Launched under the guidance of the DAC-UN Dialogue, and powered by UNDP Crisis Academy, the Nexus Academy, in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), successfully delivered a four-day Humanitarian, Development, and Peace (HDP) Nexus programme in Seoul from 27–30 January 2026, bringing together KOICA staff, civil society partners, and UN agencies for in-depth learning and strategic dialogue on integrated crisis response.

The first three days focused on practical training on the HDP Nexus, combining global trends, real-world case studies, and hands-on group exercises on project design, coordination, and financing in crisis and fragile contexts. Participants examined how humanitarian, development, and peace interventions can work together to reduce fragmentation and achieve sustainable outcomes, with country examples including Myanmar, Ukraine, Papua New Guinea, Syria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The fourth day was dedicated to an internal strategic workshop exploring how the Nexus approach can be further embedded into how KOICA can support the Republic of Korea’s upcoming 2026-30 Mid-term Strategy for International Development Cooperation. Discussions centered on identifying enablers and barriers to Nexus implementation and developing concrete actions to strengthen coordination, partnerships, and operational impact across KOICA’s priority countries.

At the closing session, Corli Pretorius, Head of Research, Analytics, Learning and Innovation in UNDP’s Crisis Bureau, highlighted the importance of face-to-face engagement and collaboration across institutions:

“This workshop shows how the Nexus is not only a policy concept, but a practical way of working together. KOICA’s new strategy presents a major opportunity to accelerate integrated approaches in crisis settings, and UNDP stands ready to support KOICA in translating this ambition into action.”

The workshop also underscored KOICA’s growing role as a key supporter of multilateral and locally grounded aid efforts. UNDP emphasized its role as a connector – linking KOICA with UN agencies, NGOs, and country-level partners to help operationalize the Nexus in crisis-affected contexts.

Looking ahead, the Nexus Academy provides opportunities to support KOICA through a range of tailored support, including:

• Sharing training materials and tools developed through the Nexus Academy,
• Providing deeper technical support on key areas such as Nexus markers and performance frameworks,
• Offering access to the Crisis Academy’s broader learning offer across Prevention, Recovery, and Crisis Financing, and
• Connecting KOICA staff and partners to the Nexus Academy alumni network and Open House learning events.

This engagement marks an important step in strengthening Korea’s leadership in advancing integrated approaches to crisis response and reinforces UNDP’s commitment to supporting partners in building more coherent, effective, and sustainable development cooperation.