BRUSSELS — The European Union is set to open the fourth edition of its European Humanitarian Forum on Monday, convening policymakers, humanitarian organizations, and international experts to address escalating global needs — with Afghanistan high on the agenda.
The two-day forum, co-hosted by the European Commission and the government of Poland, which holds the EU Council’s rotating presidency, comes amid a historic surge in humanitarian demand. More than 305 million people worldwide require urgent assistance due to conflict, climate disasters, economic instability and rising food insecurity.
Among the regions in focus, Afghanistan remains one of the most pressing humanitarian emergencies. A statement from the EU’s office in Kabul said the forum would “address the root causes of the Afghanistan crisis and boost regional cooperation for innovative and sustainable solutions.”
Veronika Boskovic Pohar, the EU’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul, is expected to speak on efforts to identify both national and regional responses to the ongoing humanitarian situation. “I will be discussing the root causes of the humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and exploring both national and regional solutions,” she said ahead of the event.
The forum, held in Brussels from May 19–20, is being livestreamed and is open to the public without registration. The program includes panel discussions, thematic workshops and “Humanitarian Talks,” covering topics from conflict zones to climate-driven disasters.
Organizers say the forum seeks to reaffirm the EU’s role as a “leading principled humanitarian donor, actor and policymaker,” while also promoting an integrated approach to fragility. That includes efforts to bridge immediate relief with longer-term solutions by strengthening cooperation between humanitarian, development, and peace actors.
The event also emphasizes humanitarian diplomacy — a growing priority for the EU — to safeguard aid access, ensure the protection of humanitarian workers, and uphold international humanitarian law in increasingly volatile environments.
In Afghanistan, where the Taliban’s restrictions on female aid workers and tightening control over civil society have complicated aid delivery, international agencies have struggled to maintain operations. Earlier this month, the United Nations World Food Program warned that 3 million people in the country would require emergency food assistance this summer, but current funding allows aid to reach just one-third of them.
Tom Fletcher, the U.N.’s deputy secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, visited Afghanistan earlier this year and warned that continued cuts to international assistance would “place thousands of lives at risk.”
The European Humanitarian Forum aims to foster coordinated and sustainable responses to such crises. By offering a platform for dialogue among humanitarian actors, donors, and local partners, EU officials say the event is designed to help generate shared solutions to the world’s most urgent and complex emergencies.
