Please tell us about your role(s) during the humanitarian crisis.
Roland Müller is a Board Member of ARCADIA, where he also took communication, outreach, partnerships, and knowledge management roles during the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. In addition, from August to December, he was a fellow at the Managing Global Governance (MGG) Academy at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in Bonn, where the Ukraine humanitarian crisis was analyzed as part of the current polycrisis we experience.
Which were the most difficult moments?
One of the most difficult moments was the realization and the collective understanding that was not simply a military operation but a real act of war towards not only Ukraine but also the whole European continent. There were three levels of difficulties:
Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova are getting closer to the European Union, and they have the real prospect of being accession countries and part of the EU at one point. However, the EU extension process and the consolidation have to be consistently and substantially advanced, also in relation to the Western European countries and Georgia.
From a wider geopolitical development view, we are facing multiple crises (COVID, food, financial crisis) putting all of them together, we notice how the world is in transformation. Multiple power centers are being developed. Particularly relevant for the Ukrainian crisis is the current situation in the USA where we will have the presidential elections at the end of the year. As we know, the USA is one of the financial aid-provider for Ukraine and a military backer alongside Great Britain and Europe, we must not forget the statement that Mister Trump, a presidential candidate, declared that if nations that failed to contribute at least 2% of GDP to the NATO.
However, knowing that the U.S. has a democratic system with strong institutions regardless of who will come to the White House, we Europeans have to hope and believe that the U.S. will continue to be a strategic partner of the EU and a leading member of NATO.
The biggest difficulties were also the day and hour of February 24, 2022, when multiple invasions occurred in many areas of Ukraine. We did not believe this country could have resisted for more than 72 hours. Instead, we witnessed a huge resistance on their part, despite the human loss and suffering.
Which were the most meaningful moments?
One of the meaningful moments was the immediate reaction of the army, Ukrainian citizens, young people, women, and men who decided to stay and protect their country. It was a remarkable moment in the reaction of neighboring and EU countries such as Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, France, and Germany. The actions taken by the different European countries were decisive despite difficulties and political complexity. It was possible to mobilize and show solidarity with Ukraine.
When Ukraine and Moldova were presented with the prospect of joining the EU, it was a significant moment for me because it gave hope to the Ukrainian people.
Our goals now are the will to stay loyal to the EU principles and values for taking concrete actions that give people hope and motivation to continue, and for that, we need political will, financial support, and concrete steps.
Please tell us about your organization and how it contributes to addressing the humanitarian crisis.
ARCADIA is a professional association, we are a civil society initiative. One of the core objectives and ideas is to strengthen this profession of development and humanitarian assistance. In Romania, the profession of “sustainable development expert” is recognized; however, we don’t yet have a recognized profession of humanitarian expert.
At ARCADIA, we want to get more people involved in the conversation and engage with Universities and academics, aiming to reach out to young people in Europe, not only in social sciences, politics, or international cooperation but also people interested in international development, international cooperation for sustainable development, and humanitarian assistance, to strengthen this profession.
Our activities focus on workshops, meetings, and events with experts in the field of development and humanitarian assistance. The situation was such that a lot of refugees were entering the country, and people who had expertise in addressing refugee flows were limited.
ARCADIA contributed by creating and connecting networks of people, communities, and resources with the emergency situation. We were able to be very active with many NGOs at the borders that were welcoming the refugees providing accommodation and food, helping with the translation, connecting with the governmental institutions setting, and liaising back with their families. On one hand, we were a part of civil society, and we also engaged in dialogue with the authorities, like the Department for Emergency Situations. We also tried to connect people with expertise specialized in various areas based in Romania or abroad with organizations and contexts where their expertise was needed. We also promoted and participated in fundraising activities through the Federation for Development NGOs, “FOND.”
What worked well in regard to the (Romanian/regional) efforts to address the humanitarian crisis?
The elements that enabled effective and efficient work were the incredible and immediate activism of the people and, on a larger scale, of the neighboring countries and the solidarity shown.
What could have worked better?
What could have worked better was probably considering the warning signs, such as the invasion of Crimea in 2014. We could have been in a position to provide a better humanitarian aid response by engaging more on the development side with the immediate EU neighborhood, such as the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Caucasus, and the Mediterranean areas. The European Union should be more active in peace promotion activities that can be done at home and abroad. Achim Steiner, the UNDP Administrator, said, “the best vaccine for preventing the Ukrainian invasion is to link peace with development action.”
What are you focusing on in your work at the moment?
Right now, I am researching and analyzing the link of influences between internationally agreed policies and domestic ones. Precisely I am researching the role of the 2015 Agenda for Sustainable Development, “Transforming Our World,” a policy adopted by all the member states of the United Nations in 2015, and how the SDGs are reflected in the national development cooperation process of Germany.
Interview by Saíra Cieri
Photo by Max Kukurudziak
Region: Central and Eastern Europe Country/(ies): Ukraine, Romania Topics: Humanitarian Aid, Humanitarian Crisis, European Union, Nato, Arcadia
