Emergence of Gulf donors has not been matched by a systemic response in humanitarian action

In an article in Zenith magazine on the humanitarian response to the Syrian crisis, Andras Derzsi-Horvath commented that contributions by Gulf countries were significant but inconsistent, rendering the long-term planning by local partners difficult. Critically, emerging donors do not want to be piggy banks of the humanitarian system but take an active part in its evolution. At the same time, while traditional actors seem inflexible to open discussions about humanitarian principles, a closer look at their practices reveals variable compliance to those.