The missing piece in the humanitarian reset: Humanitarian diplomacy with armed groups

The UN's Humanitarian Reset calls for 'enhanced humanitarian diplomacy' but offers few specifics on what that means. Drawing on frontline evidence from southern Thailand and the Central African Republic, this piece argues that sustained, principled engagement with armed groups can build trust, reduce violence, and open space for broader political dialogue — but only if donors fund it as a core function, not an afterthought.