March 2026: Speaking at Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks

Tenke Zoltani, Founder of Better Finance and advisor to the United Nations Development Programme Crisis Bureau, spoke at Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week 2026 in Geneva on the panel “Myth to Reality: What is the Potential of Humanitarian Innovative Financing for Localisation?”. The discussion explored how innovative financing tools—including impact investment, debt, blended finance, and SME financing—can strengthen local economies in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

Drawing on UNDP’s work in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Nigeria, Tenke highlighted how financing solutions can connect humanitarian response with long-term economic resilience. Her remarks focused on building domestic private sector pipelines, expanding access to finance for women-owned enterprises, and mobilizing public and private capital to support recovery and durable solutions in crisis contexts.

The panel brought together humanitarian, development, and private sector actors including OXFAM, ICRC, and others to examine how innovative finance can move from concept to practical solutions that empower local organizations and businesses in crisis-affected regions.