Abstract. Humanitarian dimension of foreign policy is viewed here as activity to neutralize threats to human security beyond the borders of donor-states. Building upon Giorgio Agamben’s concepts of “bare life” and “state of exception”, the author identifies the growing devaluation of human life and the cycles of constant reproduction of extremely vulnerable, unprotected and devalued life in several crisis settings as the main humanitarian challenges. The cases of human trafficking and migration flows are used to illustrate the phenomenon of “devalued life”. On the basis of the OECD statistics, the aid policies of both Development Assistance Committee member-states and the so-called new donors towards the least developed countries, states in conflict and post-conflict states are examined. Official development assistance and humanitarian aid as one of its forms are analyzed as a practical instrument of modern states’ international humanitarian activity and the main “countermeasure” against devaluation of human life in world politics and society. In conclusion, the need for conceptual and practical changes in international humanitarian cooperation and states’ foreign policies is stressed as a way to more effectively respond to modern human security challenges.