18 March 2026
Bilbao
On 11 March, the Institute hosted a conference on humanitarian action and the role of international organisations in crisis contexts.
Jean-Raphaël Poitou, Head of Institutional Relations for the Middle East at Action Against Hunger-Spain (ACH-Spain), addressed the challenges posed by legal, security and financial restrictions on the delivery of aid in Gaza and other contexts. Action Against Hunger is a humanitarian organisation present in more than 50 countries and currently assisting more than 21 million people worldwide.
At the beginning of 2026, more than 239 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. In a context of severe funding cuts, humanitarian actors must operate in an increasingly complex environment to ensure access for those most in need.
During the session, the organisation’s work was presented in areas such as nutrition, access to water and sanitation, food security, mental health, and advocacy. Jean-Raphaël Poitou highlighted how these areas of intervention aim to ensure access to food, water and healthcare for populations affected by conflict, natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
One of the central themes of the presentation was the explanation of the fundamental humanitarian principles that guide NGO action: humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. These principles ensure that aid is delivered solely on the basis of need, without discrimination or political or military interference.
The legal framework governing humanitarian action was also addressed, in particular International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and various United Nations Security Council resolutions relating to the protection of civilians, humanitarian and healthcare personnel, as well as efforts to combat the use of hunger as a weapon of war.
The conference also presented examples of Action Against Hunger’s interventions in different international contexts—from Gaza, Ukraine and Afghanistan to Latin America and Europe—and analysed the main challenges facing humanitarian action, such as access restrictions, the militarisation of aid, the destruction of infrastructure, and disinformation.
