UN Humanitarian Chief calls for stronger diplomacy and accountability

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher has called for enhanced humanitarian diplomacy and stronger accountability to uphold international humanitarian law (IHL). Speaking in New York, Fletcher emphasized the need to influence actors accused of violating IHL, noting that approximately 1,000 humanitarian personnel have been killed in recent conflicts. He warned that emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons, pose additional risks to civilians and aid workers if safeguards are not implemented.

In a related development, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah met with Fletcher at Kuwait’s Permanent Mission to the UN during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The discussions focused on strengthening Kuwait’s cooperation with the United Nations regarding humanitarian crisis response and regional coordination. Additionally, Sheikh Jarrah met with Dr. Rania Al-Mashat of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) to discuss bilateral relations in economic, social, and development sectors.