Today, the humanitarian system is under immense strain. Traditional sources of funding are shrinking as donor countries divert resources to domestic priorities and rising defence expenditures, prompted by ongoing conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The closure or scaling back of major aid agencies, notably including the closure of USAID, underscores the fragility of current humanitarian financing models, highlighting longer institutional histories. Crises in the next decade and the longer future are also predicted to grow significantly in magnitude and frequency, aggravated by climatic, technological, socio-economic and geopolitical factors at regional and global levels.
The Indo-Pacific, like other regions around the world, is increasingly exposed to compounding risks—rising sea levels, extreme weather, food insecurity, cyber threats, misinformation, and large-scale displacement—affecting multiple countries. These risks are further compounded by eroding public trust in multilateral institutions. Moreover, local and regional actors are being asked to shoulder more responsibility with fewer traditional resources and uncertain support. Therefore, the need for actors in the region, particularly those with humanitarian roles and responsibilities, to prepare for future complex crises is clear.
In this fragile global environment, the need for anticipatory, adaptive, and collaborative approaches to humanitarian assistance and disaster response has never been more urgent. Particularly, the willingness for actors involved in humanitarian action—government, military, civil society, the private sector, philanthropic entities, academic and scientific institutions, media and international organisations— to adapt to these approaches are key. Apart from addressing immediate humanitarian concerns and drawing lessons from experience, humanitarian futures calls for an anticipatory and adaptive approach to preparing for future scenarios.
In line with this call, the Humanitarian Futures Forum 2025 aims to strengthen regional preparedness and resilience through inclusive dialogue and knowledge-sharing. Hosted by the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Programme at the Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS), RSIS, and the Changi Regional HADR Coordination Centre (RHCC), the Forum will serve as a key platform for engagement on humanitarian crises. Held on 27 October 2025, the Forum will feature a keynote address and three interactive panel sessions. Each panel session will have 3 – 4 speakers drawn from diverse sectors and geographies to discuss 3 thematic areas. Panel 1 will explore The Future of Digital Humanitarianism: Balancing Impact, Sustainability, and Resilience. Panel 2 will discuss the role of Dilemmas and Trends in the Emerging Humanitarian Landscape. Panel 3 focuses on Frontiers in Civil-Military Partnerships in Disasters.
The successor to a series of events focused on humanitarian futures held during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 4th Humanitarian Futures Forum brings together local and overseas participants from the military, government agencies, think tanks and academia, private sector, philanthropy, local civil society, regional organisations, International NGOs and International Organisations, and media. The forum aims to facilitate the participating organisations to review their experiences in humanitarian settings, share perspectives and offers an avenue to interact with the wider humanitarian community. It seeks to inform humanitarian preparedness, planning and response to crises in our immediate and long-term future. At a time when global systems are stretched and future crises loom large, this gathering provides an essential space for collective reflection, strategic thinking, regional solidarity and exploring partnerships in the face of shared challenges.
Registration
Welcome Remarks
Keynote Address
Table Discussion
Break — Photograph of Speakers and Moderators/all Participants
Panel Session 1: The Future of Digital Humanitarianism: Balancing Impact, Sustainability, and Resilience
Table Discussion
Lunch
Panel Session 2: Dilemmas and Trends in the Emerging Humanitarian Landscape
Table Discussion
Break
Panel Session 3: Frontiers in Civil-Military Partnerships in Disasters
Table Discussion
Closing Remarks
Ambassador Ong Keng Yong
Executive Deputy Chairman
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
Cocktail Reception
Dinner (invited guests only)
Hosted by Ambassador Ong Keng Yong
Executive Deputy Chairman
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
