A Conversation with Humanitarian David Gressly

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During his 40-year career with the United Nations, Missouri native David Gressly witnessed more than his share of global challenges - from global health threats like Ebola to the birth of a new nation. Most recently, Gressly served in the dual role of UN Resident Coordinator and UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen.

In December 2023, BWC President Peter Yeo spoke with Gressly on the occasion of Gressly's retirement. The dialogue has been lightly edited for print.

Watch the full conversation on YouTube.

Yeo: Under your leadership, the UN led an effort to remove more than 1 million gallons of oil from a rusting tanker off the coast of Yemen. Why was the UN so important in the work?

Gressly: The UN was the only body that could actually have done that. Only the UN had access to all sides of the existing conflict in Yemen and the region. Therefore, not only was the UN in a position to do it, it almost had an obligation. So in that sense, it was extremely important that the UN step forward, take up that responsibility. Some people talked about military solutions. Others talked of technical solutions. But in the end, it was a political problem that had to be solved politically, before even launching into the technical solution. And only the UN was on the ground to do it.

"In the end, people will find the way forward."

David Gressly

Yeo: During your more than four decades with the UN, you've tackled many challenges in the Middle East, in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa. Can you think of a moment that embodies the sweep of your professional career?

Gressly: I would go back to the referendum in South Sudan, which was a referendum for independence from Sudan itself.

What I loved about that moment was how peaceful it was after 20 years of war. I was very, very proud of what the United Nations did to help create that space. Getting kids into school for the first time, opening thousands of kilometers of roads, demining, all the things required to make it ready, as well as supporting elections, the census, and ultimately referendum itself. So everything the UN can do was done to help that path to independence in 2011.

The referendum itself was also a beautiful day. Seeing people lined up for the first time in their lives to vote on the future of their country, not just elected official, but what they wanted for the future. Everywhere I traveled that day, people lined up peacefully. They were very happy. It was a joyous day and it was almost unanimous that they find their own path forward in an independent country.

Yeo: As you look at the next 10 years, what do you think are the emerging trends that we should be focused on?

Gressly: The UN, like any organization, has to continuously reinvent itself to face the challenges as they also evolve over time. Humanitarian action today is not what it was 25 years ago. It's more complex because the operating environment is more complex. We see the evolution even of warfare on the ground, which complicates humanitarian assistance. So it all makes for a very difficult environment in which to work, and we need to adapt to that. And I think we'll see continued evolution in that regard, not only on the humanitarian side, but on the peace and security side. And I do hope that we find ways to continue to develop the tools required to solve problems locally.

And one of the key ways I believe of doing that is to focus internally on those tensions that exist where countries are in conflict and to find solutions politically that help deal with very old grievances, in many cases, a more peaceful path forward in time. And that will be the core challenge as we go forward. Without that, humanitarian needs will just increase, the need for recovery will increase, development will be compromised. So we got to focus on the basics: peace and security.

Yeo: How do you remain hopeful when you're dealing with political and economic crises that are so difficult to resolve?

David Gressly: First, you have to take your own ego out of what you're doing. Because usually these problems are quite complex by their very nature, and they take time. And often we project our own timeframe into the situations which we work. You need to step back and say, "I will make a contribution while I'm here." Others will follow and will have to take the time it needs to find the right kind of political solution that is sustainable.

I say this often, I'm a short-term pessimist, it's going to get worse, but a long-term optimist because I think in the end, people will find the way forward. We need to understand that that may take time and, therefore, we need to accompany them for that whole time until they are successful in creating a stable political environment, a good governance system, rule of law, and effective support to the people of their country.

It will come. It will come everywhere. And each of us need to make our own contribution as we go forward.

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