ICP Public Lecture series: "The Future of Humanitarian Action: Diplomacy, Leadership and the Next Generation" with Mr. Carl Skau, the UN World Food Programme
November 13, 2026
The American University of Central Asia (AUCA) hosted a public lecture titled “The Future of Humanitarian Action: Diplomacy, Leadership and the Next Generation” on Friday, October 23, 2026. The event was part of the ICP Public Lecture Series, organized by the university’s International and Comparative Politics Department.
The speaker was Mr. Carl Skau, Acting Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). The title pointed to three connected themes. The first was diplomacy. Humanitarian work depends on negotiation as much as on logistics: delivering food to people in conflict zones requires agreements with governments, local authorities, and armed groups, as well as coordination among donors, UN agencies, and NGOs. As the acting head of the world’s largest humanitarian organization fighting hunger, Mr. Skau was well placed to speak to this side of the work.
The second theme was leadership. Humanitarian organizations face rising needs, tight funding, and complex crises driven by conflict, climate shocks, and food insecurity. Leading under those conditions means making hard decisions about priorities and maintaining the trust of partners and affected communities. For students of international and comparative politics, a senior leader’s perspective offered a practical counterpart to classroom theory.
The last theme was the next generation. By placing young professionals in the title, the lecture spoke directly to its student audience about the skills and values the sector will need and how to build a career in it. Hosting the event at AUCA, in a region where international organizations are active, made the topic especially relevant to students considering work in international affairs.
Students also had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Skau and ask him questions, which gave them a chance to engage directly with a senior humanitarian leader on the issues raised during the lecture.
