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European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Speech by Commissioner Lahbib at the International Conference on the Protection of Aid Workers Brussels, 15 October 2026 I have spent much of my life travelling from one crisis to the next, first as a journalist, later as Foreign Minister, and now as Commissioner for humanitarian aid. Everywhere I went, someone from the community showed us the way. I saw aid worke...
European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Speech by Commissioner Lahbib at the International Conference on the Protection of Aid Workers Brussels, 15 October 2026 I have spent much of my life travelling from one crisis to the next, first as a journalist, later as Foreign Minister, and now as Commissioner for humanitarian aid. Everywhere I went, someone from the community showed us the way. I saw aid workers saving lives. They got us through the checkpoints. They knew every road and every risk. One thing has always stayed with me: we could leave. But they stayed behind, to keep helping. There is no humanitarian aid without the people who deliver it. It is as simple as that. Nine in ten of the aid workers attacked are local or national staff and volunteers. They stay when the cameras leave. I know, because I was one of those cameras. The places we call crisis zones are the places they call home. On 3 October, in South Kordofan, Sudan, an airstrike hit two clearly marked World Food Programme trucks. One driver was killed. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ismael Mulindwa, an ambulance driver with the Uganda Red Cross, was responding to the Ebola outbreak. He was injured and died on 1 October. In Gaza, on 8 July, a driver working for a partner of World Central Kitchen was shot dead. This happened during a ceasefire. Each of them woke up in the morning and set out to bring help. None of them came home to their families. Last year, there were 350, almost one aid worker killed every single day. Some of you in this room have lived this danger. Justine Masika Bihamba leads a women's organisation in the DRC that supports survivors of sexual violence. When Goma fell, she had to flee and thousands of women who depended on her were suddenly left alone. Oleh Dehusarov has evacuated civilians in Ukraine since 2022. A drone struck his car. Justine, Oleh, thank you for your dedication. You inspire all of us. Helping others should never put you in danger. Today, even the skies have become a threat. Drones hunt the very people delivering bread and vaccines. The red cross, the blue helmet, the white flag. These symbols used to mean: do not shoot. Today, for some, they are a bullseye. Disinformation turns aid workers into targets. In this polarized world, helping people is sometimes considered as a crime. One of consequences of shrinking budgets, is humanitarian workers are taking more risks to save lives. We condemn this. But condemnation does not stop a drone or ensure accountability. Those who attack aid workers must face justice. That is what international humanitarian law is for. The European Union is expanding our Protect Aid Workers programme worldwide. Protecting aid workers is the first pillar of our EU Humanitarian Communication. We are asking every state to turn the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel and UN Security Council Resolution 2730 into action. These promises must become protection. The International Committee of the Red Cross is also doing great work, launching the Global Initiative to Galvanise Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law. The EU is proud to play an active part, including in the High-Level Conference on Humanity in War in Jordan. I also want to thank the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. You are often the first to arrive when disaster strikes, but too often, you are also the first to pay the price. We are here to listen to you, to know what you need to do your job safely. I don't expect another declaration from this conference. We want to leave Brussels with concrete action. Now I have the pleasure of handing over to Irish Minister Neale Richmond. You and the Irish Presidency have been strong partners in making this conference happen. You and I were also side by side in New York at the UN General Assembly fighting for the protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law. Last week, in Ireland, we also pushed for a strong EU humanitarian budget. Thank you for your strong commitment to our European values. SPEECH/26/2171 <@rel_link@>
Speech Brief