Multilateralism in a New Era: International Aid Under Strain.

High intensity conflicts and changing forms of violence, international norms erosion, intensification of disasters due to climate change, societal trends such as polarization, disinformation, and decreasing levels of trust and solidarity, make the humanitarian principles more relevant than ever to protect and to provide assistance . But the humanitarian aid sector has been facing numerous difficulties since its golden age twenty years ago: criticism of its effectiveness and relevance, of its inability to transfer capacities and power to local actors, and of misconduct and racism.

At the same time, structural shifts are modifying key elements of the humanitarian architecture in a record time, changing the humanitarian paradigm by reconfiguring the international aid ecosystem. Weakened by the contraction of funding observed since 2024 and redefinition of the orientations of major donors, particularly Europeans under the impact of the war between Russia and Ukraine, the solidarity sector, ranging from official development assistance to humanitarian aid, has been hit hard by the new US approach to aid, starting with a drastic cut in funding in 2025 via the suspension of USAID. Those decisions have already caused thousands of lay-offs and program terminations, posing existential risks to people and organizations.

Moreover, the rising influence of private for-profit actors and organizations driven by state interests, the threats to UN agencies, and the abandonment of local NGOs create chaos, spread confusion, and impose unprecedented uncertainty on the life-saving response to emergencies and to longer-term vulnerabilities, already resulting in immediate deaths and harmful effects on millions of people.

At a time when inter-governmental and non-governmental multilateralism is entering forced reforms and losing international support, this seminar session, jointly organized for the first time by the Research Group for Multilateral Action (CERI Sciences Po/CNRS) and the Saltzman Institute for War and Peace Studies (SIPA / Columbia University) on October 23, 2025, will focus on the major challenges that put international aid under strain. The seminar will bring together academic specialists and high-level practitioners from both governmental and non-governmental institutions to offer a comparative perspective on the situation from the United States and France.

What are the immediate impacts on people and organizations? How can we maintain vital actions in the short term? How can we rethink funding arrangements? What role do “Global South” actors play in this forced restructuring affecting all actors? How to protect or to improve norms, values, and institutions created after WWII to encourage solidarity, peace, cooperation, and mutual understanding? How will it impact associated education and research programs?

Chairs:
• Elizabeth Saunders, Professor and Director of the Saltzman Institute at Columbia University
• Frédéric Ramel, Professor at Sciences Po and Coordinator of the Research Group on Multilateral Action (GRAM)

Moderators:
• Virginie Troit, Associate researcher at Sciences Po
• Jack Snyder, Professor at Columbia University

Panelists:

• Michael Barnett, Professor at George Washington University
• Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, Founder and Director of the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP) at Columbia University
• Christophe Martin, Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Regional Delegation in Paris
• Jérémie Daussin Charpentier, Senior Expert on Development Finance and Foresight, French Development Agency.