37th & The World

37th & The World is the official podcast of the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs (GJIA), the flagship publication of Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service. In this podcast, we dive into key global trends and speak directly with the experts working on these critical issues. Our undergraduate and graduate student editors host conversations with scholars and practitioners on the subjects they find important and engaging. To read articles published by GJIA, please visit: gjia.georgetown.edu.

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37th & The World

37th & The World: Less Money, More Conflicts — Can Humanitarian Aid Stay Neutral?

September 22, 2025 • Georgetown Journal of International Affairs (GJIA) • Season 6 • Episode 3

Conflicts are multiplying while donations fall. How do you keep life-saving work running and neutral when the math gets harsher?

In this episode, GJIA speaks with Marc Rivers, Chief Financial Officer of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), about making tough financial choices to keep civilians at the center of humanitarian action. In this episode, Marc Rivers digs into what gets cut and what is protected no matter what, how long core operations can last if donations dip, and a real example of saying “no” to donor conditions to safeguard neutrality.

The conversation also tackles the metric ICRC checks every morning, which protection programs will grow or shrink (and how to tell if they’re actually working), the single fix banks or governments could make to unblock funds, new safety steps for aid workers, how partnerships with China and the UAE stay focused on quiet, neutral aid, not politics, and where your $100 today makes the biggest difference tomorrow at ICRC.