FAO at the 2022 ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment (HAS)

The ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment (ECOSOC HAS) has been an essential platform for discussing the activities and issues related to strengthening the coordination and effectiveness of the humanitarian assistance of the United Nations. It provides an opportunity for Member States, the United Nations system, development actors, the private sector, and other humanitarian partners at large to discuss current and emerging humanitarian challenges and priority themes and share experiences and lessons learned.

The 2022 ECOSOC HAS is scheduled to take place from 21 to 23 June in New York and be chaired by Ambassador Diego Pary Rodríguez, Permanent Representative of Bolivia to the United Nations in New York, in his capacity as the ECOSOC Vice-President for the HAS.

The theme for this year’s HAS is “Strengthening humanitarian assistance: good practices and mobilizing action in the application of international humanitarian law, the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and in response to the climate crisis”. The ECOSOC HAS will also include the adoption of the annual ECOSOC humanitarian resolution.

In addition to a series of side events, three high-level panel discussions will be held during the HAS:

• Humanitarian assistance and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic: working together to ensure that children and women are not left behind

• Reaching people in need, supporting humanitarian assistance for all in times of conflict and promoting good practices in the application of international humanitarian law

• Humanitarian impacts of the climate crisis: escalating risks, challenges and actions

Of particular importance this year, the ECOSOC meeting on the transition from relief to development will be held immediately preceding the HAS on 20 June, under the theme “Recurrent crises and sustainable solutions: building resilience and addressing rising food insecurity and displacement”.

Against this backdrop, last month, FAO, WFP and 15 other partners issued the annual Global Report on Food Crises, which registered a new record acute food insecurity in 2021, with 193 million people in crisis or worse, on top of already-record levels in 2020. What's more, the latest edition of the Joint FAO-WFP Hunger Hotspots Report highlights serious concerns for the situation in Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan and Somalia.

These countries all have parts of populations identified or projected to experience starvation or death (Catastrophe, IPC Phase 5) or at risk of deterioration towards catastrophic conditions, and require the most urgent attention. FAO estimates that if just USD 1.5 billion of the USD 46 billion requested under the Global Humanitarian appeals is directed to emergency agricultural aid, 50 million people will be able to feed themselves today and in the coming weeks and months. With this guiding theme in mind, FAO has ensured a proactive participation at this year's ECOSOC HAS.

Visit the dedicated ECOSOC HAS 2022 website and follow the latest updates and takeaways from FAO at the ECOSOC HAS.

FAO participation at 2022 ECOSOC HAS

All event times below are reflected in New York time

ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development

Monday, 20 June | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
'Roundtable Session 1 – Recurrent crises and sustainable solutions: Building resilience and addressing rising food insecurity'

FAO Chief Economist, Máximo Torero, will participate

Venue: ECOSOC Chamber

Visit the dedicated 2022 ECOSOC HAS website | Background note | Watch recording | Chief Economist presentation | Read the related web story

Monday, 20 June | 3:00 – 6:00 PM
'Roundtable Session 2 – 'Recurrent crises and sustainable solutions: Building resilience and addressing rising displacement' 

Venue: ECOSOC Chamber

Visit the dedicated 2022 ECOSOC HAS website | Background note | Watch recording | Written statement submitted by FAO

High-level events

Tuesday, 21 June | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
'ECOSOC HAS Opening Session'

Location: ECOSOC Chamber

Visit the dedicated 2022 ECOSOC HAS website | Watch recording

Tuesday, 21 June | 3:00 – 5:30 PM
'High-level Panel 1 – Humanitarian assistance and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic: Working together to ensure that children and women are not left behind'

Humanitarian and Resilience Programme Officer at the FAO Liaison Office with the UN in New York, Conor Elliott, will deliver a statement from the floor

Venue: ECOSOC Chamber

Visit the dedicated 2022 ECOSOC HAS website | Watch recording | Full statement delivered by FAO

Wednesday, 22 June | 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
'High-level Panel 2 – Reaching people in need, supporting humanitarian assistance for all in times of conflict, and promoting good practices in the application of international humanitarian law'

Humanitarian and Resilience Programme Officer at the FAO Liaison Office with the UN in New York, Conor Elliott, will deliver a statement from the floor

Venue: ECOSOC Chamber

Visit the dedicated 2022 ECOSOC HAS website | Watch recording | Full statement delivered by FAO

Thursday, 23 June | 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
High-level Panel 3 – Humanitarian impacts of the climate crisis: escalating risks, challenges and actions'

Humanitarian and Resilience Programme Officer at the FAO Liaison Office with the UN in New York, Conor Elliott, will deliver a statement from the floor

Venue: ECOSOC Chamber

Visit the dedicated 2022 ECOSOC HAS website | Watch recording | Full statement delivered by FAO 

Thursday, 23 June | 3:00 – 6:00 PM
'ECOSOC HAS Closing Session'

Humanitarian and Resilience Programme Officer at the FAO Liaison Office with the UN in New York, Conor Elliott, will deliver a statement from the floor

Venue: ECOSOC Chamber

Visit the dedicated 2022 ECOSOC HAS website | Watch recording | Full statement delivered by FAO

Side events co-organized by FAO

Tuesday, 21 June | 1:15 – 2:45 PM
'Scaling up and mainstreaming anticipatory approaches through empowered locally-led action'

Co-organized by: FAO, IFRC, OCHA, WFP, Start Network and UNFPA

Director of the FAO Emergencies and Resilience Division, Rein Paulsen, will participate

Visit the dedicated 2022 ECOSOC HAS website | Concept note | Follow live

Wednesday, 22 June | 8:30 – 10:00 AM
'Fighting food insecurity and famine: A call for coordinated action and multi-sectoral solutions against global hunger'

Co-organized by: FAO, WFP, World Vision International, Concern Worldwide, Action against Hunger, IFRC and OCHA

Director of the FAO Emergencies and Resilience Division, Rein Paulsen, will participate

Visit the dedicated 2022 ECOSOC HAS website | Concept note | Register here | Watch recording

Other side events

Monday, 20 June | 8:30 – 10:00 AM
'Displacement and the climate crisis: The imperative of localized, inclusive, and gender-responsive climate action'

FAO Information and Knowledge Management on Sustainable Development Expert, Katherine Clyne, will participate

Visit the dedicated 2022 ECOSOC HAS website | Register here | Full statement delivered by FAO

Thursday, 23 June | 1:15 – 2:45 PM
'Addressing gender-based violence impacts of food insecurity for women and girls in the Sahel and Horn of Africa'

Humanitarian and Resilience Programme Officer at the FAO Liaison Office with the UN in New York, Conor Elliott, will deliver a statement from the floor

Visit the dedicated 2022 ECOSOC HAS website | Register here | Full statement delivered by FAO