conflict, displacement, disease outbreaks, and climate disasters, stating: “We cannot respond quickly if we respond in a silent and fragmented manner.”
Da Silva also underlined the importance of “increasing the level of accountability and response.”
During his interview with Arab News, he commended the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center for hosting the 4th Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum.
“I was impressed to see the convening capacity of KSRelief to mobilize so many people around the world to discuss humanitarian aid (at) this critical juncture,” he said, adding that 25 percent of the world’s population lives in a conflict setting.
“Humanitarian aid has represented life-saving efforts, critical life-saving efforts for billions of people in the world, and I was glad to be a part of today’s conversation, not just about raising ambition but also … speeding up delivery.”
He spoke during a panel session on the first day of the humanitarian forum titled: “Resilient, Innovative, and Localized: The Future of Humanitarian Supply Chains.”
Da Silva reiterated the importance of collaboration, adding that “the UNOPS is an organization that is totally rooted in partnership and collaboration.”
