Interview with Andreas Papaconstantinou, DG ECHO, VOICE out loud 34

In the VOICE out loud 34, Andreas Papaconstantinou, the Director-General of Neighbourhood and Middle East at DG ECHO, gave us an overview of the current position of the EU and DG ECHO regarding the current humanitarian situation.

Against the backdrop of the last Global Hunger Index, showing that more than 44 countries have an alarming or serious level of hunger, the Director presented the priorities of DG ECHO in the fight against hunger, which is driven by conflicts and climate change and further exacerbated by the rising costs due to the conflict .  According to the DG, to fight the hunger crises, humanitarian actions alone are not sufficient, instead, it is vital to further develop the Nexus approach.  The combination of short-term humanitarian strategies combined with development and peace projects would help promote resilient food systems and avoid famines.

Another priority in the EU is the need to step up their commitment towards  “anticipatory action and preparedness approach” which would prevent the negative impacts of climate shocks before they take place. 

Lastly, Andreas Papaconstantinou addressed the increasing funding gap and the need to increase humanitarian funds to support more people in need. He pointed out that only 10 donors provide 90 % of the humanitarian funding and highlighted the importance of further coordinating donorship and working towards more efficient funding strategies to narrow this gap.

Click here to read the interview

Click here to read the whole VOICE out loud issue: “Fighting against hunger: a humanitarian lens”