At the invitation of Denmark, who holds the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council for the month of March, the Sovereign Order of Malta’s Mission to the United Nations delivered a compelling statement on the urgent humanitarian dimensions of the war in Ukraine, calling for renewed moral leadership, a vision for recovery, and a firm commitment to dignity, justice, and peace.
The scale and urgency of the crisis were underscored by Ms. Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, who delivered a stark assessment of the humanitarian situation. She reported that nearly 13 million people need urgent assistance, while only 17 percent of the $2.6 billion required for Ukraine’s 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan has been secured. Ms. Msuya further warned that essential services—including access to clean water, heating, and protection for survivors of gender-based violence—are increasingly imperiled due to severe winter conditions and continued attacks on civilian infrastructure.
In this context, Ambassador Beresford-Hill called for a renewed global commitment to the people of Ukraine—one that recognizes peace not merely as the absence of conflict but as the presence of justice, reconstruction, and long-term human dignity. “Our engagement is not solely defined by our humanitarian operations on the ground,” he stated. “It is also grounded in a belief that peace must not be measured by silence on the battlefield, but by the restoration of justice, the rebuilding of communities, and the healing of both visible and invisible wounds.”
Ambassador Beresford-Hill went on to outline six foundational pillars for Ukraine’s long-term recovery, shaped by the Order’s extensive humanitarian work in the region. First, he highlighted the urgent need for psychological support, especially for children and youth suffering from war-related trauma. Without sustained intervention, he cautioned, these invisible wounds could pose lasting threats to both individual well-being and societal cohesion.
He next emphasized the restoration of Ukraine’s healthcare system as a national priority, calling for the reconstruction of medical infrastructure, a reliable supply of essential medicines, and the establishment of national emergency storage centers.
Environmental and land safety formed the fourth pillar, with the Ambassador advocating for the clearance of landmines and unexploded ordnance and the safeguarding of nuclear facilities against both negligence and targeted attacks. “The consequences,” he warned, “would extend well beyond Ukraine’s borders.”
Food and water security, particularly in rural areas, was identified as the fifth critical need. The Ambassador called for both immediate humanitarian assistance and longer-term strategies to revitalize Ukraine’s agricultural sector, a cornerstone of economic recovery. Finally, he placed education at the heart of national renewal—highlighting not only the reopening of schools but also the empowerment of a new generation capable of rebuilding with resilience and foresight.
Drawing on the legacy of global recovery efforts following World War II, Ambassador Beresford-Hill invoked the spirit of the Marshall Plan, Bretton Woods, and post-war reconciliation as models for action today. “Is it too much to ask,” he reflected, “that we bring the same spirit of reconciliation and foresight to Ukraine today?”
In closing, the Ambassador quoted Pope Francis: “Can we learn once again to walk and live in the ways of peace?” Let that, he urged, be the shared commitment of the international community.
