GPE envoy urges global action beyond political will to finance education

Doha, Qatar: The High-Level Envoy and Advisor for Education at the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Nesmy Manigat, has called for tangible global commitments to financing education, urging leaders to move beyond political will to measurable action.

“Beyond the political will, which is always welcome, we are now expecting commitment,” said Manigat, in an exclusive interview with The Peninsula.

“Across the 96 countries where GPE (world's only partnership dedicated solely to funding education in developing countries) is working, half are investing more in their security than in education. We have to act boldly right now.”

Manigat is in Doha to participate in the Second World Summit for Social Development, hosted by Qatar, is a key platform to renew global commitment to social progress, inclusion, and sustainable development.

According to Manigat under Qatar’s leadership, the summit emphasises multilateral action, international solidarity, and the central role of education in achieving peace and stability.

“Education is key for peace and security,” he said. “If we want to prepare the next generation to be actors and change agents for a new world, the time to act is today.”

He underscored that no country can tackle global challenges such as climate change, conflict, or economic instability in isolation, noting that “partnership is key.”

GPE’s partnership with Qatar and its Education Above All Foundation has become a model of innovative education financing. Through Qatar’s early investment of $10m, the GPE Multiplier mechanism attracted an additional $48m from partners such as the World Food Programme and the Inter-American Development Bank, totaling $58m to fund education and school feeding programs for vulnerable children in Haiti.

“The example of engagement between Qatar and Education Above All can inspire other countries,” Manigat said. “We need more than business as usual. We need innovative financing that delivers more for children.”

The collaboration is particularly vital in fragile and conflict-affected regions, where more than 473 million children are living today. “Even in very tough environments, schools remain the safest place for children,” he noted. “It’s about more than education; it’s about the well-being and mental health of children.”

Manigat praised Qatar’s global leadership in “education diplomacy,” saying the country is “more than a donor, it brings people together and champions education as a driver of peace.”

Qatar’s efforts, he said, are “contagious,” inspiring nations to act on behalf of children who remain out of school.

GPE has recently launched an ambitious fundraising campaign, ‘Multiply Possibility’ to mobilize $5bn in new financing and unlock an additional $10bn in co-funding for education.

“In a constrained funding landscape, every dollar must work harder for children,” Manigat said. "Investing through GPE allows countries like Qatar to deliver more impact for every dollar spent on education."

Manigat who also served as Haiti’s Minister of National Education and Vocational Training, said that Haiti stands as a stark reminder of what is at stake. Gang violence has forced the closure of nearly 919 schools and displaced over 100,000 children, leaving many vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups. “When a child doesn’t go to school, they don’t eat; that’s an emergency,” Manigat said, emphasising that education in crises must be treated as an urgent humanitarian priority.

He added that investing in education is a strategic investment in global stability. Research by GPE and the Institute for Economics and Peace shows that one extra year of education can reduce the risk of conflict by up to 20 percent.

“Countries with better-educated populations tend to be more peaceful and stable,” he said.

“Education builds resilience, creates opportunity, and helps societies recover faster.”

As the world faces escalating crises, according to Manigat education must not be sidelined. “When I see the courage of children and the passion of teachers, even in the most difficult conditions, I know we can’t give up,” he said.

“Every morning, I remind myself that their determination is a call for all of us to keep going.”