The Friday Humanitarian Scan #22

Happy Friday, especially to the ones celebrating the Eid in peace. This week’s Friday Humanitarian Scan covers 23–29 May 2026 across 39 articles from 10 sources.

The Scan’s most alarming story is not the Ebola outbreak itself, it’s what happened to the money pledged to fight it. Africa CDC announced nearly $500 million raised to contain the Bundibugyo virus in DRC’s Ituri province. By the end of the week, that figure had collapsed to $219 million. The UK deployed emergency Ebola funds in the same breath as pushing ahead with sweeping long-term aid cuts, bringing a good question that runs through much of this week’s scan: can emergency responses substitute for the preparedness systems the world keeps dismantling? The answer, without a doubt, is NOUganda’s tuberculosis programme is the week’s case in point: years of hard-won gains are now quietly reversing as US-funded outreach systems shut down.

In Gaza, a testimony from Umm Ahmad, who moved from a real home to a tent with no privacy, no shade, and no services, anchors the week’s most human piece of writing, while The New Humanitarian publishes a very strong opinion: why did the abuse of flotilla activists generate more global outrage than the Gaza genocide? The answer it offers is uncomfortable but precise (find the article under the Middle East section).

In Lebanon, overnight airstrikes forced communities to flee again, the “ceasefire” is just a name.

Russian strike on a WFP warehouse in Dnipro destroyed a significant quantity of food aid bound for frontline communities, a direct hit on the humanitarian supply chain. 

Myanmar gets a rare moment of attention this week, with the EU framing its converging crises (conflict, economic collapse, natural hazards, access restrictions) as a “silent crisis” the world is largely ignoring. On the policy frontier, the ICRC argues that military AI must be lawful by design. And in a week when the UN’s future direction is openly debated, María Fernanda Espinosa makes her case to become the first female UN Secretary-General, calling for a reform agenda the organisation has long deferred.

May 23, 2026 – May 29, 2026

This scan covers 39 articles from 10 sources.

3 Middle East 14 Humanitarian 11 Social Protection 11 Development
Middle East3
UN News Humanitarian May 24, 2026

In front of a simple tent in Gaza that offers no protection from the cold or the heat, in a crowded camp where tents lack privacy and basic services, Umm Ahmad sat down to speak to UN News about her life in Gaza before the war and what it has become now. 

UN News Humanitarian May 26, 2026

Intensified Israeli airstrikes overnight in Lebanon forced people to again flee their homes, while humanitarians in the Gaza Strip report continued restrictions in bringing aid into the enclave, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

The New Humanitarian May 28, 2026

The response reveals white supremacy still dictates whose suffering matters and the perils of individualising responsibility for systemic injustice.

Humanitarian14
The New Humanitarian May 25, 2026

As cases spread, containment measures could impact the nascent cultural revival described in this report. GOMA and BUKAVU, Democratic Republic of the Congo A packed crowd pressed against the stage of …

EU Humanitarian Aid May 26, 2026

Across Myanmar, a silent crisis is unfolding, driven by decades of conflict, economic collapse, recurrent natural hazards and a critical lack of humanitarian access.

ICRC Law & Policy May 26, 2026

In the policy debate on artificial intelligence (AI) in the military domain, there is a growing consensus that international humanitarian law (IHL) must be a central consideration in the design of military AI systems. The imperative to make military AI systems "lawful by design" has, naturally, led to a sharper focus on the role of… The post Collaboration without over-reliance: the role of industry in making military AI "lawful by design" appeared first on Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog.

The New Humanitarian May 26, 2026

Unlike much of the rest of Caucasia, Greece is lucky that it can produce limited quantities of flavour for local consumption and export.

UN News Humanitarian May 26, 2026

The World Food Programme (WFP) has deplored a Russian attack on a warehouse in Dnipro, Ukraine that destroyed "a significant quantity" of food aid destined for thousands in frontline areas.

UN News Humanitarian May 26, 2026

The United Nations is raising alarm over continued drone attacks in Sudan's Darfur region after multiple strikes reportedly killed civilians and intensified fears for communities already trapped by the brutal conflict between rival militaries.

The New Humanitarian May 27, 2026

Women who fled attacks by bandits in their village prepare a meal in a makeshift kitchen in a shelter for displaced people in Zamfara, northwestern Nigeria. You've heard it before. Women and girls pay …

MSF all May 27, 2026

A new MSF project in Papua New Guinea is strengthening cancer care, including palliative care, at ANGAU Memorial Provincial hospital, in collaboration with local authorities.

EU Humanitarian Aid May 28, 2026

In northeast Nigeria, the night has long been a source of dread for expectant mothers. In a region where insecurity and displacement have pushed healthcare out of reach, the onset of labour after sundown

ICRC Law & Policy May 28, 2026

Across contemporary armed conflicts, the use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA) has emerged as one of the gravest threats to civilians. Urban centres are increasingly sites of hostilities, where the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects causes devastating and often predictable harm. In Africa, where rapid urbanization intersects with persistent insecurity in… The post Why Africa should act now on explosive weapons in populated areas: Malawi's case for action appeared fir

EU Humanitarian Aid May 28, 2026

As eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo battles a fast-moving Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, health workers are racing to contain the spread in a region already shaken by conflict, displacement and fragile health systems.

Devex May 28, 2026

Critics warn emergency Ebola funding cannot replace long-term investment in outbreak preparedness systems as the U.K. moves ahead with major aid cuts.

Devex May 28, 2026

As donor funding tightens and economic pressures grow, malaria leaders at WHA79 warned that sustaining progress will require more predictable markets, stronger private-sector engagement, and longer-term investment in innovation and delivery.

Devex May 28, 2026

Who's going to pay for the Ebola response, and could the pandemic treaty have prevented this?

Social Protection11
WorldBank May 25, 2026

In a context of increasing digital transformation in the education sector, the issue of digital skills among teachers and …

WorldBank May 28, 2026

The primary objective of this study is to calculate the economic cost of excluding young Persons with Disabilities from the Nigerian labor force and understand the drivers of exclusion on Persons with …

WorldBank May 28, 2026

The Vienna Development Knowledge Center (VDKC) was established in 2025 as a joint initiative of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the Federal Government of Austria to strengthen the use of knowledge in …

WorldBank May 28, 2026

Zambia's economy has demonstrated resilience despite external shocks, supported by reforms that strengthened macroeconomic stability, fiscal discipline, and debt management. Real GDP growth remained …

WorldBank May 28, 2026

Jobs – the special focus of this edition – are central to achieving the Malaysian Government's objectives of raising the ceiling (productivity gains in the economy) and raising the floor (improving …

WorldBank May 28, 2026

This study estimates the child penalty in Türkiye, defined as the negative impact of having a child on mothers' labor market outcomes. Utilizing the Survey of Income and Living Conditions data from …

WorldBank May 28, 2026

Program, 2025 Progress Report presents an overview of achievements and ongoing efforts to promote integrated landscape management, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development across the …

WorldBank May 28, 2026

The Climate and Health Vulnerability Assessment (CHVA) provides an evidence base to guide climate-resilient health investments. It integrates climate modeling, geospatial exposure mapping, and disease …

WorldBank May 28, 2026

This policy note builds on the practical and operational experience of the World Bank Group (WBG) and World Food Programme (WFP) to offer an overview of why and how strengthening the linkages between …

OECD Policy papers and briefs May 28, 2026

How to apply effective governance to harness the benefits of A.I. and mitigate its risks …

Development11
D+C Development and Cooperation May 25, 2026

Women's health

D+C Development and Cooperation May 26, 2026

Bolivia may have enormous lithium reserves, but it is reliant on international alliances to extract them. The government is quite clear on one thing: the country itself, not just foreign investors, should reap the lion's share of the profits.

EU Employment & Social Affairs May 27, 2026

EAfA is launching the fourth edition of its Good for Youth, Good for Business brochure, highlighting how high‑quality apprenticeships help young people to gain the skills they need, support business growth, and strengthen Europe's competitiveness.

D+C Development and Cooperation May 27, 2026

Gen Z

D+C Development and Cooperation May 28, 2026

Arts

Devex May 28, 2026

Despite being one of the world's fastest-growing regions, Africa's growth isn't translating to jobs, productivity, or structural transformation. Plus, the foundation that will lend you helicopters.

Devex May 28, 2026

Lessons can be learned from the progress countries have made in eliminating NTDs. On the sidelines of WHA, two experts share what those are.

Devex May 28, 2026

At the AfDB annual meetings, moving from diagnosis to the "how."

Devex May 28, 2026

The former Ecuadorian minister that led global campaign for a female secretary-general believes she is the woman for the job.

Devex May 28, 2026

On Monday, Africa CDC announced nearly $500 million had been raised to fight the alarming Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. But that number has since dropped to $219 million.

Devex May 29, 2026

U.S. aid cuts are weakening the outreach systems that helped the country make major gains against tuberculosis, even as new AI-powered screening technologies expand access to diagnosis.

In case you missed the previous Friday Humanitarian Scan posts here they are:

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