Humanitarian affairs segment
SUBSTANTIVE SESSION (morning session)
Theme of the segment: “Strengthening of the coordination of UN humanitarian assistance through enhancing the effectiveness of needs-based humanitarian assistance”.
Opening and general statements:
Opening remarks by John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator:
The Secretary General’s reports reflect a year of continuing crises and humanitarian challenges, but also modest progress in some areas, like elections in Democratic Republic of the Congo or promising peace processes in Nepal.
Donor generosity has increased. The past year has also demonstrated that UN efforts to improve the humanitarian system are bearing initial fruits: response more reliable, more accountable leadership and more strategic engagement between governments and their international humanitarian counterparts. But despite these positive developments, the lives and livelihoods of tens of millions of civilians remain at risk.
Moreover, the prevalence of gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies remains profoundly worrying.
Conflicts also continue in Sudan, Chad, the Central African Republic, the occupied Palestinian territory, Iraq and Afghanistan. Climate change, desertification and increased competitions over natural resources are likely to increase the need for timely, effective and equitable humanitarian assistance.
Improving the way for work:
Ø Partnerships
At the core of humanitarian programmes are stronger partnerships (with governments, UN agencies, UNHCR, IOM, NGOs) based on the belief that common purpose and collaboration are required to ensure that the impact of efforts is great.
To this end, a global humanitarian platform has been formed. Participants agreed to a set of principles of partnership that acknowledges the values of diversity, and promote equality, transparency, a results-based approach, responsibility and complementarity.
Ø The cluster approach
The cluster approach was conceived as a way to improve the way humanitarian actors operate together to respond to the demand of host governments and donors for a stronger, and more structure response. The approach is based on the concept of a lead organization for sectors that have traditionally suffered from a lack of capacity and coordination.
Ø Humanitarian financing
In 2005, it has pledged to create a faster, more predictable and equitable humanitarian financing system, both through an increase in the volume of humanitarian funds and through innovative mechanisms that better prioritise and target funds based on need.
In addition to the CERF, there is increased interest in so-called “pooled” funding mechanisms at the country level.
Ø Humanitarian coordinators
The success of the cluster approach and the effective use of humanitarian financing mechanisms require quality decision-making and leadership on the ground. Humanitarian coordinators have the delegated experience to identify and prioritise needs and make the most effective use of the human expertise, material resources and humanitarian funds available to them.
The importance of access:
Ensuring the timely, safe and unhindered access of humanitarian personnel, equipment and supplies, for the purpose of preventing and alleviating human suffering is a core tenet of humanitarian assistance and a prerequisite for humanitarian work.
Its important to work together to improve the security conditions in areas where civilians lives are at stake and where humanitarian workers operate.
Moreover, its also important to work harder to reduce the bureaucratic obstacles that impede humanitarian work.
Finally, we must more effectively communicate the independence and impartiality of humanitarian work, while insisting on respect for the culture, traditions and practices of the countries in which humanitarians are operating.
The way forward:
National and international humanitarian actors must be ready to act quickly, predictably and with adequate capacity and resources. To make this possible, the following elements must be in place:
the humanitarian system must continue to improve response capacity to meet increased needs and rapidly address gaps and duplication at global, regional and local levels
humanitarian funding mechanisms should be developed, supported, and funded to realize a more innovative and equitable international humanitarian financial system
improvements to the system should not occur as part of a specific event or process
what is also fundamental is the widest possible acceptance of key humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law in order to maintain a secure and effective operating environment
Statement by Techmina Janjua, Deputy Permanent of Pakistan, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China:
The principles of neutrality, humanity and impartiality should remain the basis of all responses to humanitarian emergencies and guide the efficiency and coordination of humanitarian assistance by the UN and all relevant organizations.
Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of States must remain the overarching parameters in all efforts for coordination of humanitarian assistance.
It is important that relevant organizations of the UN system engage with the relevant authorities at the national levels to built strong capacities at all levels, with a view to improving the overall adequacy and deployment of resources.
The group 77 and China believe that provision of emergency assistance to an affected country should not be seen as an isolated mechanism, but there is a need to recognize the linkage between emergency assistance, rehabilitation and long term development as different stages of a coordinated effort.
However, the group of 77 and China emphasize that humanitarian assistance cannot and should not be viewed as a replacement for development cooperation, but should be additional to development cooperation.
The Group of 77 and China endorse the proposal of the SG that the international community should support the efforts of the developing countries in building humanitarian capacities, through transfer of technology and expertise and extending multi-sectoral cooperation.
Moreover, the Group of 77 and China recommend that OCHA adopt a regular practice of reporting to the ECOSOC, in an emergency session if necessary, whenever a major natural disaster happens and a request for assistance is made by the affected country.
Similarly, the group of 77 and China has expressed its desire for the implementation of the principle of equitable geographical distribution in the entire UN system, including OCHA. They would also include information in the next SGs’ report on the break up of personnel working in OCHA both at headquarters and in the field with details on their level, function and nationality. They also support the importance of preparedness.
Indonesia, Cuba, Sri Lanka, Cuba join them at the statement of the Group of 77 and China.
Statement by Mr. Carlos Pereira Marques, Deputy permanent Representative of Portugal, on behalf of the European Union (EU):
The EU highlights some specific points and challenges which can be made in the context of humanitarian reform:
Ø System wide response and current challenge to humanitarian activities:
A pre-requisite for an effective humanitarian response is the ability of humanitarian actors to speedily reach affected populations so that they receive the humanitarian assistance they need. More is required to ensure that such access is granted, maintained and sustained on the ground.
On natural disasters, the EU continuous to see the need to strengthen UN leadership in disaster preparedness and risk reduction in cooperation with the ongoing work of the Global Facility on Disaster Reduction and Recovery.
It is also crucial to improve the accuracy of data and methodologies for data collection in order to efficiently address each situation the humanitarian community encounters.
Ø The cluster approach:
The EU strongly supports the cluster approach not as an end it itself but as providing an important tool in identifying gaps in humanitarian response and as a means to enhance the quality and coherence of humanitarian action, both at the global and country levels.
Ø The humanitarian coordinator system and humanitarian partnerships:
The strengthening of the humanitarian coordinator system is a key element of humanitarian reform and the EU welcomes initiatives to this end.
The EU is also in favour of enhancing the effectiveness of humanitarian assistance through the broadening of humanitarian partnerships which creating capacities at the global, regional, national and local levels.
Ø Military assets in natural disaster relief:
Humanitarian aid should be first implemented by organizations with a humanitarian vocation. However, recent natural disaster have shown that national and international military forces can play a very important role in providing logistics, as well as in search and rescue.
In these cases, the use of military assets, upon the request, consent of the affected government, can be only available option in addressing gaps in the civilian response capacity.
Ø Needs-based humanitarian financing:
The EU recognizes the need to continue equitable, flexible and timely funding in response to humanitarian emergencies and underlines the importance of the full range of financial mechanisms in addressing the funding challenge.
The effective use of humanitarian funding mechanisms depends on the development of an accurate picture of beneficiaries’ needs, of common performance measures and of quality analysis on funding levels and trends. It is also important to promote transparency and accountability regarding the way funds are resourced and spent.
Statement by Mr. Marco Ferrari, Deputy Head, Swiss agency for development and cooperation / humanitarian aid department and Swiss humanitarian aid unit:
Ø Concerning the use of military assets in disaster relief:
Switzerland emphasizes the primacy of civil humanitarian organizations. The use of military assets has a subsidiary nature.
Switzerland calls on the governments to recognize the relevance of the instrument that regulates civil-military cooperation in disaster relief, namely the Oslo guidelines which are based on the humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence. Thus, all states are invited to integrate the procedures for sharing responsibility between civil and military actors in their emergency preparedness plans.
Furthermore, Switzerland invites regional organizations to support efforts made at the national level to build up capacities in this area.
Ø Concerning efforts to improve humanitarian aid through improved needs assessments:
Switzerland supports the process aiming at strengthening the Humanitarian coordinator’s system, while stressing the independence this function must maintain in relation to other UN mechanisms for operational coordination.
Statement by the representative of Russia Mr. Alexander Pankin:
The Russian delegation believes that strengthening intergovernmental dialogue through the analysis of lessons learnt by all countries will contribute to better mutual understanding in humanitarian field.
Furthermore, increasing frequency of natural hazards, objectively call for an increased demand for the use of powerful and available means of response to disasters to ensure search and rescue work, evacuation of affected population and delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Often, foreign military assets turn out to be such means. Unregulated use of military assets leads to undesirable aggravations during the humanitarian operations, undermining the fundamental principles of provision of humanitarian assistance and the primacy of the civil character of its.
The decision of the use of military assets is to be taken by the government of the affected State.
The humanitarian coordinator should maintain constant working contact with the government in order to ensure better coordination.
In this context, the Russian delegation believes also that the 1994 guidelines on the use of military and civil defence assets in disaster relief can serve as a reference point.
Military assets should be use only as a last resort and upon the agreement of the affected country and only if civil assets are not available and civil control over the whole humanitarian operation is being preserved.
Statement by delegation of Canada:
Canada shares the SG’s concerns about ongoing obstacles to humanitarian access. Canada warmly welcomes the ERC’s commitment to more systematically track and assess the reasons for and consequences of restricted humanitarian access and report instances of grave concern back to the council. It is important that the UN Security Council and other bodies are informed in real time when access is purposely restricted.
Moreover, the safety of humanitarian workers is increasingly at risk. So, members States have a responsibility to investigate the perpetrators of such acts wherever and whenever they occur.
Canada welcomes the progress to date on the implementation of humanitarian reforms, in particular the reinforcing of the CERF, the cluster approach and the strengthening of the humanitarian coordinator position.
Canada encourages OCHA to continue to work with cluster leaders to enforce their leadership and coordination capacity.
Canada supports the efforts by OCHA to broaden the pool of humanitarian coordinators and provide the training required to strengthen the capacity of those identified to play this role.
Canada strongly support the recommendation of the SG that the UN humanitarian organizations work collectively to improve the quality of data on beneficiaries, needs and performance.
Finally, concerning the use of military assets in natural disaster response, Canada believes that the civilian sector is best suited for the majority of humanitarian operations. However, there are some areas where the military possess unique capacities that can be called upon in responding to major natural disasters. For these reasons, it is critical that the SG develop more systematic links with member states offering military assets. It is also crucial to built strong linkages with regional organizations to ensure that regional civil-military coordination efforts are undertaken in a manner that is consistent with OCHA’s leadership role.
SIDE EVENT (1h30 pm)
This meeting was a panel discussion and a briefing on progress of the implementation of the Hyogo framework for action 2005-2015.
The chairman, Mr J. Holmes, under-secretary-general for Humanitarian affairs, first observed that efforts made to reduce disaster risks is now integrated into main programmes and policies for sustainable development and poverty reduction.
He welcomed the results of the global platform for disaster risk reduction which took place in Geneva last month.
Then, the floor was open to several panellists on the theme on progress made strengthening national institutions and policies to promote disaster resilience.
Mr M. Owor, on behalf on government of Madagascar, first took the floor. After showing a video concerning the effects of climate change in this country (drought, hailstorm, floods, ...) and the implementation of the national platform against natural disaster, Mr Owor defined five priorities and actions:
Ensure that disaster risk reduction is a local and national priority with a strong national basis for implementation
Identify, assess and monitor disaster risk and enhance early warning
Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels
Reducing the underlying risk factors
Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels
Mr Ibrahim Osman, Deputy Secretary-general of IFRC, said that the federation tried to reduce disaster by advocacy and he gave us the example of Pakistan and Vietnam. He finally declared that Red Cross is facing many challenges as resources mobilization to continue to scale up in this way and maintain a sustainable and actual presence in the countries affected by disaster.
Finally, Mr Saroj Kumar Jha, manager for the World Bank in global facility for disaster risk reduction and recovery, shared with us the Bank’s new strategy framework for reduction and sustainable recovery.
This new strategy is based on analytical studies and lessons of experiences (more than 605 projects) and provides technical assistances for client countries to identify risks and develop mitigation strategies. The global facility for disaster reduction and recovery (GFDRR) is a financing instrument to implement this framework. Vulnerability reduction is the core of the GFDRR.
This financing instrument aim is to support ISDR to build up a coherent approach to risk reduction and to make a speedy and predicable financing for disaster recovery in low income countries.
Mr Jha ended by saying that World Bank contributes 350 millions a year for this tracks and thanking all GFDRR donors amongst other UK, Sweden, Spain, and Japan.
SUBSTANTIVE SESSION (afternoon session)
The purpose of the meeting was a panel discussion on “the use of military assets for natural disaster relief”.
The moderator, Ms Margareta Walhstrom, Assistant Secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs, introduced the five panellists.
First, el colonel Roberto Claudio del Rosal Ibarra, from the ministry of Defence of Mexico, expressed that in his country, the army is devoted to population affected by disaster.He emphasized then that relief assistance is crucial because natural disaster is a threat for all country’s growth. According to him, the assistance could be a medical one or take the shape of building materials. After describing the process of this humanitarian relief, el colonel Ibarra described the shape that it could take (provide makeshift housing, clear gravels…).He ended by saying that this assistance is based on the respect of the universal system of Human Rights, of the state affected by the disaster (always be conformed to the state’s volition) and without weapon usage.
The second speaker talked about two recent crises: the south-east Asia earthquake and the conflict in Lebanon to emphasize on the significance of a joint national military civilian response coordinating body. He finally took the example of Pakistan to advocate the use of military assets during relief operations.
The third panellist was Ms Susan Johnson, Director of national societies and field support division of IFRC. She expressed the importance of military assets in humanitarian actions in particular for logistic, transportation capacity or emergency case.
She also stressed the importance of the follow-up of the Oslo guidelines.
The fourth panellist, Mr Paulo Zucula, director of national disaster management institute of Mozambique, shared with us the experience of his country concerning disaster management.
He told that at the time of the firs floods in 2001, he noted a lake of coordination between civilians and militaries (military troops was arrayed into areas not affected whereas people who really need help was not saved).
Thus, since 2002, a special institution called “national union for civil protection” was created to bridge this gap.
The last speaker was Ms Alyson Bailes, director of the Stockholm international peace research institute. She stressed that this institute carried out a study on disaster the spring of this year. She expressed that OCHA can play a significant role by helping affected countries to make an assessment of their needs. She also deplored that the military relief do not correspond with these needs.
In conclusion, all the panellists agreed with the use of military assets for natural disaster relief but not in any costs.
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