Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW) is one of the largest gatherings for Member States, UN agencies, NGOs, the private sector, academia, and others to share expertise, hold consultations and collaborate on challenges - spanning both humanitarian action and development solutions in crisis contexts. 

The 2026 HNPW will take place online from 2–6 March 2026, followed by a hybrid segment from 10-12 March 2026. 

Wednesday 11 March focused on the "humanitarian reset"—a proposed overhaul of the humanitarian aid system aimed at improving efficiency and effectiveness. The day will feature in-person and hybrid sessions, including collaborative events coordinated or co-organized by UNDP. 

UNDP is supporting seven sessions throughout HNPW 2026.  

To attend UNDP sessions:  

1) Register for HNPW through the official registration page  (a confirmation email will be sent upon registration), 

2) Search for the specific session titles listed below and register individually. A confirmation email will be sent for each registered session. 

  Wednesday, 11 March Sessions 

(All sessions held at the International Conference Center Geneva (CICG), 17 rue de Varembé, and online via Zoom) 

11:00–12:30 (CET) | Humanitarian Transitions in Practice: From Emergency Response to Nationally Led Systems 

This high-level policy advocacy panel repositions humanitarian transitions as a core political and policy concern, focusing on political ownership, institutional coherence, and financing alignment. 

• Moderator: Ms. Agi Veres, Director, UNDP Geneva  

• Panelists: 

• Ms. Shoko Noda, ASG and Crisis Bureau Director, UNDP  

• Mr. Dominique Burgeon, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva, FAO  

• Ms. Reshma Adatia, Director of Engagement, ICVA  

• Ms. Nathalie Fustier, Resident Coordinator a.i. and Humanitarian Coordinator, RCO (TBC)  

• Syrian NGO and/or Government Representatives (TBC)  

14:00–15:30 (CET) | Resilient Gateways in Times of Crisis: Partnerships for Enhanced Airport and Seaport Preparedness 

This session explores how strategic public-private partnerships can reshape preparedness at critical points of entry—such as airports and seaports—to reinforce national disaster management systems. 

• Opening Remarks: Ms. Agi Veres, Director, UNDP Geneva  

• Moderator: Ms. Ioana Creitaru, Early Warning and Preparedness Specialist, UNDP Geneva  

• Panelists: 

• Ms. Mayyada Ansari, Global Head of GoHelp, DHL Group  

• Major Hamad Swar, Director for Crisis and Disaster Management, Ministry of Interior, Kingdom of Bahrain  

• Mr. Mustafa Saadi, Head of the Arab Coordination Mechanism for Disaster Risk Reduction, League of Arab States Secretariat  

• Mr. Valentin Forand, Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Management Expert, Union for the Mediterranean  

• Mr. Nico Vertongen, Technical Director, SCOPE Africa, European Union/INTPA  

• Ms. Marzia Santini, Team Leader, European Crisis Management Laboratory, Joint Research Center, European Commission  

• Mr. Giuseppe Linardi, Head of Emergency Preparedness, Global Logistics Cluster  

• Mr. Nicolas Ziv, Lead Specialist - Transport Sector, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)  

• Mr. Kareem Elbayar, Programme Coordinator, OCHA-UNDP Connecting Business Initiative  

14:00–15:30 (CET) | From Stewardship to Sustainability: Enabling a Credible Transfer of Power to Governments 

This technical-level discussion examines the transfer of power and responsibility to national and local actors, specifically looking at the institutionalization of anticipatory action. 

• Facilitator: Nikolas Scherer, Anticipation Hub 

• Panelists: 

• Mr. Jurg Wilbrink, Global Coordinator Early Warning Early Action, IFRC  

• Dr. Khadar Sheikh Mohamed, Director of the Disaster Risk Management Department, SoDMA Somalia  

• Ms. Catherine Osborn, Senior Global Adviser and Team Leader – Forced Displacement, UNDP Crisis Bureau  

• Dr. Haggai Maunze, Deputy Chairman, Agency for Development of Northern Mozambique (ADIN)  

• Mr. Abdihakim Ainte, Director of Climate and Food Security, Office of the Prime Minister, Federal Government of Somalia (TBC)  

14:00–15:30 (CET) | Financing and Scaling Long-Term Resilience at Community Level: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What’s Missing 

This panel showcases innovative financing models that reach the local level, focusing on sustainability and community ownership in fragile contexts. 

• Introductory Remarks: Sophie Baranes, UNDP 

• Moderator: Nishanie Jayamaha, Charter Secretariat 

• Panelists: 

• Mr. Vishal Pathak, Senior Coordinator, All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) 

• Ms. Anna Renfrew, Policy and Advocacy Advisor – Climate and Conflict, Mercy Corps 

• Mr. Sacha Gayama, Senior Advisor / Global Lead for Innovative Financing, Danish Refugee Council 

• Mr. James Carey, Policy Officer: Innovation, Private Sector Engagement, DG ECHO 

• Ms. Karin Weid Thomsen, Dan Church Aid (TBC) 

• Natasha Westheimer, Charter Secretariat 

Looking forward to your participation in these important discussions!