UN, DHL showcase how public-private partnerships make difference in humanitarian action

The publication, which was launched during the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul on May 23, illustrates a variety of innovative case studies, noting that public-private partnerships are essential for addressing humanitarian needs in today’s world. 

“As the number and impact of disasters and complex emergency situations continue to grow, humanitarian organizations cannot go it alone – a concerted international response is needed,” said Kang Kyung-wha, U.N. assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and deputy emergency relief coordinator. 

“Working with partners such as Deutsche Post DHL Group improves the speed, quality and effectiveness of our response to people in need. Together, we can build local, national and regional capacity to prepare for disasters and to mitigate risks,” Kang said.

Global players such as Ericsson and MasterCard and “local heroes” such as Madagascar’s Telma Foundation, which contributed to the publication, share their stories and provide insight into how such partnerships work in practice in the report. 

“The World Humanitarian Summit is taking place at a time when the world is facing a number of critical challenges. Public-private partnerships represent an effective, forward-looking model to sustainably solve them. Our publication offers practical guidance for organizations looking to leverage their services and resources through collaboration that delivers social value,” said Christof Ehrhart, corporate communications and responsibility director of the Deutsche Post DHL Group.

The two decades from 1995 to 2015 saw over 7,000 natural disasters, including 3,131 floods, 571 earthquakes, 259 wildfires and 112 volcanic events, according to data from the report. On average, economic losses from disasters are estimated at between $250 billion and $300 billion per year in addition to their devastating humanitarian losses. 

Success factors for partnerships include agreement on common guiding principles, the leveraging of core competencies, building local capacity, establishing a clear separation between humanitarian and commercial activities and developing predictable, long-term partnerships, all geared to meet identified needs, according to the report.