Multilateral Dialogue KAS Geneva

19/08/2026

Today is , a day dedicated to humanitarian workers around the world who stand up for humanity even in the most difficult circumstances. Yet, the last three years have been the deadliest on record. This year alone 82 humanitarians have lost their lives in the line of service. In 2025 it were 350 and 2024 387 humanitarians. Although civilians, including humanitarian workers, are protected under international humanitarian law, the rising figures speak for themselves. World Humanitarian Day is therefore also a call to respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law, to prevent attacks, to protect humanitarian access and to ensure accountability for violations. But protection requires action. Alongside the Global IHL Initiative of the International Committee of the Red Cross, another important initiative is the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel that currently counts 122 signatory states.

Find out more in our Maps of the Month August! 🗺️ 👇

https://www.kas.de/en/web/multilateraler-dialog-genf/map-of-the-month/detail/-/content/welttag-fuer-humanitaere-hilfe-2026

United Nations OCHA,

12/08/2026

Today, 12 August, marks 77 years since the adoption of the of 1949. While they are considered to have been universally ratified, the commitment to upholding them is weakening, with massive consequences for millions of people trapped in conflict worldwide.

Currently, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) counts more than 130 active armed conflicts – more than twice as many as 15 years ago. Therefore, the , together with Brazil, France, China, Jordan, Kazakhstan and South Africa, launched in 2024 a "Global IHL Initiative" to ensure that the Conventions can continue to fulfil their protective function. Following several regional and global consultations, workshops, and the publication of a first a progress report, the initiative will culminate in a High-Level Conference on Humanity in War in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan with heads of state and government, scheduled for 7 December.

Which states have joined the initiative so far? Find out more in our Map of the Month August. 👇 🗺️

31/07/2026

While the process of appointing the next Secretary-General of the United Nations began in the UN Security Council on 30 July, the outgoing Secretary-General, António , was able to secure a key appointment for the medium term beforehand. The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, who has held this post since 2022, has had his term extended by a further four years. On July 24, the General Assembly approved Guterres' proposal by an overwhelming majority of 144 votes in favour, 10 against and 13 abstentions.

Our map has the voting result on this. Take a look! 👇

United Nations Human Rights,
,

29/07/2026

The 26th International AIDS Society Conference is currently underway in Rio de Janeiro and will run until 31 July. The world’s largest and most important forum on and is convening at a difficult moment for the global response.

The past decade has brought substantial progress, as well as promising new long-acting prevention options. Yet the unprecedented decline in international funding in 2025 is putting essential prevention, testing and treatment services at risk. Just as ending AIDS as a public health threat appeared to be moving within reach, there is now concern that progress may stall or even be reversed.

Our latest Geneva Telegram offers an accessible overview of the current global HIV situation. It assesses how international funding cuts are affecting prevention, testing and treatment services, and considers the decisions taken by the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board on the future structure and role of the Joint Programme.

Our accompanying visualizes the vote on the new UN Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS and provides a brief explanation of the points of contention during the negotiations. The declaration, adopted following the UN High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS in June 2026, will guide the international response over the coming years.



Geneva Telegram: https://www.kas.de/en/web/multilateraler-dialog-genf/geneva-telegram/detail/-/content/globale-hiv-bekaempfung-im-schatten-finanzieller-herausforderungen-und-zur-zukunft-von-unaids

Our Map of the Month: https://www.kas.de/en/web/multilateraler-dialog-genf/map-of-the-month/detail/-/content/abstimmung-ueber-die-neue-politische-erklaerung-zu-hiv-und-aids

Map of the Month 07/2026

28/07/2026

75 Years later we take a closer look. Which states have ratified the 1951 (and its 1967 Protocol) to date? Beyond formal ratification, which countries stand out as the largest financial contributors to the UNHCR or the highest, per capita host country? Which states have taken concrete steps to provide durable solutions to refugees through resettlement over the past year?

Our have the answers 🗺️ 👇

28/07/2026

Today, 28 July 2026, marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.

Drafted in the aftermath of the Second World War to address the displacement of approximately 55 million people, the Geneva remains the most important document under international law on the protection of refugees.

Its continued relevance is underscored by the unprecedented scale of contemporary forced displacement, which reached a staggering number of 117.8 million people worldwide. Our latest Geneva Telegram gives insights into current trends of forced displacement by providing key findings from the Global Trends report of the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the guardian of the Convention and the Protocol.

The "Geneva Telegram" explores events in Geneva-based multilateral organizations on a current topic. This time, the focus is on the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, as well as on current developments highlighted in the latest UNHCR Global Trends report.

13/07/2026

It’s a wrap ! Last Friday concluded the Geneva Digital Week with the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance, AI for Good Global Summit and the Forum, which convened the AI ecosystem: representatives of governments, UN agencies, the private sector, civil society, technical experts and the research community.

🌐 The Global Dialogue brought member states and other stakeholders to discuss AI’s opportunities, risks, divides, safety, trustworthiness and human rights implications. The discussion focused on findings of the Preliminary Report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, highlighting that evidence is a cornerstone of governance. 👉 https://bit.ly/4bapFkb

🌐 Several panels on asked the broader questions on trust and our vision for the future. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk questioned why we do not make the Universal Declaration of Human Rights our aspiration for every AI tool that is being developed. Speakers reminded: human rights are not about ethics, but about legal obligations under international law wherefore they should guide any AI development - right from the beginning.

🌐 Under the Global Initiative on , World Health Organization (WHO), International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have launched a new joint publication. The guide was presented at the summit and analyses how intellectual property, commercialization strategies and data governance can be used to move AI-enabled health innovation from the prototype stage into safe, trusted and widely accessible solutions.

This past week reinforced the importance of Geneva for multilateral and multisectoral discussions. The city’s strength lies in its diverse ecosystem, which is precisely what AI governance needs, as the technology infiltrates every aspect of life, policy and diplomacy. As Switzerland will be hosting the next Global AI Summit in June 2027, the way ahead is well paved in the city.

, , United Nations Human Rights

30/06/2026

Last week, we had the pleasure of convening our annual seminar for an interdisciplinary cohort of international KAS scholarship holders who had the unique opportunity to gain insights into the inner workings of multilateralism in international Geneva. At a time when the multilateral system is confronted with unprecedented pressures, we engaged in dialogue with representatives of UN agencies, international organisations, NGOs and permanent missions on how novel initiatives, creative coalitions and emerging partnership models might offer viable pathways forward for the critical work of human rights protection, humanitarian action, refugee protection, global trade governance, global health and peacemaking.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who hosted us for these open and enriching conversations! 🙏

United Nations Human Rights, International Committee of the Red Cross Médecins Sans Frontières / MSF UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency Center For Humanitarian Dialogue, World Trade Organization - WTO

20/06/2026

This year's reminds us of the need for solidarity at a time when conflicts and needs are on the rise while funding is falling short. Although nearly 118 mio. people were forcibly displaced at the end of 2025, the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has so far received only 29% of the funds it required for this year.

17/06/2026

Navigating turbulent times requires innovative ways of diplomacy and political dialogue to eschew military confrontations and multidimensional global crises and bring about sustained multilateral cooperation.

In order to learn first hand what this could look like in practice, we are more than grateful to United Nations Human Rights, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, International Committee of the Red Cross, World Health Organization (WHO), DiploFoundation, UN Trade and Development, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and several representatives from permanent missions who took their precious time in such an exceptional week for Geneva to share their insights into contemporary diplomatic challenges and multilateral decision-making processes with our young diplomats from the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies MEDAC - University of Malta.

Many thanks also to our colleagues from -Adenauer-Stiftung, Regional Program South Mediterranean for the excellent cooperation and all the very best to our participants for their future careers! May the insights and reflections from Geneva guide you on this journey.

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