Tag: hunger

“My fight against malnutrition”

Interview with Michel Lescanne, founder of Nutriset.

Sorting peanuts, which are used in the manufacture of Plumpy’nut, at Hilina, Nutriset Group’s Ethiopian partner.

President and founder of the Nutriset Group and co-inventor of Plumpy’Nut, the first RUTF, Michel Lescanne has just published his memoirs with Eyrolles, with the help of journalist Christian Troubé. Here, he answers our questions.

Alain Boinet:

You’ve just published a book entitled “Mon combat contre la malnutrition” (“My fight against malnutrition”). When and why did you start this fight?

Michel Lescanne:

I founded Nutriset in 1986 on the basis of intuition and determination. As an agricultural engineer, I was convinced that the food industry had solutions to offer to help solve what was then known as “world hunger”. During my studies, I chose as the subject of my dissertation a study on the manufacture of a nutritious cookie for malnourished children in what was then known as the “Third World”. The skepticism of my university jury only strengthened my resolve to succeed. And then there’s my family background. In Normandy, my father ran a dairy cooperative, which later became the Nova Group. So, from childhood, I was immersed in this world. Very early on, reading the works of René Dumont and Josué de Castro helped me to deepen and enrich my objective: to feed these children in distress. It was immediately obvious to me that this would be achieved by setting up a company.

The beginnings of Nutriset. Late 1980s. In a health center in West Africa, young engineer Michel Lescanne explains to healthcare workers how to develop an enriched nutritional solution.

AB:

The early stages of any innovative project are often long and difficult before they succeed. What were the main stages in Nutriset’s development?

ML:

An entrepreneur’s journey is often made up of both successes and failures, from which you need to learn. At Nutriset, we had one compass: to put all our energy into designing products that could save the lives of malnourished children. And the only question we asked ourselves before making a decision was: is this going to help vulnerable populations? When you have a clear mandate, everything becomes clearer. What’s more, we weren’t acting alone, but in liaison with an ecosystem just as motivated as we were: the nutrition researchers who, in their labs, invented formulations, and the humanitarians who tested the products in the field and passed on their requests to us. It was a time of intense mobilization. This enabled us to design and scale up the first F-100 and F-75 high-energy milks, and then, in the mid-1990s, to offer the first ready-to-use therapeutic food in solid form, Plumpy’Nut. This first RUTF – and all the subsequent products targeting the various forms of malnutrition – was at the origin of a veritable revolution in the field: treatment was taken care of directly by the families affected, enabling an ever-increasing number of malnourished children to be helped. Step by step, Nutriset has been able to offer treatment and prevention solutions for children, pregnant and breast-feeding women, people suffering from illnesses such as AIDS, and products for the elderly suffering from malnutrition in France.

Plumpy’nut, the first RUTF for treating malnutrition, has given rise to a wider range of treatment and prevention products. Here is the lipid supplementation product (SQ-LNS) Enov-Nutributter, designed to improve the growth of young children.

AB:

Some twenty years ago, you set up partnerships with local companies in a dozen countries. What was your idea back then? And what stage has this project reached?

ML:

Right from the start, we had the intuition that our products had to be manufactured as close as possible to where they were needed, in the very countries where malnutrition was rife. But there was nothing obvious about that. We had to find local agri-food companies capable of manufacturing our products to the required quality standards and ensuring the supply of raw materials. Many humanitarian organizations were skeptical about the issue. With time, we were able to move forward, using the franchise or subsidiary model. This year, we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of the PlumpyField network. It’s a source of great pride for us: today, almost half of Nutriset’s nutritional solutions are manufactured locally. This has enabled international humanitarian organizations and the governments of these countries to open new programs and, consequently, to come to the aid of ever more children and vulnerable people. What’s more, these industrial structures are real levers of development for their countries, structuring upstream and downstream agricultural and agro-industrial sectors. The PlumpyField network is present in around ten countries, in Africa, South-East Asia and Haiti. It is set to expand further.

A Plumpy’nut production line at Tanjaka, a member of the PlumpyField network based in Madagascar.

AB:

The world has changed a lot in the last 40 years. How do you see the fight against malnutrition today?

ML:

A great deal of progress has been made in this field over the past forty years, and Nutriset has been able to make a major contribution. Those involved in the fight against malnutrition – Unicef, the World Food Program, NGOs and local governments – now have access to easy-to-use products of recognized effectiveness. But what is sorely lacking is funding, and therefore political will. The figures are still terribly alarming! Malnutrition and its associated causes are responsible for one in two deaths among children under the age of five. If we take into account undernutrition, synonymous with wasting, stunted growth and underweight, micronutrient deficiencies affecting one child in two and one woman in three, overweight and obesity, the new scourge of our century, hundreds of millions of people are concerned! So we must not give up! The recent international Nutrition for Growth summit in Paris showed that it is possible to mobilize all players: public authorities, UN agencies, NGOs, foundations, governments and the private sector. Over 27 billion dollars were pledged to combat malnutrition. At the same time, however, we are receiving contradictory signals from the United States and other donor countries, with an incomprehensible drop in their Official Development Assistance.

The Hilina company in Addis Ababa is a long-standing partner of Nutriset. Fifty years after the great famines that ravaged Ethiopia, this company now covers almost all of the country’s nutritional needs.

AB:

Indeed, President Trump’s US administration recently cut the USAID agency and froze many programs and funding. Similarly, many countries are reducing their Official Development Assistance and humanitarian action. Does this have consequences for the Nutriset Group, your partners and anti-malnutrition programs, and how do you cope?

ML:

Our main buyers are Unicef and the World Food Programme, which are heavily affected by the US restrictions, as are the major international NGOs. Like all humanitarian actors, we observe the day-to-day fluctuations in the US administration’s decisions, notably through our American member of the PlumpyField network, the Edesia company. Like everyone else, we’ve taken note of this abrupt shift by the world’s leading lender, and the disastrous consequences it entails. With less money, we’re going to have to be imaginative and agile. For Nutriset, this means pursuing and expanding our localization policy, for example, by working with new players such as foundations, or by developing specific programs directly with governments. This is what we are doing, for example, in Benin and Côte d’Ivoire.

AB:

What advice would you give to a young person wanting to get involved today?

ML:

Every generation has its own approach to the world and its own way of looking at solutions. I can see that we are entering a world where risks are multiplying, from global warming to the new rules of the geopolitical game, but I remain unfailingly optimistic about human nature’s ability to transcend itself, to give the best of itself. I would say to a young person making a commitment today that, if they have a strong conviction, they must cultivate it and be faithful to it, even in moments of doubt.

 

Nana Hadiza, 28, holds her twin daughters in her arms as they sit on a hospital bed at Maradi University Hospital in Niger. The twins are being treated for malnutrition with ready-to-use therapeutic foods from Nutriset. © UNICEF/UN0535873/Dejongh

AB:

How would you like to conclude this interview?

ML:

Your magazine has a beautiful title: “Humanitarian Challenges.” For forty years, I have had the good fortune to work alongside exceptional people in humanitarian agencies and NGOs. In a way, we have “grown up together.” I would therefore like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all those who have brought this commitment to life and continue to do so today. At the beginning of my book, I recall the figure of Dr. Pascal Grellety-Bosviel, a Red Cross doctor in the 1980s, who inspired me greatly, along with so many others. I would like to salute all the humanitarian workers of the new generation and tell them not to give up! The fight continues!

My Fight Against Malnutrition, by Michel Lescanne, with Christian Troubé (Editions Eyrolles, $24)

Michel Lescanne:

“Your idea has no future, sir!” Despite having just submitted his final thesis, young agricultural engineer Michel Lescanne remained faithful to his dream: to develop products to combat world hunger. In the 1970s, with famines in Africa dominating the headlines, the challenge was immense. And the obstacles were numerous. Today, the Nutriset Group, which he founded in 1986, is present wherever malnutrition is rife, in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and even France, saving millions of children and adults. It is this remarkable journey that its founder recounts here.

 

Christian Troubé

A senior reporter specializing in international relations, Christian Troubé first became involved in humanitarian work in the early 1980s during the war in Lebanon. As a journalist, he went on to accompany various NGOs in numerous fields of action. He also served as a volunteer administrator for Action Against Hunger. Author of numerous books on humanitarian issues, he now puts his experience to work for the Nutriset Group, advising on its strategic communications.

Book review: “My Fight Against Malnutrition”

Faced with an alarming situation, “Today, one in four children under the age of five worldwide is malnourished, 165 million suffer from stunted growth, and 50 million are affected by acute malnutrition, which seriously jeopardizes their precarious existence,” Nutriset presents itself as a company specializing in the production of nutritional solutions, with a social mission to combat malnutrition.

Founded in 1986 in Normandy, it has gradually established itself as a key player in this cause on a global scale, combining innovation, scientific expertise, and humanitarian commitment.

A story to understand a struggle: the book My Fight Against Malnutrition

The book My Fight Against Malnutrition, written by Michel Lescanne, founder of Nutriset, and co-authored with journalist Christian Troubé, recounts the development of the company in fifteen chapters, while highlighting the major developments in the fight against malnutrition. This is not simply an entrepreneurial account, but a committed, innovative reflection on experience, providing valuable insight into international humanitarian dynamics. Nutriset’s expertise, as a key player in the sector, makes it a strategic tool for thinking about the challenges of tomorrow.

Raising awareness of malnutrition

It all began in the late 1980s. Michel Lescanne, the son of a dairy farmer in a Normandy cooperative, grew up immersed in the world of nutrition. From an early age, he developed a particular sensitivity to issues of access to food in humanitarian crisis situations.

At that time, child malnutrition was a silent emergency. Famines were addressed through emergency interventions that were often ill-suited to the realities on the ground. The famine in Ethiopia (1984-85), followed by the upheavals of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, highlighted the inadequacy of existing mechanisms. Therapeutic feeding remained underdeveloped, dependent on cumbersome hospital-based solutions that were difficult for the most vulnerable families to access in troubled situations.

It was in this context that, in 1993, Nutriset developed an innovation: F-75 and F-100 therapeutic milks, designed for the effective treatment of severe malnutrition in health centers. These products laid the foundations for Nutriset’s recognition in the humanitarian world.

This discovery presented many challenges for the company. The transition from an individual project in a house in Normandy to the creation of a sustainable structure involved recruiting a team, defining a clear mandate, and seeking funding.

Above all, the latter had to address a structural tension: reconciling economic imperatives with its social mission. How can a corporate status coexist with a non-profit commitment focused on products of public interest? To gain legitimacy, Nutriset must convince, forge alliances, and prove the effectiveness of its solutions. The first NGO partners, by testing the products in the field, such as Action Against Hunger in 1993 in Rwanda, actively participate in their continuous improvement.

Plumpy’Nut: an innovation that is transforming the fight against malnutrition

Since its creation, Nutriset has focused on research and innovation. The company relies on a network of scientists, nutritionists, doctors, NGOs, and laboratories to develop solutions adapted to the constraints of the field. It is within this framework that Plumpy’Nut emerged, a revolutionary Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) developed to address the limitations of therapeutic milks.

Plumpy’Nut is a ready-to-use peanut-based paste rich in calories, protein, and essential micronutrients. Stable and requiring no refrigeration, it can be administered at home without water, allowing families to participate in the healing process. This paradigm shift not only lightens the burden on medical facilities, but above all puts mothers back at the heart of the care process.

This innovation is supported by significant advocacy work with international organizations. Thanks to these efforts, Nutriset has become a partner of major United Nations agencies such as the WFP (World Food Programme) and UNICEF. These partnerships mark the institutionalization of the RUTF approach, which is becoming a global standard in the fight against severe acute malnutrition.

An international company facing contemporary challenges

In 2005, Nutriset initiated a change of scale with the creation of the PlumpyField network, which now has 11 members in several countries in the Global South. This franchise strategy enables decentralized production, closer to local needs, while promoting the autonomy of industrial partners and making a valuable contribution to the food sovereignty of the countries concerned. Today, one-third of Nutriset’s production is carried out by this network.

As part of a global response, Nutriset is also developing targeted product ranges, such as the 1000 Days program, which covers the nutritional needs of pregnant women until their children reach the age of two. These developments reflect an evolution in the socio-cultural approach to nutrition, integrating local dietary practices and family realities.

The company is part of a multi-stakeholder approach, bringing together the public and private sectors, NGOs, researchers, doctors, and nutritionists around a common goal: a coordinated fight against malnutrition, rooted in the dynamics on the ground. This transdisciplinary alliance makes it possible to adapt practices in response to successive crises (Rwanda, Syria, Sahel, etc.) and the latest scientific data.

Challenges for tomorrow: thinking about the future of humanitarian nutrition

Nutriset is part of a broader international movement, notably the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) launched in 2000, which aimed to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, and, since 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Today, with the proliferation of crises and the evolution of humanitarian response, the issues are becoming more complex.

Michel Lescanne identifies several major challenges for the coming years:

  • The proliferation of conflicts, requiring a transition from ad hoc aid to sustainable aid
  • The increase in humanitarian needs, linked to political, economic, and climate crises
  • The need for constant innovation, with products that respect people and the environment and are produced as close as possible to the areas of intervention
  • Further reflection on products that place nutrition at the heart of health issues.

Nutriset intends to respond to these challenges by pursuing its mission: to put science at the service of the most vulnerable and to continue to make nutrition a fundamental right accessible to all.

My fight against malnutrition is not just the story of an entrepreneurial journey, it is a call to action. Through Michel Lescanne’s commitment and Nutriset’s trajectory, this book powerfully reminds us that innovation, combined with determination, can save millions of lives. Faced with a persistent scourge, it charts a demanding but necessary course: making nutrition accessible to all!

Mon combat contre la malnutrition, Michel Lescanne with Christian Troubé, éditions Eyrolles

Esther de Montchalin

Other articles published on this topic in Défis Humanitaires:

When Nutriset engages in dialogue with humanitarian organizations.

Nutrition: interview with Claire Fehrenbach from the Nutriset Group.

Nutriset: one company’s fight against malnutrition.

Syria: humanitarian aid in the face of a bloodless country and an uncertain future

Photo of PUI during a visit to Syria in January 2025

December 2024. The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, after fourteen years of war, marks a major turning point for Syria. Power collapsed in a matter of days under the assault of rebel forces led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Cham (HTC) group, leaving the way open for an uncertain political transition. The establishment of an interim government, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa (Abu Mohammed al-Joulani), and the adoption of a provisional constitution in March 2025 are seen as steps forward, but they are not enough to meet the country’s immediate challenges: political instability, community and sectarian tensions, a lasting humanitarian crisis and large-scale reconstruction.

Syrians celebrated the end of the regime, but woke up a month later to an unchanged reality: a country in ruins, with no resources, and an uncertain future,’ observes Charlotte Baudoin, of the NGO Première Urgence Internationale.

On 30 March, Ahmad al-Sharaa, the interim president, announced a new Syrian transitional government composed mainly of his loyalists but including 4 ministers from minorities, a Christian, a Druze, an Alawite and a Kurd among its 23 members. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (editor’s note: autonomous Syrian Kurdish authority) declared that this government did not reflect the diversity and plurality of the country and that it was therefore not concerned by the government’s decisions! It should also be remembered that Ahmad al-Sharaa has full legislative, executive and judicial powers, and that he chairs the ‘National Security Council’, considered by some to be the country’s real government. The future will tell whether the promise of a representative, unitary government that respects minorities has been kept or not. That is the challenge after 14 years of war.

In this context, humanitarian action is more necessary than ever, but its new framework for intervention is still unclear. Some had hoped that the end of the regime would facilitate access to relief supplies. However, as Thomas Janny of the NGO Solidarités International points out, guaranteed access has not yet been achieved and humanitarian space remains restricted.

To analyse the humanitarian challenges ahead, this article draws on two complementary accounts. Thomas Janny, Regional Director for the Middle East at Solidarités International, and Olivier Routeau, Director of Operations and Charlotte Baudoin, Country Director for Syria at the NGO Première Urgence Internationale (PUI). Before the fall of the regime, Solidarités International was working in rebel-controlled areas (in the north-east and north-west of the country), while Première Urgence Internationale was working in regime-controlled areas, in 10 of the country’s 14 governorates.

Between the reorganisation of the humanitarian sector, reduced funding and strong political and geopolitical tensions, post-Assad Syria raises many questions about the future of aid and the conditions under which it is delivered.

A Blitzkrieg with uncertain consequences

The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime was as sudden as it was unexpected, a veritable Blitzkrieg, as Thomas Janny puts it. In the space of ten days, HTS forces, supported by numerous other militias, took control of the capital, causing the total collapse of a regime that had held out for fourteen years with the support of Iran and Shiite militias, as well as Russia. This rapid changeover left the country without a functional state structure, with an improvised transitional government and an administration in ruins.

Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa is seeking to stabilise the situation, notably by adopting an interim constitution in March 2025. This constitution guarantees certain fundamental freedoms, notably in terms of expression and women’s rights, but it maintains a powerful executive with few checks and balances. Although there have been declarations aimed at establishing a democratic framework, the foundations remain extremely fragile,’ explains Olivier Routeau of Première Urgence Internationale. The absence of solid structures and the lack of resources are complicating the establishment of a stable state, while the population sees few concrete improvements in their daily lives.

Nor has the collapse of the regime put an end to the violence. In the first few weeks, clashes broke out on the Syrian coast, particularly in Tartous and Latakia, historic bastions of the Alawite community. This violence, which caused more than 1,300 deaths (many of them civilians), rekindled the community and religious tensions that had characterised the Syrian conflict. There is a real danger of widespread reprisals against the Alawites, who are seen as Assad’s historical supporters,’ warns Charlotte Baudoin, from PUI. Many are fleeing to Lebanon, while the new authorities are struggling to impose their control over the security forces, who are implicated in these abuses.

At the same time, Syria remains a battleground for geopolitical rivalries. Turkey, sponsor of the new government, is concerned about the maintenance of Kurdish power in the north-east, and has stepped up its air strikes, targeting areas under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (FDS). Israel, for its part, has stepped up its strikes on Syrian military sites. The fall of Assad has not put an end to foreign interests in Syria; on the contrary, it has redistributed the cards,’ analyses Thomas Janny. We might even say that Turkey has replaced Iran in Syria.

In this chaotic context, the reconstruction of the country seems out of reach in the short term. At the Brussels summit on 19 March, international donors pledged $6.5 billion, a limited amount compared with the $400 billion needed for reconstruction. In addition, US sanctions remain in place, hampering the necessary investment and slowing down any attempt at economic recovery. The European Union has lifted some restrictions, notably on the energy sector, but their impact remains limited. Without the lifting of US sanctions, Syrian recovery is impossible’, notes Olivier Routeau.

For the NGOs working on the ground, this transition period represents a major challenge. The end of the regime has turned the organisation of humanitarian aid upside down, raising new questions about access to populations and cooperation with the new authorities. While Syria has immense needs in terms of aid and reconstruction, humanitarian aid workers have to deal with an unstable environment and a future that is still uncertain.

Opening pipes to the water network in a camp in northern Syria © Solidarités International

Minorities in Syria: between fragile integration and persistent tensions

The rapid fall of the Assad regime has reshuffled the cards of power in Syria, but it has not put an end to community divisions. While the transitional government claims to want to build an inclusive nation, religious and ethnic tensions are a reality that the new government must resolve. Minorities, historically caught up in the conflict, now find themselves in an uncertain position, between fears of reprisals and promises of integration.

The Alawites, long seen as the mainstay of the Assad regime, are now the most vulnerable. In Tartous and Latakia, atrocities targeted the community from the very first days of the transition, killing more than 1,300 people. The government has condemned the violence, but probably does not have the means to prosecute these crimes,’ observes Charlotte Baudoin of Première Urgence Internationale. Weakened by years of war and impunity, the Syrian judicial system seems incapable of fulfilling its role for the time being.

The Kurds, for their part, gained political recognition with the agreement of 10 March, which provides for the integration of the FDS into the national army. This agreement, which enshrines the place of the Kurds in the new Syria, is nevertheless fragile. Tensions persist between Kurdish units, former jihadists and pro-Turkish mercenaries. It will be difficult to unify these forces under a single structure,’ stresses Charlotte Baudoin. Moreover, this agreement has not prevented Turkey from continuing its strikes in north-eastern Syria, a sign that Damascus’ recognition of the Kurds does not mean an end to the bombing and fighting, which could resume at any time.

For the Druze, the transition raises as many hopes as concerns. Their religious leader, Hikmat al-Hajri, has publicly criticised the new government’s constitutional declaration as being too centralised and unrepresentative of Syria’s diversity. The question of autonomy, granted to them under Assad as part of the ‘Alliance of Minorities’, remains unresolved. In a country where community balances are still unstable, the challenge will be to guarantee a system where each group finds its place without stirring up resentment.

This situation makes access for humanitarian aid particularly delicate. For Solidarités International, which has been operating in areas that were not held by the Assad regime, since the beginning of its work, the displacement of populations and the new humanitarian needs represent a major challenge. During the HTS offensive towards Damascus, our teams on the ground witnessed massive displacements of Kurdish populations towards the north-east, where they had to put in place an emergency response in just a few days’, explains Thomas Janny. PUI, which was initially present in the government zone, is also emphasising the need for reconstruction to include all minorities in order to avoid further fractures.

United Nations (UN). (2025). Humanitarian Response Priorities: January – March 2025 – Syrian Arab Republic. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) [2]
Uncertain humanitarian access

Humanitarian needs in Syria

  • 16.5 million people require humanitarian aid.
  • 14.56 million people are food insecure, of whom 9.1 million are classified as acutely food insecure (including 1.3 million in a severe situation).
  • 8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) since 2011.
  • 823,302 people newly displaced in 2024, of whom 522,600 returned in December alone.
  • Nearly 6.5 million people have fled Syria since the start of the civil war, including: more than 3 million to Turkey, around 784,000 to Lebanon, more than 705,000 to Germany, and almost 650,000 to Jordan.

Figures from the OCHA 2025 report on humanitarian needs in Syria[1].

Humanitarian aid budget in 2024

  • In 2024, the United Nations has estimated the aid budget required at 4.07 billion dollars.
  • At the end of the year, only 1.46 billion dollars (or 35.9%) had been raised.

Humanitarian Action 2024 figures[2]

The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime has opened up new prospects for humanitarian action in Syria. NGOs have been able to access previously unreachable areas from their respective zones of operation before the overthrow of the regime.

However, this opening has been accompanied by new administrative and logistical constraints. As the legal framework is not yet well defined, the potential implementation of new programmes remains compromised for the time being. According to Thomas Janny, the authorities are still hesitant about the relationship they wish to maintain with international NGOs (INGOs) and the freedom they will be granted. In addition, the security situation remains unstable: bombardments persist in certain regions of the north-east, and further atrocities cannot be ruled out. The humanitarian situation has continued to deteriorate,’ notes Charlotte Baudoin, ’Israeli air strikes have intensified, while ongoing hostilities in the north and south, as well as recent instability and the deteriorating situation in coastal areas, have worsened humanitarian conditions and increased protection concerns.

Another major challenge is the gradual return of refugees, estimated at 125,000 since the fall of the regime. According to the United Nations, nearly 6.5 million people have fled Syria since the start of the civil war, with a further 8 million internally displaced. These returns raise questions about access to basic services for people who return to their villages in ruins after years of exile, and about the capacity of NGOs to respond to new needs. In a context where funding is uncertain and infrastructures are still fragile, humanitarian organisations must find sustainable solutions to support this transition.

The humanitarian sector absolutely must succeed in this first phase of emergency response, to enable Syria to move on to the next stage, that of reconstruction’, explains Olivier Routeau.

Photo of PUI during a visit to Syria in January 2025

International support and financial uncertainties: a delicate balance

The role of the international community is now crucial to Syria’s recovery. Since the fall of the regime, several governments and multilateral organisations have announced plans to support reconstruction, emphasising the need for inclusive development and political stabilisation. The European Union, for example, has reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful and sustainable transition, while institutions such as the World Bank are beginning to consider recovery projects.

This international support is essential to rehabilitate destroyed infrastructure, support basic services and encourage the return of displaced persons and refugees. Olivier Routeau stresses that without a strong commitment from international donors, local capacities will remain too limited to meet the immense humanitarian and reconstruction needs. This support should enable us to move away from an emergency approach and lay the foundations for more sustainable aid.

However, this dynamic has been disrupted by a reorganisation of humanitarian funding. The sudden freezing of American funds, which via the USAID agency amounted to a total annual budget of 42.8 billion dollars (42% of global humanitarian aid), has created major uncertainty for NGOs on the ground. American aid to Syria represented around a quarter of donations to the humanitarian response plan in 2024, i.e. 377.7 million dollars [3]. The suspension of funding has forced many organisations to drastically reduce their operations or even withdraw from certain areas.

Faced with these restrictions, humanitarian actors are having to reassess their funding strategies, and are looking to diversify their sources. However, this decision by the new Trump administration is part of a more general trend of reduced funding for international aid. Cuts in the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budgets of several European countries, including France, are giving rise to great concern and imposing a very short-term approach.

In this uncertain context, coordination between humanitarian and development aid is essential. We must avoid a humanitarian vacuum that would leave millions of Syrians without support at a critical time’, insists Olivier Routeau. Finally, the lifting of the remaining sanctions appears to be a necessary condition to facilitate economic recovery and enable humanitarian actors to work more effectively on the ground.

An unpredictable future, an essential commitment

As Syria enters a new phase in its history, the humanitarian challenges are immense. While the fall of the regime has opened up certain prospects, it has also left a devastated country, where humanitarian emergencies go hand in hand with the need for reconstruction.

International support will be crucial if another disaster is to be avoided. But with funding falling and instability on the ground, NGOs are struggling to adapt. The lifting of the remaining sanctions, better humanitarian coordination and appropriate funding will be essential to support Syria in the long term, if it is to stabilise and not fall back into conflict.

 

[1] Syrian Arab Republic Humanitarian Response Plan 2024 | Financial Tracking Service

[2] United Nations (UN). (2025). Humanitarian Response Priorities: January – March 2025 – Syrian Arab Republic. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

[3] Humanitarian action, Syrian Arab Republic, 2024. Financials | Humanitarian Action

 

India Hauteville

India Hauteville holds a first Masters degree in International Politics from Sciences Po Bordeaux and is currently studying for a Masters degree in Integration and Change in the Mediterranean and Middle East at Sciences Po Grenoble. She is currently assistant to the founder of Solidarités International, Mr. Alain Boinet.

Particularly interested in the Syrian conflict, she is currently writing a thesis on the articulation between humanitarian principles and the realities on the ground in Syria, using the NGO Solidarités International as a case study.

 

 

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