The corona pandemic represents a massive challenge for all countries. In the first instance, it is a health crisis, with thousands of citizens infected and dying. At the same time, the health crisis is accompanied by an economic crisis. Both the pandemic itself and the measures taken to deal with it contribute to increasing poverty, inequality and disease. And poor countries that were facing severe crisis even before the pandemic, have faced the greatest challenge of all.

More than one year after the onset of the global coronavirus pandemic, this online seminar explored the challenges faced by donors and aid agencies in addressing the pandemic and its effects. How have aid agencies responded? What are the main challenges they face at different levels (global, national, local)?

This seminar featured a discussion with Erwin van’t Land (Director General of Doctors Without Borders, Norway), Gry Ballestad (Director for Development and Humanitarian Cooperation at Norwegian People’s Aid) and Hilde Salvesen (Policy Director, Humanitarian Affairs, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

The discussion was chaired by Stein Sundstøl Eriksen (Co-Director of the NCHS and Research Professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs).