World humanitarian summit starts amid hope, hype and fear of empty words
Hundreds of world leaders and politicians will descend on Istanbul on Monday in a nominal attempt to reform the global humanitarian system, despite criticism that their summit is a photo-opportunity that will achieve little.
Representatives of 175 countries, including 57 heads of states or governments, will attend the world humanitarian summit, as the outgoing UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, attempts to restructure the way the world responds to humanitarian crises.
Analysis Everything you need to know about the world humanitarian summit
Politicians will meet in Istanbul on 23-24 May to debate how to deal with global crises that have been exacerbated by war, climate change and natural disasters
Angela Merkel is the highest-profile western leader due to attend, while Britain will be represented by development secretary Justine Greening. About 6,000 senior aid workers will also participate in debates and panels at the two-day event.
With more people – about 125 million – in need of humanitarian assistance than ever, aid groups increasingly under-resourced, and international law under growing threat, Ban wants the international community to agree to new global humanitarian standards.