Listen to our #EUSolidarityTalks
Have you ever wondered what happens when disaster strikes or a humanitarian crisis arises? EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid experts and partners are there to deliver life-saving aid in these critical situations.
To take you behind the scenes, we’ve partnered up with podcasts in France, Italy and Spain. Through the #EUSolidarityTalks, you’ll hear from podcast hosts and their special guests as they discuss topics such as preparedness against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) risks as well as the EU’s preparations ahead of the wildfire season and response to humanitarian crises around the world.
Our experts will share their personal stories and insights, giving you a glimpse into the challenges they face working on the frontline of emergency and humanitarian response, delivering assistance when failing is not an option.
Listen to the #EUSolidarityTalks below and discover more about the EU’s response to complex crises.
Gender and age-sensitive humanitarian aid
Natural hazards and human-made crises affect women, girls, men, boys, and elderly people differently. EU humanitarian aid carefully considers gender and age factors to ensure the support reaches the most vulnerable people and responds adequately to their specific needs. The EU prioritises gender and age considerations to effectively address individual needs and protect vulnerable populations from gender-based violence.
The EU allocated significant humanitarian funding in 2024 to address diverse needs across multiple sectors, including protection, health, education, and emergency response. From implementing the Gender Action Plan III to working with partners like UNHCR and UNICEF, EU humanitarian aid is addressing a wide range of challenges faced by vulnerable populations in crisis situations.
Want to learn more? Our experts have the stories you can't miss.
Globally Focus: Impact
Will Media and the Italian Institute for International Political Studies bring you "Globally Focus: Impact," a podcast series that provides clarity on the complex challenges shaping our world today. In this episode, the podcasters interview Corita Tassi, Thematic Expert on Protection and Gender for EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid in Nairobi. Corita draws on her extensive experience as a Protection and Gender Expert across West and Central Africa, as well as Latin America and the Caribbean. She shares insights on developing strategic humanitarian programmes, addressing the diverse needs of people of all genders and ages in crisis context.
Programme B
In this episode of the French podcast Programme B by Binge Audio, Muhameda Tulumovic, who works for the Office of EU Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Operations in Dakar, discusses her experience in international cooperation and crisis response. As a humanitarian expert with dual Italian and Bosnian nationality, she brings a unique perspective on gender equality, child protection, and the inclusion of vulnerable groups including internally-displaced persons (IDPs), migrants, and persons with disabilities. Her previous work in Sudan during the 2023 conflict focused on highlighting humanitarian issues in Cameroon, which tops the recent neglected crisis ranking of the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Revista 5W
In this episode of the Spanish podcast Revista 5W, the podcaster talks to María Vargas-Simojoki. She is the Protection, Gender and Education in Emergencies Expert for EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid in Latin America and the Caribbean, based in Panama. She works to keep vulnerable people safe, promote equality, and help children affected by crisis. She also supports families forced to leave their homes and those making dangerous journeys in search of safety. With experience working with NGOs and UN agencies in South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, Lebanon and Turkey, María brings valuable insights on how gender considerations shape humanitarian response in complex crises. The episode also features Dayana Zamorano from Fundación Lunita Lunera and Regina Zoé Magallón, a Mexican activist.
The EU support for access to safe water
There is no life without water. This simple truth drives the EU to act as climate change, conflict, and displacement leave billions without access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation. 2.2 billion people (1 in 4) still live without safely managed drinking water, including 115 million people who drink surface water. The EU is 1 of the largest humanitarian donors of WASH assistance worldwide. It contributes around €200 million each year.
From restoring water stations and piped networks in Syria that serve 800,000 people to strengthening local WASH capacities across 33 countries, EU humanitarian aid is turning the tide on one of humanity's most pressing challenges. Our approach focuses on community-led initiatives that not only help during crises but also build resilience and recovery capacities to prevent water-borne diseases.
Ready to learn more? Our experts have the stories you can’t miss.
Featured podcast: Globally Focus: Impact
Globally Focus: Impact by Will Media and the Italian Institute for International Political Studies aims to decode today's complex world. In this episode, the podcasters interview Francesco Rigamonti, Technical Assistant for Yemen at the Office for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid in Amman. Drawing on 19 years of experience across the Middle East, East Africa, and Asia, he shares insights on implementing life-saving WASH programming in Yemen. His expertise also addresses broader water and sanitation challenges in conflict zones.
Revista 5W
In this episode of the Spanish podcast Revista 5W, podcasters speak with Jocelyn Lance. Jocelyn works for the Office for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations in Panama as Coordinator of Rapid Response to Emergencies. With 25 years of experience, dating back to Hurricane Mitch, he discusses the EU's disaster preparedness and humanitarian response. His focus is mainly on projects across Latin America and the Caribbean, a region highly vulnerable to earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, floods, and droughts that can lead to water scarcity.
Programme B
In this episode of the French podcast Programme B by Binge Audio, Maguette Diop discusses her decade-long experience implementing water and sanitation solutions across West and Central Africa. As Regional WASH, Shelter, and Settlement Programme Officer for the Office for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid, based in Dakar, she shares insights on how EU humanitarian aid is addressing critical water challenges in the region.
Wildfire season: the EU’s preparedness and response
Wildfires and heatwaves have become more frequent and intense across Europe and around the world. The length and intensity of wildfires have noticeably increased. Fires are now regularly affecting areas which were spared in the past. Climate change has had a significant impact on fire seasons across the globe.
This new breed of wildfires and prolonged fire seasons pose new challenges to firefighting services across Europe, making aerial firefighting more testing and ground operations more critical.
While the 2024 European wildfire season seemed to be less intense than the last 3 years of devastating fires, the European Union is preparing to face a 2025 season with field-tested strategies such as prepositioning firefighters and satellite monitoring.
Tune in to our partner podcasts for expert analysis and first-hand accounts from EU Civil Protection wildfire specialists talking about the EU’s preparation for the 2025 wildfire season.
Featured podcast: Revista 5W
Spanish podcast Revista 5W offers a deep dive on the topic of the month. In this episode, they speak with Héctor Alfaro Fernández, forestry engineer and wildfire expert seconded to the European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), and Dr Fernando Sedano, scientific officer in the Forest Fire Team at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, about preparing for and monitoring wildfires. The episode also features national expert Dr Xabier Bruña García and photojournalist Adra Pallón.
Globally Focus: Impact
In this episode of the Italian podcast Globally Focus: Impact by Will Media, Ilja Volpi, duty officer at the European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) talks about wildfire preparedness and response capacities in the EU.
Programme B
French podcast Programme B by Binge Audio features Claire Kowalewski, French firefighter currently working for the EU Civil Protection. She discusses her experience in forest firefighting in southern France and her work on preparing for the wildfire season at EU level. The second expert, Léo Martinon, takes us behind the scenes of the wildfire response at the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC).
The EU’s preparedness for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) risks
Many everyday items, such as household cleaning products, agricultural fertilisers and hospital equipment using radioactive sources, play a vital role in our daily lives. However, if mishandled, they can all potentially lead to CBRN incidents.
When used safely, these products and materials bring benefits to human health, the environment and the global economy.
However, if not handled properly, CBRN agents can trigger a public emergency. The EU is working to prepare and coordinate with Member States to mitigate these risks.
Although CBRN risks have a low probability of occurrence, their potential impact is high. They require specific protective equipment, detection and decontamination procedures, and medical countermeasures. Response teams who deal with these risks are trained to handle a wide range of scenarios, including chemical hazards, pathogens, toxins and radioactive sources.
To learn more about the EU’s efforts to mitigate the risks of CBRN incidents, listen to our experts as they discuss the European Union’s risk mitigation measures and response strategies against such potential incidents.
Featured podcast: Programme B
In this episode of the French podcast Programme B by Binge Audio, our CBRN programme manager Dr Antonella Cavallo discusses the EU’s preparedness and the latest efforts in keeping the population safe from CBRN risks.
Revista 5W
Every week, Spanish magazine Revista 5W publishes a deep dive podcast episode. In this edition, they speak with Ida Cosentino about the EU’s CBRN preparedness efforts and the development of the rescEU CBRN/medical capabilities and strategic stockpiles.
Globally Focus: Impact
Globally Focus: Impact by Will Media and the Italian Institute for International Political Studies aims to decode today’s complex world. In this episode, the podcasters speak to the rescEU CBRN programme manager Dr Antonella Cavallo about the EU’s preparedness against the risks posed by CBRN materials.
Podcasts 2024
In 2024, our experts talked about the EU medical evacuations from Ukraine, the European Union’s response to climate-change related emergencies, as well as the EU response to health emergencies and disaster preparedness at the heart of EU humanitarian aid.
