Today's Edition
Batool Ghaith (Abu Dhabi)
The UAE's humanitarian model, defined by speed and flexibility, has positioned the country as a distinctive global actor at a time of escalating crises, a UN official said.
Speaking to Aletihad on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit 2026, Bérangère Boëll, the UN Resident Coordinator for the UAE, said the country's approach reflects a clear national vision and leadership that places solidarity, readiness, and responsibility at its core.
"Through sustained investment in world-class infrastructure for rapid response, the UAE has strengthened the international community's ability to deliver assistance quickly," Boëll said, noting that this capacity is increasingly embedded within multilateral frameworks.
The UAE's significant $550 million pledge to the 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview further illustrated the country's commitment to reinforcing its role as a reliable global partner in life-saving action, Boëll said.
She noted that the country has demonstrated a strong culture of foresight beyond immediate response. "The XDGs 2045 roadmap reflects a long-term orientation that looks beyond 2030, with a focus on intergenerational equity, resilience, and global cooperation."
"From the perspective of the UN, our role is to help ensure coherence across these dimensions: linking emergency response with recovery, aligning national leadership with international norms, and supporting the translation of innovation and foresight into shared global learning," Boëll added.
Effective partnership today is increasingly defined by continuity, the ability to connect immediate response with longer-term recovery, resilience, and sustainable development, she said.
She emphasised that the UAE brings agility, innovation, and significant economic reach, while the UN contributes global coordination, principled frameworks, and accountability to its member states.
"When these strengths are aligned, humanitarian and development action can achieve both scale and durability. Beyond emergency response, an important dimension of this partnership lies in the UAE's role as a connector, linking global investment flows with development priorities, particularly across the Global South."
Boëll pointed out that global forums like the WGS play a vital role in shaping ideas and building consensus. “Their lasting value, however, depends on their ability to translate dialogue into sustained action.”
“The World Government Summit illustrates this potential by bringing together political leadership, innovators, and multilateral institutions in a single space. What matters most is how discussions at the summit are connected to broader processes, institutions, and follow-up mechanisms,” she added.
UN’s Appeal and the UAE’s Response
Boëll stressed that the UN is currently operating at a moment of extreme paradox. On one hand, humanitarian needs are staggering: in 2026, $33 billion is required to assist 135 million people. On the other hand, the very machinery of the UN is under threat. As the Secretary-General warned in his January 2026 letter to member states, the UN is facing a "race to bankruptcy" due to a structural liquidity crisis.
In this context, Boëll said the principled support of the UAE leadership is of historic importance. The nation's commitment, demonstrated by its unearmarked $550 million contribution to the Global Humanitarian Overview, is a rare example of reliable, flexible support.
"While some others are forced into a retreat from multilateralism, the UAE remains a steady partner," she said.
Ultimately, she stressed that the international community must move beyond selective aid to a system where every member state honours its obligations.
