The European Union Delegation in Geneva joined a World Humanitarian Day ceremony at the Palais des Nations in memory of aid workers killed and wounded while serving communities affected by conflict and disaster.
The commemoration recalled the 2003 bombing of the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, which killed 22 humanitarian workers, including UN Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello.
EU Commissioner Hadja Lahbib warned that humanitarian work had become increasingly dangerous, citing 383 aid workers killed in 2024 and 265 already killed in 2025. She called for greater respect for international humanitarian law and stronger accountability for attacks on civilians and humanitarian personnel.