Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Ulrika Richardson, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti. They discuss the complex and difficult situation in the country. The United Nations has reported an increase in violence, with more than 600 people killed in and around the capital, Port-Au-Prince, in April. Ulrika explains what’s prompting the violence and the discussions happening to try and bring stability to the nation. She also talks with Jamie about the challenges in getting resources to people. Gangs have blocked off access to various areas, and it’s forced aid workers to use airdrops and barges to get basic necessities to those who need it. Jamie asks Ulrika about fundraising for the expensive aid response, and she lays out a framework for improving the situation going forward.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with journalist and policy analyst David Rieff, author of the seminal 2003 book A Bed For The Night. That book, and those that followed, prompted the humanitarian sector to reflect on their work and how it could be improved. Jamie speaks with David about his analysis of the humanitarian space and how it has evolved. They also discuss the United Nations, its strengths and its shortcomings. David is currently writing a book about the role of memory in the Russo-Ukrainian War, a continuation from his book In Praise of Forgetting: Historical Memory and its Ironies. He tells Jamie about that work and gives his thoughts on Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Somalia. Adam gives an overview of the crisis in the country, with climate shocks and conflict creating a difficult environment. There are millions of people, including children, who are in desperate need of life saving assistance. After several years of poor rainy seasons, food insecurity is high. Famine is a very real risk. Adam speaks about trying to get support from donors with other crises taking attention away from Somalia. He also discusses working with officials at the national and local levels to provide aid.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Jeremy Konyndyk, President of Refugees International. They go over a variety of issues in the humanitarian space. Jeremy discusses major changes he would like to see in the system, arguing local groups need a bigger seat at the table with how donor dollars are used. Jamie and Jeremy talk about current crises, including Ukraine and Yemen, and how crises today are lasting longer than crises several decades ago. Jeremy explains why humanitarians have to navigate politics, saying aid workers receive blame for political mistakes made by states. Also, Jeremy lays out his goals for Refugees International which include giving a voice to those who are being neglected.

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Suzanna Tkalec, Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the Democratic Republic of the Congo since July 2021. She discusses the current crisis in the eastern provinces and the challenges humanitarians face in the region. Suzanna gives an overview of the different armed groups battling in the area, including M23, and efforts to bring much needed security and stability. Jamie asks her about the difficulty in getting financial support from donors with crises in the other parts of the world competing for donor dollars. Suzanna explains that aid workers are trying to assist people displaced from the violence and struggling with extreme poverty. It’s an honest conversation about a grueling, long running crisis.