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| Speeches and statements |
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A
wider understanding of IDRL
Statement delivered by Encho Gospodinov, Head of Delegation and Permanent
Observer to the United Nations, International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies representative, at the 58th UN General
Assembly in New York
4
November 2003 |
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Mr.
Chairman,
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRC) took the floor in the Sixth Committee at the United Nations
General Assembly in 2002 to describe the work it was doing to
promote a wider understanding of IDRL - the acronym used to
cover the laws, rules and practice relating to international
disaster response. That statement was one of several on the
subject in different Main Committees and the Plenary at the
General Assembly.
Since then, there has been a great deal of consultation on the
subject with governments, international organisations, National
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, academics and, of course,
practitioners in disaster response. There has also been an intense
work programme at the IFRC aimed at bringing together the results
of legal and field research examining the way existing international
laws and other instruments might better facilitate the provision
of much-needed response to disasters.
The outcome has been a decision to include IDRL as a high priority
for consideration at the December 2003 International Conference
of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. At the Conference, governments
and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies sitting together
as partners will adopt an Agenda for Humanitarian Action covering
the period 2004-2007.
It is in this context that the IFRC believes the evolution of
understanding IDRL concept is relevant to this important United
Nations programme promoting the wider appreciation of international
law.
One of the most important findings of the work done so far on
IDRL is perhaps unsurprising. It is that there is a great deal
of international law in the field - over 300 treaties, and very
many other instruments and rules. Equally, there is a clear
and worrying gap between the laws and rules and their appreciation.
All too often this insufficient understanding among various
partners results in ambiguities and even contradictions between
the laws and rules adopted at the international, regional and
national levels. This in turn can amount to significant but
unintended obstacles to the provision of effective disaster
response.
Obstacles mentioned above require more research into the nature
of these existing laws and rules at all levels and their relationship
to practice. Importantly, our findings indicate that the research
should most usefully focus on the better implementation of existing
instruments rather than drafting new ones. There are some indications
that greater coherence in the work of international organisations
will also be important, as will the inclusion of IDRL-related
issues on the agendas of other conferences dealing with disaster
response and international law.
The IFRC and its 178 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
will be working hard over the next years to address these issues
and offer practical solutions. It is our hope that the IDRL
concept will also commend itself to the United Nations Programme
of Assistance, and to member States in this context. Once our
joint International Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference has
concluded its work on 6 December 2003 in Geneva, we will bring
the Agenda for Humanitarian Action to the attention of the UN
Legal Counsel and officials responsible for important activities
like the Geneva International Law Seminar.
We do hope that the relationship of law to field practice in
this area will be seen as a valuable addition to the extremely
challenging and substantial agenda now being pursued.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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