Global leaders met in Istanbul on Monday to tackle a "broken" humanitarian system that has left 130 million people in need of aid, a near insurmountable task for a two-day summit that critics say risks achieving little. Billed as the first of its kind, the United Nations summit aims to develop a better response to what has called the worst humanitarian crisis since World War Two, mobilise more funds and agree to better care for displaced civilians.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on governments, businesses and aid groups to commit to halving the number of displaced civilians by 2030. "We need to improve more direct funding to local communities and fix the persistent humanitarian funding gap," he said in a speech.
"We are here to shape a different future," he told the gathering of 150 countries including 57 heads of government.
But that may be difficult to attain. The global aid agency Medecins sans Frontieres pulled out of the conference earlier this month saying it had lost hope the participants could address weaknesses in emergency response.
Critics say the global aid system has been overwhelmed by a proliferation of regional wars and failed states that have ballooned refugee numbers, and struggles with poor governance and corruption in recipient countries that consume some humanitarian funds before they can benefit those in need.
Canada pledged $274 million in funding to UN agencies to help victims of natural disaster and armed conflict, with a focus on protecting women and children in war zones.