ECOSOC ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON COORDINATION OF UN EMERGENCY

15 July 2003


Text Addresses Humanitarian Developments and Challenges;
and Transition from Relief to Development




The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) adopted a resolution entitled “strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations” this afternoon as it concluded its consideration of special economic, humanitarian and disaster relief assistance.
By the terms of the text, ECOSOC called upon all parties to armed conflicts to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law and urged all States to take necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian personnel.
Under a section on transition from relief to development, ECOSOC stressed the importance to address the situation of the least developed countries affected by conflict and natural disasters, and to improve their institutional capacity. This would include the provision of adequate support for the rehabilitation, reconstruction, long-term sustainable development, poverty reduction and where appropriate, peace-building efforts, of least developed countries.
On humanitarian financing and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance, ECOSOC called upon the United Nations organizations to improve and increase consistency in the way in which humanitarian needs were assessed. This improvement would take place by enhancing the quality, accuracy and transparency of needs assessment; agreeing upon minimum standards in order to properly assess needs; including States and other humanitarian actors in assessment missions; addressing all humanitarian needs; taking into account safety and security of humanitarian personnel; and joint agency assessments.
The text also urged the Emergency Relief Coordinator to develop a global humanitarian financial tracking system and to refine the comprehensive system for the collection and dissemination of data on humanitarian needs and contributions. In this connection, donors were encouraged to consider taking steps to harmonize reporting requirements as well as to enhance reporting to the financial tracking system.
As ECOSOC concluded its consideration of its humanitarian affairs segment this afternoon, Carolyn McAskie, Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, offered concluding remarks, noting that humanitarian concerns must be addressed collaboratively. The views and experiences expressed during the segment were vital in providing a critical assessment of the work and the challenges that lay ahead. Members had emphasized the need to consolidate peace and provide economic alternatives to conflicts, so as to avoid countries in transition slipping back into conflict.
Members had also encouraged donors and the international community to provide flexible funding; assist in the capacity building of national governments; involve political and economic actors in the formulation of humanitarian policy; examine both the nature and distribution of resources; and agree on a definition of humanitarian finance, thus enhancing policy coherence, Ms. McAskie said. Suggestions had been made on how to approach HIV/AIDS in a coordinated and integrated manner; ensure gender mainstreaming and the protection of humanitarian workers; and create a stronger framework of assistance in natural disasters,
The Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council, Valery P. Kuchinsky, said the two and one-half day segment had included three panels - on humanitarian financing, the transition from relief to development and on the effects of HIV/AIDS and other widespread diseases - as well as five information briefings. ECOSOC had benefited from the expertise and perspectives expressed by the Member States, the United Nations Secretariat and specialized agencies, and humanitarian partners and he was convinced that the views expressed would guide priority setting as the international community confronted the humanitarian challenges ahead.
Representatives of Morocco, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and Italy, on behalf of the European Union, stressed the importance of the adoption of the resolution and thanked partners for their spirit of cooperation during the negotiation process. The resolution would ensure the improvement of the international humanitarian system, they said.
Before concluding, ECOSOC decided to take note of a note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Joint Inspection Unit entitled “Evaluation of the United Nations system response in East Timor: coordination and effectiveness” (A/58/85-E/2003/80 and Add.1).
ECOSOC will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 16 July, to consider the implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits.

Action on Resolution
The Economic and Social Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution on strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations (E/2003/L.28), in which it called upon all parties to armed conflicts to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law; urged all States to take necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and United Nations and its associated personnel; strongly urged States to ensure that those responsible for attacks against humanitarian staff are brought to justice, as provided by national law and obligations under international law; stressed the continued need and relevance of integrating, though implementation of existing policies, commitments and guidelines on gender mainstreaming, a gender perspective in the planning, programming and implementation of humanitarian assistance activities; called upon humanitarian and development organizations to strengthen their cooperation, between themselves and with governments of affected States, in order to ensure that the longer-term developmental implications of HIV/AIDS and the other major infectious diseases in emergency situations are adequately addressed.
Under a segment on transition from relief to development, ECOSOC stressed the importance to address, based on need, the situation of the least developed countries affected by conflict, natural disasters, and other humanitarian situations and to improve their institutional capacity and provide adequate support for the rehabilitation, reconstruction, long-term sustainable development, poverty reduction and where appropriate, peace building efforts of least developed countries emerging from these situations.
On humanitarian financing and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance, ECOSOC called upon the United Nations organizations to improve and increase consistency in the way in which humanitarian needs are assessed, inter alia, by enhancing the quality, accuracy and transparency of needs assessment; agreeing upon minimum standards in order to properly assess needs; including States and other humanitarian actors in assessment missions; addressing all humanitarian needs; taking into account safety and security of humanitarian personnel; and joint agency assessments. ECOSOC also urged the Emergency Relief Coordinator to further develop the global humanitarian financial tracking system and to refine the comprehensive system for the collection and dissemination of data on humanitarian needs and contributions; encouraged donors to consider taking steps to harmonize reporting requirements, based on United Nations standards for financial reporting, as well as to enhance reporting to the financial tracking system; and requested the Secretary-General to reflect the progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the present resolution in his next report to the Council and the General Assembly on the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations



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