Our humanitarian Ariadne’s thread

©UNOCHA Children stand upright in front of a demolished house in Beit Sira, a Palestinian village located in the center of the West Bank

The massive bombardments by the United States and Israel in Iran and its retaliation in the region will durably occupy the attention of the media and of public opinions for weeks as well as the issue of regime change or of the transition which will occur afterwards in Tehran.

The abduction of President Maduro in Venezuela then the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Iran confirm the change in international relations which impacts and will continue to transform international humanitarian aid.

Our title, in reference to the Greek myth of antiquity, symbolizes the indispensable guiding thread so as not to get lost in this dangerous labyrinth. In this editorial, I propose that we focus on specific aspects of three ongoing crises then on three partner institutions of NGOs.

Focus on three humanitarian crises.

Crises which are first political and geopolitical and which become humanitarian for populations. Here is therefore a specific focus for each to analyze, understand, alert, act.

Ukraine. This high-intensity war has just entered its 5th year. Negotiations are indeed underway, but positions are very far apart and Vladimir Putin does not seem in a hurry to conclude. The destruction of infrastructures is well documented by the media, but rarely the losses in human lives of soldiers. Combatants who are civilians in uniform.

The figures on losses must be taken with enormous caution. I will cite those published recently by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS-United States) which reports 1.2 million Russians killed, wounded or missing including 325,000 killed in combat since the invasion of Ukraine. On the Ukrainian side the figure would be between 500 and 600,000 losses including 100,000 to 140,000 dead. President Volodimir Zelensky cites the figure of 55,000 dead. Every Ukrainian knows someone who has been killed. The disabled are innumerable and this is already an immense challenge and an issue of the human reconstruction of this country ravaged by war.

Why did they die ? Out of patriotism to defend the freedom, the independence and the sovereignty of their country, Ukraine. A lesson to meditate for us, nations of Europe who feel threatened.

This war will last for a long time after the war, both in the memory of generations and in the duration of reconstruction for at least a decade with a budget estimated at nearly 600 billion dollars, that is 3 times the GDP of Ukraine.

Gaza. Since the « pogrom » committed by Hamas on 7 October 2023 in Israel, as of 16 February 2026 71,455 Palestinians have been killed and 171,347 wounded including combatants. Thus Gaza has become a prison where one dies under the bombs which have also destroyed or damaged more than 80% of infrastructures and of housing. Humanitarian aid, despite all the obstacles, is still vital for the population.

Beyond the Trump plan in 20 points for Gaza, the Peace Council (BoP), the Civil-military Coordination Center (CMCC) and the deployment of an International security force (ISF) which are being put in place, let us return to the decision of the Israeli authorities of 1 January 2026 to deregister by the end of February 37 international humanitarian organizations active for a long time in Gaza. At the same time, for reasons of calendar and of change of rule of the AIDA NGO network, other NGOs are still registered.

Without prejudging the future in Gaza, the Ariadne’s thread for the 37 deregistered NGOs will be or not to continue relief in one way or another, knowing that the Israeli Supreme Court has just temporarily suspended this decision and left them a reprieve despite the obstacles. And for the other NGOs still registered, these should in my view set red lines based on humanitarian principles while keeping full control of the places of their action, of the selection of the recipients of aid, of the choice of modalities of action and, finally, of the protection of personal data. If these red lines were violated by the Israeli authorities, then there would remain for these NGOs only to draw the consequences. This is our Ariadne’s thread.

That being said, we may fear that the humanitarian space, in the sense of principles and practices (neutrality, impartiality, independence) will continue to shrink to the point that it is replaced by non-humanitarian actors implementing relief with political objectives. But, when the International Security Force deploys, perhaps it will guarantee a humanitarian space to NGOs.

Syria. One year after the overthrow of Bachar El Assad by Ahmed El-Chaara and his coalition of jihadist groups followed by the establishment of a transitional authority and a parliament, the power of Damascus has just regained military control of north-east Syria. A ceasefire agreement was signed on 30 January between the Syrian authorities and the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (FDS) within the framework of a global agreement.

But, since 20 January, the Kurdish city of Kobané and the surrounding countryside are encircled by the forces of Damascus. The humanitarian situation there is very worrying. To date, only 3 supply convoys organized by OCHA, UNICEF with the support of the European Commission with ECHO and the participation of local and international NGOs have been able to access Kobané after having crossed numerous military roadblocks. Notably to assist more than 100,000 displaced persons installed in 48 collective centers such as schools and administrative buildings. They need everything to survive in the snow and the cold of a harsh winter : mattresses, blankets, food aid, infant formula, drinking water, electricity and protection.

Convoy of 27 supply trucks for Kobané organized by OCHA UNICEF and supported by the European Commission with ECHO.

In this context, France and the United States have played a major role as mediator to enable an agreement between Damascus and the Kurds who feel threatened. The President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, welcomed this agreement by declaring « France will support its full implementation ». This is the moment to keep one’s word as minister Jean-Noël Barrot again confirmed recently to the Kurds in Erbil in Iraq.

So, since there is agreement and guarantee, why is an open humanitarian corridor not put in place for the few hundred thousand inhabitants of Kobané and its surroundings ? Is the population of Kobané de facto taken hostage ?

The European Parliament voted a resolution on 12 February underlining that « Violence in north-east Syria could constitute a war crime ». And the European deputies to call for stability for a just transition that protects the ethnic and religious diversity of Syria.

I recall that the countries which supported the Kurds against Daesh and against Bachar El Assad for years and which pressed them to conclude an agreement with the authorities of Damascus, have today the responsibility notably of the delivery of humanitarian aid and of the protection of populations in danger in north-east Syria.

Focus on three humanitarian partnerships.

The tone is set by Tom Fletcher, the head of UN humanitarian affairs following the brutal and massive fall of humanitarian funding in 2025 : « Only 20% of our appeals are supported. And we drive the ambulance in your name. But we are now asked to put out the fire. Yet, there is not enough water in the tank. And we are being shot at ».

Will 2026 be according to the Latin expression an « anno horibilis » (horrible year) for humanitarian aid or rather the beginning of containment preceding alternatives of compensation, even replacement ?

For the record, the UN launched this year an appeal to mobilize 23 billion dollars in order to assist 87 million people in danger. While underlining that in fact 33 billion would be needed destined for 135 million people in 50 countries. By comparison, I recall that the world generates more than 115,000 billion dollars of annual wealth ! Look for the moral fault and the political error.

In France, as denounced by Coordination Sud and the Humanitarian and Development Coordination (CHD), Official Development Assistance has fallen by 50% in two years and the harmful consequences are immediate. In this deleterious context, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and its Crisis and Support Center (CDCS) seeks as much as possible to limit the damage with a humanitarian budget of 294 million euros which could still be cut !

Priorities go to the major crises and the CDCS is mobilized by receiving Tom Fletcher in Paris, by supporting the future humanitarian budget (2028-2034) of the European Commission, by preparing a humanitarian component for the next G 7 in June in Evian chaired by France, by actively contributing to an initiative to support International Humanitarian Law (DIH) for the end of 2026 in Jordan and, finally, by organizing a new National Humanitarian Conference on 3 June in Paris.

This Conference is the opportunity to mobilize effectively around three essential questions : the preservation of access for humanitarian relief and IHL, UN humanitarian reform as well as innovation and pooling, partnership and funding. As I was able to say during meetings of the Humanitarian Consultation Group (GCH), this NHC must be different from the previous ones, if not in rupture, in that the world has changed and humanitarian funding has suddenly fallen. It is therefore appropriate to analyze this without concession and above all to provide concrete and voluntarist solutions.

I take this opportunity to say to those who would find that too much money is spent on humanitarian aid and on international development that if one must be concerned about their effectiveness, their impact and that one must know how to change what must be changed, one can however be French, patriotic, attached to the freedom, the independence and the sovereignty of one’s country while showing solidarity because of our history and our international responsibilities. A great country in order to remain so must behave like this. General de Gaulle showed the example as early as 1941 in London, while adapting it to the issues and challenges of today which are immense.

European Union, European Commission. If the humanitarian budget of ECHO is guaranteed for 2026 with an amount of 1.9 billion euros and 415 million of emergency reserve funds, it is henceforth the Multiannual Financial Framework or « Multiannual Financial Framework » for the period 2028 – 2034 which must mobilize us with VOICE, the coordination of humanitarian NGOs in Brussels.

If the initial budget presented by the European Commission of 200.3 billion euros for the external action of the Global Europe program, including 25 billion for humanitarian aid, is satisfactory, the stakes and the risks are not lacking. These can be summarized as follows : maintenance of announced budgets, predictable, traceable humanitarian funds based on essential needs, availability and mobilization of the humanitarian reserve fund, priority to humanitarian crises, involvement of Member States.

© UNOCHA/Bilal Al-Hammoud Tom Fletcher, responsable des affaires humanitaires de l’ONU, visite Idlib en Syrie.

The road to get there is still long and strewn with obstacles before getting there and we must act resolutely, like commissioner Hadja Lahbib, to mobilize new partners, new alliances, invest in innovation and pooling, maintain and enhance trust with public opinion and individual donors as well as with the Member States which finance the European Union.

United States. After the brutal and massive cut of humanitarian and development aid by the Trump administration one year ago, the budget which was 14 to 17 billion dollars in recent years has fallen to two billion for now this year. And this budget is accompanied by conditions both technical and political which exclude several countries such as Afghanistan, Yemen and Gaza and which consider that this aid must « respond to American national interests ». But what are they and how could they be integrated without incompatibility into humanitarian aid programs ?

In the fog and the unpredictability of this funding and of its conditionality, to be coherent the NGOs must therefore set themselves the rules which they will apply to this partnership and the « red lines » not to be crossed. These lie fundamentally in humanitarian principles.

As a consequence, pragmatism no doubt, but no compromise on the impartiality of the recipients of aid, partnership certainly but no compromise on independence and on any interference that would threaten operational independence. Finally and above all, no politicization or instrumentalization of the aid of humanitarian organizations which must themselves respect these principles.

Provisional conclusion.

International humanitarian aid is at a critical moment with a reflux of public financial means and difficulties of access to victims of crises. This crossroads is also that of its future and new possible horizons. In all cases, our most convincing advocacy is indeed that of the duty of humanity to save lives. To accompany emergency aid towards reconstruction and the return to autonomy and the development of populations who want to live at home in safety. Such is our humanitarian Ariadne’s thread.

Today, international aid is a human and strategic response to the challenges that threaten all humanity. Today, we must reconcile national belonging and international solidarity because our destiny is linked and because it is the interest of everyone in its unity as in its diversity which is its richness.

I invite you to read the articles of this edition which deals with this question and to share them around you. .

Today, I invite you to support (makeadonation) the Défis Humanitaires project with a new layout, an editorial line readjusted to the context and a strengthened editorial team which we will materialize as soon as we have gathered sufficient means. Thank you for your support to better inform you.

Alain Boinet.

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Alain Boinet is the president of the association Défis Humanitaires which publishes the online Review www.defishumanitaires.com. He is the founder of the humanitarian association Solidarités International of which he was director general for 35 years. Moreover, he is a member of the Humanitarian Consultation Group with the Crisis and Support Center of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, member of the Board of Directors of Solidarités International, of the French Water Partnership (PFE), of the Véolia Foundation, of the Think Tank (re)sources. He continues to go to the field (north-east Syria, Haut-Karabagh/Artsakh and Armenia) and to testify in the media.