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Tom Fletcher

Tom Fletcher

@tomfletcherun

United Nations Humanitarian Chief. Ex Principal, Hertford College, Oxford; Ambassador, No 10, NYU Prof. Diplomat, writer, educator, humanitarian.

47 videos

Thank you Foreign Minister @jmalbares.bsky.social for Spain’s unequivocal commitment to multilateralism, principled humanitarian aid and International Humanitarian Law. At a time of massive humanitarian needs, millions of people, and those that serve them, depend on it.

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The danger of allowing the world to be run by weak and insecure men.

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What does the vandalism of international solidarity mean for those in greatest need? And how do we fight back? My speech at @ucm.es in Madrid. #moralambition #87MillionLives

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I’m attending the Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy in Madrid because support to women and girls is lifesaving work. #PEFMadrid2026

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In time of huge humanitarian crises and attacks against humanitarian community, this discussion with 50+ Spanish NGOs, civil society and autonomous communities energised me on how we fight back. Thanks AECID for hosting.

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The global outlook, Humanitarian Reset, and vital role of Spanish leadership in principled humanitarian action. Excellent dialogue in Madrid at Las Cortes Generales with full spectrum of political parties of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Committees.

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We do not lack laws to protect civilians in war. We lack the courage from states to enforce them.

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The best test for humanitarian action is that we create conditions for us to leave. The work ahead in Syria remains significant, but the immense progress made alongside the Syrian government in 18 months is cause for optimism. We need to stay the course.

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Briefing to Ambassadors in Geneva on our plan to save 87 million lives this year. We are making progress: 14.4 million people reached with lifesaving aid. The odds are against us. But the humanitarian community will deliver.

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Behind the scenes for the unseen part of most missions. Final day in Somalia – listening hard, meeting UN and NGO partners, ambassadors, and speaking to media. Thank you to our teams for extraordinary work in face of extraordinary challenges.

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Somalia didn’t cause the climate crisis – yet it is among the countries hit hardest by it. Maryama is just one person trying to survive that reality.

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In Baidoa, Somalia, cuts are biting and the Strait of Hormuz closure is driving costs up fast. Partners like MSF are forced to make even harder choices about who to help. We need to get more support to extraordinary humanitarians like Dr. Asma.

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A cruel swipe of a pen in a rich capital stacks the survival odds even further against the displaced Somali women I met today. Cuts mean they have to go much further to get lifesaving food, medicine and water, with no guarantees they’ll find any. #Somalia

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Loads of questions, loads of answers. Check out the latest Ask Me Anything: Istanbul edition on my Instagram. www.instagram.com/stories/tomf...

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Good to do a more positive Security Council briefing than usual. Progress in #Syria – after years of war and neglect. But huge challenges remain. My asks if we are to sustain momentum:

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The world order is under sustained attack. War. Greed. Apathy. Impunity. The growing assumption that rules can be ignored. The UN wasn't built for the easy moments. It was built for moments like this. Thank you @chathamhouse.org for hosting this discussion.

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Calls to the humanitarian frontlines, number 8. Our Humanitarian Coordinator in Colombia, Mireia Villar Forner, on how she works to involve communities in our response, and where she draws strength.👇 @villarmireia.bsky.social

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South Sudan stands at a dangerous crossroads. Conflict up. Hunger up. Displacement up. Attacks on aid workers up. I saw it firsthand and felt the scale of this despair. We need access, funding and respect for international humanitarian law. My remarks: bit.ly/4vHf7BC

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Packed day in Berlin at the Sudan conference. Vital talks. But they only count if the results are felt by the Sudanese people facing atrocities everyday. Sudan needs action, not words.

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Sudan is an atrocities laboratory: sieges, drones, denial of food, weaponized sexual violence, targeting of schools and hospitals. We must make better choices or we’ll be here in a year, giving same statements. My remarks at Sudan Conference in Berlin:

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In 2025, over 326 humanitarians killed. Over 1,010 in three years. My challenge to the Security Council: if we fail to defend humanitarians, the integrity of the Council dies with our colleagues.

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Syria’s future needs to be built on safe ground. Thanks to #MineAction, over a million people have gone back to their homes since Dec 2024. We are determined to continue our vital humanitarian work and help build a Syria free from mines.

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This is UN80 in action. We're delivering life-saving humanitarian support in Syria. We then need to hand over quickly to development actors for long-term recovery. Working side by side, we can help make Syria a success story. With Alexander De Croo, in Damascus.

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With a plan, partnership, and the right support, #Syria can shift from importing instability to exporting solutions.   The world urgently needs a success story – and Syria should give us confidence.   Press briefing from Damascus:

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A positive. And a first: today we launched our Humanitarian Plan in Damascus with Government of Syria. We aim to reach 8.6M people in 2026 with principled, lifesaving help. Please back partnership and ambition, and hold us to account for delivering.

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Back in #Syria – a year after my last visit, when there was a sense of cautious hope. That hope is still here. Fragile, but real. Even amidst new challenges, Syrians are rebuilding – returning home, reopening markets, restoring services. This is a moment we cannot miss.

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At the Lebanon/Syria border. Over 200,000 people have crossed into Syria in a month. Humanitarian teams on the ground are constantly responding, constantly adapting.

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As fighting spreads in Lebanon, Lebanese and Syrian families are fleeing with virtually nothing. They want to go home. They want this war to end. I took their testimonies to the Security Council.

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Spent morning with Red Cross Lebanon. They are showing up – despite strikes on them. Under IHL they and all humanitarians must be protected. Healthcare must not be a target. In awe of this courage from volunteers and communities.

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We said that we cannot let #Lebanon fail. Now is a real test of that promise. My asks of the Security Council, directly from Beirut. 👇

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Calls to the humanitarian frontlines, number 7.   This is Hiba Hanano, who leads our team in Aleppo, Syria. 👇

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Calling humanitarian frontlines, number 6. Mohamed Yahya is UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Pakistan. We discussed preparing for future climate shocks, and what keeps him energized.

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Civilians in #Ukraine face waves of drone and missile strikes that are destroying homes, schools and hospitals. Strikes on energy infrastructure are cutting off basics of survival: electricity and water. My briefing to the Security Council: bit.ly/4bZHLpA

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We are living in time of reckless military adventurism, brutality, impunity and indifference. Critics say that a world like that has no need for UN. But we were made for times like this. My remarks with EU High Representative @kajakallas.bsky.social in Brussels.

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Partnership. Solidarity. Energy. Couple of packed days in Brussels meeting with Belgian Government, EU, media and partners. Excellent progress and backing for our campaign to save #87MillionLives this year.

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Thank you Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot. At a time when humanitarian system and rules-based order is under attack, Belgium is defending multilateralism and backing us to defend, devolve, define and deliver to save #87MillionLives. @belgiummfa.bsky.social

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Excellent packed afternoon with Minister @xavierbettel.bsky.social on the humanitarian state of affairs, the delicate situation in the Middle East and our critical partnership with Luxembourg.

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In a world of growing humanitarian crises, we must act with urgency and solidarity, while protecting humanitarian effort to reach those most in need. Pleasure to spend time talking with Minister @xavierbettel.bsky.social. Luxembourg is a vital partner.

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When world turns away from international law and human solidarity, when splintering of global order is cheered by those who believe rules do not apply to them, when other people fight their wars in #Lebanon, civilians pay the price. Enough. My UN Security Council update👇

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Encouraging backing from governments for our plan to save 87M lives in 2026. In just one month, we’ve reached 7M people with lifesaving help. But much more needed. Now we need a movement. We need you. We can’t end every crisis. But we can end someone’s. #87MillionLives

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Switzerland is a vital partner for principled, life-saving humanitarian action and a strong ally for the Humanitarian Reset.   We need more donors to step up with urgency and solidarity so we can reach more people and save as many lives as possible. @swiss-un.bsky.social

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The conflict across the Middle East is having a devastating impact on civilians, and pushing other crises further from view. My interview with BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on why this is a moment for cooler heads.

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We have mobilised full humanitarian response across region and will meet this moment.

But humanitarians are being asked to do too much with too little, while politicians pour oil on fire and boast of spending billions on war while aid budgets are slashed.

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I saw the impact of aid cuts firsthand. Injured civilians walk for days to reach care – only to find medicines running out. Local health teams work around the clock to save lives. But funding gaps mean even hospital generators may not keep running. We can change this. #SouthSudan

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Local communities are always the first responders, sharing what little they have with those forced to flee. But it is not enough. In Malakal, Akobo and Juba, people told me the same thing: #SouthSudan needs peace — and many need food, shelter and support now.

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People in South Sudan have gone through unimaginable pain and suffering. The fighting must stop. Here's what people told me – my interview with @afp.com

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Kool arrived with gunshot wounds, found beside his mother who was killed. Medics in Akobo are helping him heal. We hope he will walk again. He survived. Many have not. Governments must show solidarity and back responders like @icrc.org #SouthSudan

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