The United Nations General Assembly Tuesday adopted a resolution, submitted by Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77 (developing countries) and China, to bolster the UN’s hard-pressed humanitarian system struggling to help people hit by increasing natural disasters and other crises around the world.
Under the terms of the resolution “International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters, from relief to development”, the 193-member Assembly recognised the relationship between emergency response, rehabilitation, and development, as well as the need to ensure a smooth transition between the three stages. Pakistan is the current chairman of G77 and China, which now has 134 members and is the United Nations’ biggest intergovernmental group of emerging countries. Introducing the draft, Ambassador Aamir Khan, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, stressed the importance of assisting countries and people affected by natural disasters.
Underlining the importance of early action to minimize the impact of natural disasters, the draft recognizes the special financial needs of countries facing compound risks caused by humanitarian emergencies, natural disasters and climate change. In his remarks, Ambassador Aamir Khan emphasized that emergency assistance must ensure long-term support to affected countries. This year, the text contains new paragraphs that aim to further strengthen humanitarian assistance, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery efforts to help minimize the loss of lives and damage caused by natural disasters.
It encourages efforts to identify best practices to ensure humanitarian response and mitigate the humanitarian impact of natural disasters, the Pakistani envoy said, pointing to increased efforts to prevent famine, food insecurity and malnutrition related to natural disasters. The draft also incorporated mental health support services into disaster response and recovery. In opening remarks, the General Assembly President, Csaba Korosi, said the meeting on strengthening the coordination of emergency and humanitarian assistance of the United Nations could not come at a more fitting moment, as the world today is in a permanent state of humanitarian crisis.
“We are breaking all the wrong records,” he said.
