Première Urgence Internationale
GENERAL PRESENTATION
Première Urgence Internationale is an international NGO that has been helping victims of war, climate shocks and economic collapse for over 40 years.
In 2025, we intervened in 25 countries and supported nearly 6 million people through our various areas of expertise (health, mental health, nutrition, food security, water, sanitation, and hygiene, and protection).
Our position is unique within the humanitarian sector: we intervene in situations of absolute emergency in areas classified as "red zones". The values upheld by Première Urgence Internationale's teams are therefore echoed in those of the ultra-trail world: pushing oneself beyond one's limits, solidarity, respect, inclusion, and humanity.
Première Urgence Internationale's three main types of intervention:
- Emergencies: the example of Gaza in 2025
Though present in the occupied Palestinian territories since 2002, teams have been working non-stop since October 2023 on an emergency basis to help civilian victims of the bombings in the Gaza Strip.
Thanks to our Emergency Fund, we immediately set up vital support for the population, including an operation to distribute drinking water, giving 10,000 people access to this vital resource during the first month of the conflict.
At the end of 2025, Première Urgence Internationale saved a precious archaeological collection in Gaza that was threatened by an Israeli strike. This collection, the result of 25 years of excavations, includes objects from major Christian and ancient sites. Despite the risks, it was transferred to a safe location. Since 2017, the organization has been protecting Gaza's heritage while providing training to young Palestinians.
The cost of this specific operation was €25,000, the equivalent of 13 UTMB charity bibs.
- New missions: the example of Benin and Togo in 2024
The exploration phase is an essential step in any humanitarian intervention. It allows us to analyze humanitarian needs on the ground, thanks to a team that assesses the relevance of intervening and defines an appropriate response. Our Emergency Fund helps finance such operations.
In response to the security crisis in northern Togo and Benin, Première Urgence Internationale is working to improve access to primary healthcare for local populations, displaced persons, and refugees, in support of local organizations. In coordination with the authorities, it aims to strengthen local capacities, improve healthcare provision, compensate for shortages of medical supplies, and support water, sanitation and hygiene systems.
The average cost of an exploratory mission is €10,000, the equivalent of 5 UTMB charity bibs.
- Long-term crises: the example of Afghanistan over the past 40 years
In a global context marked by the multiplication and intensification of humanitarian emergencies, our teams act in new critical situations while continuing their actions in chronic and protracted crises.
These protracted crises are situations in which a significant proportion of the population is faced with an increased risk of death, disease and the collapse of their means of subsistence.
In Afghanistan, for example, our teams have been working for more than 40 years in what remains one of the most complex crises in the world, characterized by both urgent and chronic needs. The return to power of the Taliban in 2021 was a major turning point for the country, with humanitarian challenges continuing to grow. This historic intervention by Première Urgence Internationale has taken the form of deploying mobile medical clinics in isolated areas lacking health facilities.
The monthly cost of a mobile medical clinic is €12,000, or 6 UTMB charity bibs.
