How to save millions of lives, according to the UN humanitarian chief

From Gaza to Sudan, humanitarian workers are underfunded and overstretched. But with only 1% of what the world spends on defence, we could save millions of lives, says Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at UN OCHA. His solution? Fletcher is calling for a ‘humanitarian reset’ that puts local communities at the centre.  State-based armed conflict, extreme weather events and inequality are among the leading threats identified in the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2025.