Overseas Aid and Humanitarian & Disaster Relief

Organised by the UCL Department of Political Science andUCL Policy Lab

Humanitarian aid has long served as a vital tool to deliver relief to vulnerable communities and develop geopolitical goodwill globally. However, the future of international aid now faces unprecedented uncertainty. The dismantling of USAID — the United States’ flagship aid delivery agency — has sent shockwaves through the global aid ecosystem, contributing to funding cuts in the UK and casting doubt on the sustainability of international assistance programs. At the same time, increasing restrictions on access and the deliberate obstruction of aid in conflict zones threaten to deepen human suffering worldwide.

Our panel of experts will explore the evolving landscape of humanitarian assistance and address key questions about the future of international aid.

Meet the speakers

Moazzam Malik, CEO of Save the Children UK. Moazzam joined Save the Children UK as CEO in January 2025. He served as UK Ambassador to Indonesia for five years and as Director General, first at the Department for International Development (DfID) and then at the merged Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Sameer Sah, Director of Programmes at Medical Aid for Palestinians. He led MAP’s first emergency medical technician mission into Gaza in December 2023 and spearheaded the organisation’s humanitarian response efforts from the UK. Coming to MAP with a background in public and global health, he has worked in over 35 countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa and South and Central America. In February 2025, he was awarded a Humanitarian Medal by His Majesty King Charles. 

Alex Farley, Policy and Advocacy Manager for Development Finance at Bond. Prior to this Alex worked with Publish What You Fund where she was responsible for coordinating advocacy, research, and donor engagement to improve the transparency of aid and development finance for gender equality and women’s economic justice. 

Seating

Seats are allocated on a first come, first served basis. We cannot guarantee you a seat, but it is very unusual that we have to turn someone away.

Accessibility

• The corridor outside the lecture theatre(s) is sufficiently wide enough (150cm+) to allow wheelchair users to pass.
• There is step free access into the lecture theatre(s).
• The door opening width(s) is/are 75cm+ for the lecture theatre(s).
• There are designated spaces for wheelchair users within the lecture theatre(s), located at the back.
• There is level access to the designated seating from an entrance.
• There is space for an assistance dog.
• There is a hearing assistance system for the lecture theatre(s).
• There is not a visual fire alarm beacon in the lecture theatre(s).
   

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