The Red Cross, the IFRC, and ECHO are focusing their humanitarian efforts at the local level. The meeting in Bogotá highlights the need to strengthen community resilience in Latin America. The European Union (EU) is increasing its cooperation by 21.5 million euros to support the 34 million people in need of assistance.
Full note: Bogotá, November 7, 2025. The European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Directorate (ECHO), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Colombian Red Cross made a joint call to increase and target investment for preparedness and response to humanitarian crises in Latin America and the Caribbean, a region where, in 2025 alone, more than 34 million people require urgent assistance.
The call was made during the meeting “From Commitment to Action: Humanitarian Innovation in European Union-Latin America and the Caribbean Cooperation,” held in Bogotá as a prelude to the 4th Summit between the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union (EU), to be held on November 8 and 9 in Santa Marta, Colombia. The event brought together Colombian authorities, government representatives, multilateral organizations, and the Red Cross, who proposed new forms of cooperation focused on local action.
“In a scenario of growing crises, the Colombian Red Cross reaffirms its commitment to the life and dignity of people and is committed to strengthening its strategic alliances with the European Union, the Red Cross family and other key actors to provide rapid, coordinated and innovative responses,” said the president of the Colombian Red Cross, Dr. Judith Carvajal de Álvarez. “We call for increased investment in preparedness and community resilience; this is essential to ensure that aid reaches where it is needed.”
At the event, the European Union Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, announced an increase of 21.5 million euros in European Union humanitarian cooperation in the region.
Lahbib reviewed the EU’s efforts to provide assistance after Hurricane Melissa and acknowledged the magnitude of the regional and Colombian humanitarian challenges, where he visited Quibdó, Chocó, and met with communities affected by violence and disasters.
“In Colombia, communities have seen floods sweep away their homes, violence drive families from their land, and armed groups abduct young people. Yet, across the country, volunteers, local leaders, and first responders continue to demonstrate extraordinary resilience and determination,” said Lahbib. “The EU supports these efforts with practical assistance, from humanitarian funding and disaster preparedness training to protecting the most vulnerable, including women, young people, and displaced families. We act through collaboration because that is how lives are protected and hope is rebuilt.”
At least one in four of the world’s disasters occurs in Latin America and the Caribbean, causing annual economic losses of US$58 billion and endangering the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable communities. This is exacerbated by the fact that millions of people in the region live under the control or influence of armed groups.
Global trends project an alarming increase in the frequency of hazards, with the number of disasters expected to reach 560 per year — or 1.5 disasters per day — by 20304.
A strategic shift towards locally led humanitarian action
Participants at the meeting agreed that traditional response models are insufficient in the face of increasingly prolonged and interconnected crises, marked by the impact of climate change, structural inequality, violence, economic instability, and forced displacement. In this context, locally led humanitarian action was reaffirmed as a strategic and ethical imperative.
Their specific recommendations included moving towards flexible, multi-year financing mechanisms, strengthening civic space and the leadership of local actors, and leveraging instruments such as the Global Gateway to invest in inclusive and sustainable humanitarian systems.
They also reiterated the need to strengthen humanitarian cooperation between CELAC and the EU. The Red Cross called on states to make decisions and allocate resources that reinforce international humanitarian law, disaster risk reduction, assistance to people on the move, climate resilience, and the provision of health and protection services.
“Investing in local humanitarian action is not a goal for the future; it is a decision that must be made in the present, a decision that involves transferring power to where it belongs: to the communities and local actors who are already leading preparedness, response, and the path to resilience,” said Xavier Castellanos, IFRC Assistant Secretary. “One of these key local actors is the National Red Cross Societies, which, working hand in hand with the population, guided by their principles and in their role as auxiliaries to public authorities, prevent crises, respond to them, and work to ensure that people recover with dignity and humanity.”
The meeting also promoted the triple nexus approach, which links humanitarian action, development, and peacebuilding. Successful examples were highlighted in Colombia, Haiti, and Central America, where cooperation between local and European actors has strengthened community resilience through early warning systems, primary healthcare networks, and protection mechanisms for migrants.
Finally, they pointed out that isolated approaches are no longer viable and called for moving beyond traditional donor-centric frameworks, promoting partnerships based on mutual trust, shared governance, and long-term commitments.