Jack Odunga, Anne Muchiri and Raphael Kiruthi visited this year's AidEx 2025 in Nairobi. Read Jack's blog post titled "Forging a Resilient Future: Insights from AidEx Africa 2025" here:
https://www.ict4d.at/2025/08/forging-a-resilient-future-insights-from-aidex-africa-2025/
Forging a Resilient Future: Insights from AidEx Africa 2025
The Nairobi Safari Park Hotel recently hosted AidEx Africa 2025, a pivotal two-day event held on June 11th and 12th. This year’s conference convened at a critical juncture, as the recent cessation of USAID projects by the US Government underscored the urgent need for new humanitarian and development assistance approaches, particularly across the Global South and in particular sub-Saharan Africa. The overarching theme, “Future-Proofing Humanitarian and Development Assistance: Re-imagining partnerships, innovation and locally led solutions to build resilience across East Africa,” served as a powerful call to action for the humanitarian community, urging a paradigm shift towards more sustainable and self-reliant strategies.
As a dedicated tech enthusiast, my keen interest in leveraging technology for human betterment drew me particularly to the first day’s proceedings. A recurring theme among the diverse speakers was the indispensable role of technology in tackling East Africa’s most pressing challenges. Discussions spanned the spectrum, from harnessing technological advancements to combat the escalating climate crisis and bolster health systems, to scaling and localizing humanitarian efforts and driving innovation within East African contexts. The imperative to invest in locally led humanitarian action resonated strongly, emphasizing the critical need for contextually relevant and community-driven solutions.
Beyond technological innovation, the demand for more equitable and just funding strategies was a powerful undercurrent of the conference. Speakers advocated for approaches that align seamlessly with fair development priorities, championing a shift towards locally-led initiatives. This included focusing on outcome- and values-based metrics, providing long-term, flexible core support, and direct financial backing for local actors. The emphasis was placed on defining success through a contextual, community-centric lens, ultimately striving for systemic change, justice, and empowerment. Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Africa Director for Oxfam International, eloquently articulated this vision, underscoring the vital necessity of strategies rooted in social justice, historical redress, and inclusive participation.
A particularly compelling theme that emerged more so on the second day of the conference was the multifaceted nature of water. Comprehensive debates highlighted water’s role as a catalyst for prosperity and conflict. Reports shared during these sessions illuminated the numerous global conflicts that have stemmed from water scarcity, reinforcing the critical need for sustainable solutions. The International Red Cross‘s commendable efforts in mitigating water scarcity and reducing water-related conflicts were frequently acknowledged, demonstrating the tangible impact of dedicated interventions. It was clear that to prevent future disputes and alleviate water-induced stress, there must be a collective acknowledgement of water’s dual identity: not only as a fundamental human right but also as an invaluable commodity requiring careful management and equitable distribution.
As AidEx Africa 2025 drew to a close, a resounding message permeated the air: technology is an undeniable cornerstone in addressing the myriad forms of human suffering. The convergence of innovative technological solutions with equitable and locally-led humanitarian strategies offers hope for building greater resilience and fostering a more just and sustainable future across East Africa and beyond.
🤝 Collaboration is the key to crisis resolution.
Connect with the #CyberPeaceBuilders at #AIDEX, the world's leading humanitarian aid and disaster relief event.
📍 25-26 OCTOBER AT PALEXPO IN GENEVA
Register today: https://www.aid-expo.com/
The world’s leading humanitarian aid and disaster relief event - AidEx is featuring high-level conference sessions, workshops, discussion groups, impact sessions, case studies, relief and international development, and training programmes geared to solve the challenges in aid. The main agenda theme of this year’s AidEx is ‘Addressing the forgotten crises – how can we manage and anticipate crises when so much of our focus is on Ukraine?. The conference will shine a light on other crises that are obscured by the war in Europe and explore creative solutions to turn the tide on the crises that are not getting the attention
ICT4D.at
Jack Odunga
CyberPeace Institute