No time to retreat: First annual synthesis report on progress since the World Humanitarian Summit

The World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, set in motion a multi-year agenda to deliver the changes called for by the Agenda for Humanity. In their first self-reports against commitments made at the Summit, 142 stakeholders described the efforts they made from June to December 2016 to realize this ambitious vision. The collective efforts reported by stakeholders show evidence that change is underway. The New Way of Working is being embraced as the vehicle to bring humanitarian and development analysis, planning and financing closer together to work toward shared outcomes of reduced need, risk and vulnerability in protracted crises. Targets have been set by initiatives such as the Grand Bargain and the Charter for Change to better support and fund local and national responders.

Political will and policy attention have sustained momentum and debate on how international actors can best reinforce, not replace, local humanitarian action. Stakeholders’ reports also indicate that Agenda for Humanity complements other global endeavours. The United Nations Secretary-General’s focus on prevention builds on the call from the Summit for a new era in political leadership matched with effective financing to prevent and end crises. The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants reinforces commitments made at the Summit toward new approaches to address the short and long-term needs of refugees and improve support to host communities.