Moving from Emergency Humanitarian Assistance to Sustainable Responses

The Geneva School of Diplomacy welcomed Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), for a high-level discussion on the urgent challenge of moving from emergency humanitarian intervention toward sustainable long-term responses for displaced populations.

As global displacement continues to rise amid conflict, instability, and protracted humanitarian crises, the international community faces an increasingly urgent challenge: how to move beyond immediate emergency assistance and build sustainable long-term responses for displaced populations.

As part of the Geneva School of Diplomacy’s Emerging Issues & Persistent Challenges series, the Geneva School of Diplomacy hosted Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), for a timely discussion on the operational realities of humanitarian response and the transition toward resilience-focused solutions.

Drawing on extensive leadership experience in refugee operations across some of the world’s most complex humanitarian environments, Mr Mazou explored the challenges of balancing urgent life-saving intervention with longer-term development planning, international cooperation, burden-sharing, and durable solutions for affected communities.

The session offered students, faculty, and attendees valuable insight into one of the most pressing humanitarian and policy challenges facing the international system today.

About the Speaker

Raouf Mazou — Assistant High Commissioner for Operations

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Raouf Mazou serves as Assistant High Commissioner for Operations at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), where he oversees the organisation’s global operational response to refugee crises and displacement emergencies.

With decades of international humanitarian leadership experience, he has held senior roles across the United Nations system and has worked extensively on refugee protection, operational coordination, emergency response, and international humanitarian strategy.

His work has contributed significantly to shaping global responses to displacement crises and strengthening international approaches to sustainable humanitarian action.