Strengthening private sector engagement in humanitarian emergencies: Insights from the UN PSE Network
On 11 March 2026, FAO convened the first meeting of the year of the United Nations Private Sector Engagement (UN PSE) Network under its chairmanship. The meeting coincided with the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW) in Geneva, and brought together UN entities, private sector representatives and partners to exchange experiences and identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration in humanitarian contexts.
Advancing system-wide collaboration
Lauren Phillips, Director of the FAO Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division (PSU), emphasized the growing importance of private sector engagement in the context of increasing global crises and funding constraints, referencing the FAO Strategy for Private Sector Engagement 2026–2030. Carlos Watson, Chief of FAO’s Private Sector Unit, underscored the value of risk-informed and principled approaches to engagement, positioning the Network as a platform for peer learning and system-wide coherence.
Moderating the discussion, Annamaria Pastore, Strategic Team Coordinator (FAO) highlighted FAO’s role in fostering coordination across the UN system.
From coordination to action
Kareem Elbayar of the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) outlined key priorities under OCHA’s forthcoming Private Sector Strategy, including strengthening coordination between humanitarian actors and businesses, leveraging private sector technologies, and increasing the visibility of private sector contributions. Elbayar also highlighted the Connecting Business Initiative (CBI), which supports local private sector networks in over 65 countries.
The discussion emphasized the critical role of local private sector actors as first responders and drivers of resilience. Examples from the Philippines and Chile illustrated how business-led platforms can support preparedness, response and recovery, while the vulnerability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) highlighted the need for targeted support and innovative financing.
Participants also underscored the importance of bridging humanitarian response, recovery and development, ensuring that private sector engagement contributes to longer-term resilience and investment.
Leveraging innovation and addressing challenges
During brainstorming, participants identified opportunities to leverage private sector technology, including AI, data analytics and digital platforms, to improve efficiency and scale impact. Operational partnerships, supported by long-term agreements, were identified as key enablers of timely and effective response.
At the same time, persistent challenges were noted, including fragmentation across UN entities, differing due diligence frameworks and limited interoperability of systems, which can lead to duplication and reduced effectiveness.
Towards more effective engagement
Participants called for stronger coordination, streamlined processes, and improved tracking of private sector contributions. Priorities include enhancing country-level coordination, better segmenting private sector actors based on their comparative advantage and investing in dedicated coordination capacity in emergencies.
Looking ahead
FAO will continue to Chair the UN PSE Network as a platform for collaboration and exchange in 2026, with the next meeting planned for mid-2026 and an in-person session in Rome later in the year. Building on this momentum, the UN PSE will play a key role in advancing more coordinated, impactful and scalable private sector engagement to support resilience worldwide.
