The end of humanitarian aid (as we know it)?

In a world increasingly dominated by the erosion of international law, geopolitical interests, and the resurgence of wars, the space for effective multilateral action seems to be shrinking. This evolving geopolitical landscape is placing unprecedented pressure on international organisations and non-governmental actors, particularly those delivering humanitarian aid. This evolving geopolitical landscape is increasing humanitarian needs, now affecting over 300 million people globally, and is also transforming the way humanitarian aid is delivered, funded, and governed.

Humanitarian action is facing a structural shift. Longstanding challenges such as funding gaps, coordination failures, and questions of legitimacy are becoming more acute, while the growing and more explicit politicisation of aid is reshaping priorities and operational space. Recent developments illustrate this trend. After the USAID withdrawal, the United States pledged USD 2 billion in humanitarian aid in December 2025, attaching conditions on where UN agencies could allocate these funds, excluding specific countries (e.g., Afghanistan and Sudan) and

programmes that did not align with US national interests. Thus, major donors are increasingly attaching political and strategic conditions to funding, influencing where and how aid is delivered.

Additionally, the humanitarian system is undergoing a gradual but significant diversification of actors. Alongside states and international organisations, private-sector actors are playing an increasingly prominent role, not only as donors, but also as providers of logistics, finance, and technological solutions. While this shift may bring new opportunities, it also raises critical questions about accountability, neutrality, and the future governance of humanitarian action.

The roundtable, bringing together policymakers and academics, aims to explore whether humanitarian aid is entering a new phase.

· How is the increasing politicisation of aid reshaping humanitarian principles and operations?

· What role should private actors play, and under what frameworks of accountability?

· Will technology in humanitarian action exacerbate divisions or enable more effective and accountable responses?

· To what extent is the growing integration of humanitarian and development aid driven by political and strategic interests rather than needs?

· And ultimately, what are the implications for the effectiveness and legitimacy of humanitarian action in a rapidly changing global order?

More information about the event

This event is convened and hosted by LSE IDEAS.

LSE IDEAS (@lseideas) is LSE's foreign policy think tank. Through sustained engagement with policymakers and opinion-formers, IDEAS provides a forum that informs policy debate and connects academic research with the practice of diplomacy and strategy.

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LSE holds a wide range of events, covering many of the most controversial issues of the day, and speakers at our events may express views that cause offence. The views expressed by speakers at LSE events do not reflect the position or views of the London School of Economics and Political Science.