Doha: Officials at the Doha Forum 2025 have drawn attention to the growing funding gap affecting fragile states and vulnerable groups, urging for innovative solutions to address the issue.
According to Qatar News Agency, CEO of Mercy Corps, Tjada D'Oyen McKenna, highlighted that the largest funding cuts have impacted sectors critical to peacebuilding, governance, and long-term development. These areas are essential for preventing future crises, yet the funding dedicated to them is being reduced.
McKenna pointed out that responding to humanitarian emergencies is significantly more costly than preventing them, costing approximately seven times more. She emphasized that humanitarian professionals are advocating for a reimagined and reformed system despite the challenges. In places such as Sudan, the sudden cessation of emergency kitchen services, on which many people relied for their only substantial meal, led to tragic outcomes.
Additionally, McKenna noted that programs in Mauritania aimed at supporting youth and creating job opportunities as a countermeasure against extremism were discontinued, leaving thousands without alternatives or income. She indicated that humanitarian needs have peaked at a time when organizations are already struggling to meet demands. The withdrawal of support has left communities exposed, and many governments were unprepared to address the gaps left by the cuts.
Despite these obstacles, McKenna stated that the humanitarian sector is striving to strengthen resilience, build capacities, and support peacebuilding efforts. Organizations are looking to broaden partnerships and deepen collaborative efforts. She assessed that the world is undergoing a volatile transition with serious consequences, and humanitarian actors are working to maintain a minimum level of support for urgent needs.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the PAX Foundation, Fadi Chehade, announced the launch of an advanced digital platform aimed at enabling local communities to present their projects directly to global donors. This platform, developed in collaboration with the private sector, utilizes artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and satellite imagery to facilitate decentralized economic development.
Chehade elaborated that the platform allows citizens and institutions to upload projects directly, enabling donors to finance them without intermediaries. The "Lapush Assistant Program" assists users in preparing proposals and receiving funding. The platform employs blockchain-powered digital identity verification to ensure transparency in tracking donors and beneficiaries, while artificial intelligence and satellite imagery provide real-time monitoring of project implementation.
Chehade underscored that this model represents a significant departure from traditional aid mechanisms, shifting towards a direct person-to-person financing system that ensures funds reach the organizations executing projects on the ground.