The Charity Commission has hosted a discussion with government and sector representatives on the challenges of delivering aid in the Middle East as the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) reports its appeal has raised almost £40m.
Following the meeting yesterday – which included senior officials from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Home Office and the Treasury – the regulator said it planned to produce further guidance with government departments for charities operating in the region.
Meanwhile, DEC confirmed that its government-backed Middle East Humanitarian Appeal had raised over £39m since its delayed launch in October 2024.
‘Lack of clarity in UK regulations’
NGO umbrella body Bond, which attended the meeting, said aid agencies discussed the difficulties in complying with “a lack of clarity in UK regulations, and the need for aligned exceptions in sanctions and counter-terrorism laws” across different regimes.
Teresa Dumasy, research, advisory and policy department director at Bond, said they also discussed the problem of banks de-risking charities, particularly those transferring funds to areas deemed “high-risk” such as the Middle East.
“There was consensus on the need for continued dialogue and consultation both within government and with the sector on how to manage the challenges, and on the value of the Tri-Sector Group which brings together government, banks and charities for this purpose,” she said.
“There was agreement on the need for greater support to smaller charities.”
£39m raised
DEC, also present at the meeting, launched its Middle East Humanitarian Appeal over a year after the Hamas attacks in Israel in October 2023.
Its appeal, which opened after escalating violence in Lebanon last year, has since raised £39m including government match-funding of up to £10m.
Madara Hettiarachchi, DEC’s director of programmes and accountability, said: “The DEC welcomes the commitment of the Charity Commission, FCDO, and other government departments to work together to publish further guidance to support charities of all sizes seeking to operate in the region.
“We appreciate the commission convening government departments, and major international aid charities at such a critical moment.”
‘To enable as well as to enforce’
Commission chief executive David Holdsworth said the meeting came as part of the regulator’s role “to enable as well as to enforce”.
“In convening today’s roundtable, the commission sought to bring together key players for an honest conversation about the challenges and risks involved in delivering international aid in such circumstances,” he said.
“All were united by an ambition to help ensure that the UK and its citizens can effectively help bring aid to a region in desperate need.
“The commission stands ready to support however it can within its regulatory remit and we will shortly publish further advice to charities working in this area.”
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