A High-Level Forum convened by Dóchas for Ireland’s EU Presidency
The Alex Hotel, Dublin, Ireland
Friday, 25 September 2026
9:00-16:45
This event is recognised as an Associated Event of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026.
Speakers and Panellists
Keynote Address & Fireside Discussion- Dr Mike Ryan
Former Executive Director, Health Emergencies Programme, WHO
Dr. Mike Ryan is an Irish epidemiologist and global health leader, best known for his role as Executive Director of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Programme. With a career spanning more than three decades, he has led international responses to major outbreaks including Ebola, SARS and COVID‑19. Trained as a trauma surgeon before specialising in public health, Ryan has worked extensively in complex humanitarian settings across Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Opening Remarks – Jane-Ann McKenna
CEO, Dóchas
Jane-Ann McKenna joined Dóchas as CEO in late 2021, bringing extensive experience from leading Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) humanitarian teams in conflict zones like Afghanistan and Sudan. She also serves on the board of CONCORD Europe and the Irish Advisory Board of UCD Business Schools.
Closing Remarks- Barry Andrews MEP
European Parliament
Barry Andrews is an Irish politician who has served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) representing the Dublin constituency since 2020.He was elected Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Development (DEVE) in July 2024. Before his election to the European Parliament, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the international humanitarian agency GOAL from 2012 to 2016. Across his career, Andrews has worked at the intersection of European policy, humanitarian action, and public governance
Panel Discussion 1: Setting the Scene: FCAS and the Future of Development Financing
Arnaud Dupont
Head of Unit responsible for strategy, international and interinstitutional relations, DG ECHO
Arnaud Dupont is currently Head of Unit ECHO-B1 Strategy, International and Inter-institutional Relations. He has been in this post since February 2024, leading on strategic questions for DG ECHO regarding both humanitarian aid and civil protection; facilitating the alignment of DG ECHO policy work with the Commission’s overall strategy, work programme and political agenda; as well as ensuring an overall consistency of policy development and strategy within DG ECHO with respect to civil protection and humanitarian aid and seeking synergies and complementarity between the different actors.
Barzil Mwawughanga
Regional Humanitarian & Emergency Affairs Director, East Africa , World Vision
Barzil Mwakulomba Mwawughanga is the Regional Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Director for World Vision East Africa, leading humanitarian preparedness, emergency response, recovery, and resilience programming across nine countries in the Horn of Africa and Great Lakes Region. With over 19 years of experience across East and Southern Africa and Afghanistan, he has worked extensively in fragile and conflict-affected settings, supporting responses to conflict, climate shocks, displacement, food insecurity, and public health emergencies. He collaborates with governments, donors, UN agencies, and civil society partners to advance sustainable response, recovery, resilience, protection, and development outcomes for vulnerable communities.
Elise Baudot
Head of Humanitarian Financing, ICVA
With over 24 years of experience in the humanitarian sector, Elise specialises in non-profit governance, humanitarian financing, and locally led action. She currently serves as Head of Humanitarian Financing at the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA). Her career includes 19 years at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), serving as General Counsel and Global Director of Policy, Strategy and Knowledge. Later based in Nigeria, she advised on strengthening funding capabilities for Red Cross Societies across West Africa and co-founded the Nigeria PLRCAP programme to support local NGOs.
Combined Session 2: Mapping Enablers and Blockers : The EU Integrated Approach in Practice
Javier García de la Oliva
Chair of CONCORD Europe & Regional Head Europe and Americas, Action Aid
Javier García de la Oliva is a seasoned international development leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing social justice, human rights, and sustainable development across Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean. As Regional Head for Europe and the Americas at ActionAid International, he leads diverse teams and country programs, driving strategic initiatives that strengthen civil society, influence public policy, and create lasting impact for communities around the world.
Sonya Reines-Djivanides
Executive Director, EPLO
Sonya Reines-Djivanides is the Executive Director of the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO), a position she started in April 2015. She has more than fifteen years of experience in international conflict resolution and works, in her current role, towards peacebuilding and the prevention of violent conflict. Prior to serving as Executive Director, she chaired the EPLO Steering Committee for a year and a half. From 2013 to 2015 she was Director of Search for Common Ground’s Brussels Headquarters, managing European fundraising, liaison, advocacy and programme development. Before that, she led SFCG’s Track II Mediation work for seven years, based in Washington D.C
Pauline Chetcuti
VOICE President & Head of Humanitarian Campaigns and Advocacy for Oxfam International
Pauline Chetcuti is Head of Humanitarian Campaigns and Advocacy for Oxfam International. Pauline is a seasoned humanitarian professional, trained in International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law. Her experience spans work with UN agencies, international and national NGOs across various regions, including Palestine, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Myanmar. Pauline has contributed to, and authored various publications on humanitarian principles and conflict, global hunger, or the climate and humanitarian nexus.
Feargal O’Connell
CEO, Plan International Ireland
Feargal O’Connell has over two decades of experience in senior roles with international non-governmental organisations Concern Worldwide and the International Rescue Committee. He has served as CEO at Sightsavers Ireland and most recently Self Help Africa. His career has taken him to a range of international contexts, with postings in New York, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, South Sudan, and Nigeria. He returned to Ireland in 2020. Feargal brings extensive expertise in programme delivery in fragile and conflict-affected settings, encompassing both emergency humanitarian response and long-term, systems-strengthening development work.
Panel Discussion 3: Looking Ahead: Delivering the Future Funding of Sustainable Development in FCAS
Barry Andrews MEP
European Parliament
Barry Andrews is an Irish politician who has served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) representing the Dublin constituency since 2020.He was elected Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Development (DEVE) in July 2024. Before his election to the European Parliament, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the international humanitarian agency GOAL from 2012 to 2016. Across his career, Andrews has worked at the intersection of European policy, humanitarian action, and public governance
Pilar Palmero
Head of Unit on Resilience, Peace and Security, DG INTPA
Michelle Winthrop
Humanitarian Director, IrishAid
Rosamond Bennett
Chair of Dóchas & Christian Aid CEO
Rosamond Bennett is CEO of Christian Aid Ireland, an international aid and development agency focusing on peacebuilding, gender equality & women’s empowerment, human rights and humanitarian response. She is also a Board Member of the Irish Emergency Alliance and Chair of Dóchas and the Irish Consortium on Gender-Based Violence. Rosamond is a human rights activist and is very interested in women’s empowerment, particularly in the area of peacebuilding. She has travelled extensively listening to women’s experiences of inequality, poverty, powerlessness and violence against women and girls.
Agenda
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09:00 – 09:30 | Registration & Coffee |
09:30 – 09:40 | Welcome & Introduction Opening remarks and setting the objectives for the day. |
09:40 – 10:10 | Keynote Address & Fireside Discussion- Dr Mike Ryan, Former Executive Director, Health Emergencies Programme, WHO |
10:10 -11:10 | Panel Discussion 1: Setting the Scene: FCAS and the Future of Development Financing An introduction to the current context and state of play regarding funding for fragile and conflict-affected states (FCAS). This session examines the implications of the EU Council Conclusions on Humanitarian Aid and the three staff working documents for the sector, establishing a foundation for the day’s collaborative discussions.
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11:10 – 11:30 | Coffee Break |
11:30- 13:10 | Combined Session 2: Mapping Enablers and Blockers : The EU Integrated Approach in Practice This session bridges high-level policy frameworks with the operational realities of delivering aid on the ground.
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13:10 – 14:00 | Lunch |
14:00 – 15:00 | Parallel Thematic Sessions: Strategic Solutions Three interactive, parallel sessions designed to tackle structural bottlenecks and build practical recommendations:
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15:00 -15:20 | Networking & Refreshments Coffee Break |
15:20 – 16:30 | Panel Discussion 3: Looking Ahead: Delivering the Future Funding of Sustainable Development in FCAS This closing plenary transitions the day’s discussions into political action, looking at future funding and broader EU policy shifts.
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16:30- 16:45 | Closing Remarks- Barry Andrews MEP |
Key Themes
Contexts presenting a high degree of fragility are becoming increasingly prevalent. Conflict, climate shocks, economic instability, and restricted civic spaces intersect, placing millions of people at risk and reversing development gains. As humanitarian needs continue to outpace available resources, and with progress on the 2030 Agenda faltering in highly fragile settings, the EU’s role as a principled humanitarian, development, and peace actor is more critical than ever.
This forum aims to examine how the EU Integrated Approach to Fragility can be practically operationalised, scaled, and measured on the ground. It aligns with the priority themes of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, specifically addressing the need to safeguard ODA, advance values based external action, and deliver on sustainable funding that protects poverty eradication goals. Discussions will draw on the Dóchas’ civil society paper on financing for fragile and conflict-affected settings, which shall be launched during this event. By moving beyond policy and looking at concrete case studies from highly fragile contexts, this event will explore how EU institutions, Member States, and civil society can build shared accountability, advance transformative funding, ensure gender-transformative and protective approaches and deliver sustainable resilience.
