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Mr. President,
We extend felicitations to you and your team. Ambassador, we hope under your guidance Member States and the Secretariat will be able to contribute constructively in these deliberations. We assure you of our support and cooperation.
We align ourselves with the statement made by Yemen on behalf of G 77 and China.
Mr. President,
Today, natural disasters aggravated by the climate change affect more people in the world than humanitarian emergencies caused by conflicts or internal strife. The number of people requiring humanitarian assistance as a result of natural disaster will continue to increase. The diversity of challenges faced by the world of humanitarian assistance has been compounded by the ongoing multiple crises of finance, energy and food. While the number of people in need will grow owing to diverse challenges, there is a parallel need to improve the level of coordination with the affected state and provision of resources in a more predictable, transparent, accountable and need-based manner.
There are no easy fixes to the challenges that we face. These challenges need to be matched with a concerted and effective response through innovative thinking and reinvigoration of efforts to anticipate and overcome humanitarian emergencies. The report of the Secretary General identifies some of the challenges. However, the list of challenges reflect a certain level of conflict of interest i.e. to expand the mandate rather than identifying the challenges on ground.
We all agree with the importance of development intervention in moving from the phase of relief to long-term rehabilitation. However, it should not become the main theme of humanitarian assistance as the report puts it. Similarly, the challenge is to provide effective and accountable humanitarian assistance and not to create a new categorization of humanitarian environments.
In challenging times leadership plays an important role, the Secretary General’s report provides us steps taken to improve the leadership structure for provision of humanitarian assistance but it does not shed any light on any steps taken for equitable geographical representation in the work of OCHA. Provision of humanitarian assistance is a service delivery the Member States need to know that the affected population receives humanitarian assistance of at least minimum standards as envisaged in humanitarian response plans. However, the report has no comments on this or anything on accountability of humanitarian work of the United Nations.
Mr. President,
While we must continue to explore solutions to the new and emerging challenges to humanitarian assistance, we should also try to specifically improve upon following elements:
Improved coordination mechanism by Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) remains pivotal both in providing humanitarian assistance and presenting the ground situation to the world. Coordination would be of essence in times of constrained resources and to avoid overlapping of work by relevant humanitarian agencies.
The varying focus on whether the humanitarian challenges resulting from complex emergencies are more compounded than natural disasters or vice versa need to be avoided as the subject of humanitarian assistance should be kept above board and need not to be wrapped in political nuances and expediencies.
The complex nature of humanitarian work would require sensitivity towards specific situations and in responding to their needs. We can not have one size fit all approach to humanitarian assistance.
Tapping on alternate means such as increased local procurements of material resources and hiring of local expertise to save funds.
Continuous efforts to build trust between donors, international humanitarian actors and affected states.
Capacity building in countries that are most likely to be affected by humanitarian emergencies remain an important element of domestic preparedness.
Accountability of all humanitarian actors will provide the inspiration for others to follow.
Reporting mechanism should follow facts and remain cognizant of the different situations that are not comparable. Undue politicization of humanitarian relief work has negative implications for the affected population.
Mr. President,
Unfortunately we have witnessed acts of increased violence against humanitarian workers. Pakistan condemns terrorist attacks against humanitarian actors who render invaluable services to people in dire need of humanitarian assistance. While the Member States should continue to take all possible measures for their safety and security, the United Nations system should also provide necessary training and capacity building for the humanitarian actors to remain cognizant of their operating environment including through enhanced coordination with host countries.
Mr. President,
Of late Pakistan has suffered from varying nature of humanitarian emergencies including natural disasters. These have caused dislocation and loss of life and infrastructure. The devastating earthquake of 2005; heavy rains and floods in 2007-2008; and the recent dislocation undertaken by the people in North West of the country have added to the challenges being faced by our country and also provided us with the valuable experience to deal with humanitarian situations.
From our experiences we envisaged a devolved and decentralized mechanism for preparedness and management, this helped creating necessary institutional, infrastructural and legislative framework, including establishing: Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) to be the focal point for all reconstruction and rehabilitation activity; National Disaster Management Commission and Authority under the guidance of the Prime Minister; and Provincial Disaster Management Commissions and Authorities; and establishing the National Disaster Risk Management Framework. A Special Support Group at the federal level and an Emergency Response Unit (ERU) at the provincial level provide for relief and coordination efforts for dislocated people.
Mr. President,
The Government of Pakistan, with the support of UN, has effectively addressed the challenge of dislocation in the North-Western parts of Pakistan. We deeply thank UN and international community for their assistance. The dislocated people have voluntarily and freely returned to their homes, under a safe and sustained repatriation plan by the Government. Long term development and creation of economic opportunities in the affected areas remains a challenge. We hope the international community would make a meaningful contribution to Government’s efforts in this regard. An important model that needs to be highlighted from our experience is the positive role played by host communities which took care of the majority of the dislocated population continuing with their tradition of hospitality.
In addition, Pakistan continues to host over 2.5 million Afghan refugees, which pose a formidable pressure on its socio-economic infrastructure, in terms of declining international material assistance for the Afghan refugees.
Mr. President,
In all times, the primary role of the concerned State in the initiation, identification, coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance remains central. Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of States must remain the overarching parameters in all coordination as enshrined in the GA Resolution 46/182.
I thank you.