On behalf of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC), let me first thank you for the opportunity
to speak on this most important item.
We are reminded of its urgency daily, as we read the covers
of our newspapers, and are moved by stories of survival, loss,
suffering and hope, from Kashmir to Aceh, to the Sahel and Southern
Africa, and to the Gulf Coast and beyond.
Indeed, 2005 has shown the dramatic impact that disasters continue
to have on lives, livelihoods and hard-won development gains.
Climate change, environmental degradation, and unsustainable
development, coupled with inadequate mitigation efforts, suggest
that the number of people and assets affected by disasters will
continue to rise.
Moreover, as demonstrated by Hurricane Katrina, the vulnerable
- notably the poor, the sick, the elderly and the marginalised
- pay the largest price, in rich and poor countries alike.
Mr. President, Mark Twain once wrote: "Whenever you find that
you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform."
In celebrating the United Nations' 60th birthday, Member States
have found the impetus for change, and the UN's provision of
disaster and humanitarian relief is benefiting from such attention.
The IFRC welcomes efforts to strengthen the coordination of
humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the UN. Our eight
decades of experience in disaster relief have taught us that
effective coordination is a key to success - for all.
We very much value our close collaboration and coordination
with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in
complex emergencies where armed conflict and natural disasters
unite in their destructive forces. No single organization can
tackle the increasing challenges posed by disasters alone. We
must work together for their benefit first and foremost.
Mr. President, The IFRC also welcomes the strengthening of the
coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief of the UN as
a trusted partner of the UN system. While our humanitarian principles
guide us to work independently and with utmost neutrality, we
value our cooperation with UN Member States and recognise that
coordination with UN agencies, funds and programs adds to our
effectiveness.
At the national level, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
are recognised under law as auxiliaries to their Governments.
Internationally, the IFRC collaborates with components of the
UN on activities of joint-interest. Our coordination with the
UN at headquarters and at field level is further enabled by
our relationship with the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and by our standing invitation on
the InterAgency Standing Committee.
A few examples of our collaboration can be found in Southern
Africa and the Sahel, where we distribute food with the World
Food Programme, in the Caribbean and Central America where we
prepare annually for the hurricane season through joint contingency
planning, in Tsunami-affected countries where we work with the
United Nations Development Programme to develop coherent disaster
management plans, and at headquarters, where we are active members
of the Global Consortium on Tsunami.
Mr. President, Reform provides many opportunities. The IFRC
welcomes the decisions set forth in the Outcome Document of
the 2005 World Summit, and supports efforts to ensure greater
predictability of humanitarian action, funding, and access.
We would like to provide just a few comments thereupon, while
also noting our support for the strengthening of the Economic
and Social Council, and our hope to continue playing a role
in this forum. The "cluster approach", which aims to improve
the predictability of humanitarian action by organizing coordination
on a sectoral basis is being utilised for the first time in
response to the South Asia Earthquake.
So far, it appears that this new approach has helped identify
common challenges and sectoral gaps and has focused relief on
meeting humanitarian needs - not on the work of any one agency.
At the same time however, the cluster approach may have made
a holistic response to disasters more difficult - and even detracted
attention from other disasters (such as the devastation caused
by Hurricane Stan in Central America).
We believe that these mixed results will need to be assessed
when the critical emergency phase is over.
The IFRC also welcomes efforts to strengthen coordination of
relief provided by the UN at the field level, by strengthening
the roles of the humanitarian/resident coordinator (HC/RC).
While the IFRC operates in an independent manner, it coordinates
its work closely with the UN and specifically with the HC/RC.
Most importantly however, the IFRC supports efforts by countries
to strengthen their own capacities to prepare for and respond
rapidly to natural disasters and to mitigate their impact. This
is not only at the centre of our work as auxiliaries to these
Governments and at the heart of our philosophy to "mobilise
the power of humanity".
This is also based on recognition that improved national and
local capacities enable coordination of national and international
humanitarian actors alike.
The development of regional structures, such as the Pan-American
Disaster Response Unit (PADRU) and the Regional Disaster Response
Team (RDRT) have proven equally successful in helping us respond
to the Hurricanes in Central America and to the South Asia Earthquake.
Mr. President, The IFRC also welcomes UN efforts to improve
the predictability of humanitarian funding, including the creation
of a Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). The IFRC's own
fund, called the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF), helps
us to immediately deploy resources to respond to disasters,
even before donors assess their ability to pledge support.
IFRC hopes that the CERF will bring additional resources, and
not cause the reallocation of funds from other important program
areas. We also hope the CERF will provide particular support
for neglected and sudden-onset emergencies and equally for neglected
- but most essential - programming, such as disaster preparedness.
Paradoxically, there is a continued lack of adequate funding
for preparedness. It continues to be easier to mobilise support
for post-disaster responses than for preparedness and mitigation
activities that could avoid the loss of life and the destruction
of vital assets.
Disaster preparedness has for a long time been a core activity
of the IFRC, and as such, we welcome the United Nations' focus
on developing a culture of prevention.
Mr. President, We believe that strengthening of the coordination
of humanitarian and disaster relief must be done holistically
- as disaster management itself. This means that coordination
must be strengthened during all phases, from response, to recovery,
to preparedness and development.
As we have stressed before, preparedness and a culture of prevention
are keys to effective relief. Coordination structures must therefore
be set up before a disaster - and also be formed to specifically
build disaster preparedness and early warning systems.
Via their network of volunteers, Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies participate in the development of multi-hazard early
warning systems - which are not slumbering systems but the ensemble
of activities that strengthen the resilience of communities.
Volunteers translate warning signals into a suitable "language"
for wide dissemination and community response. Because effective
humanitarian and disaster relief depends equally on sustainable
development, coordination should span the medium-term and long-term
phase as well. IFRC actively cooperates with the UN on progress
towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
Partnerships with WHO to address measles and malaria in Africa
and with UN AIDS to reduce stigma and discrimination of people
living with HIV/AIDS are good examples of this. IFRC also sustains
recovery efforts during the long-term when needed, as evidenced
by the on-going work of the Chernobyl Humanitarian Assistance
and Rehabilitation Programme (CHARP), nineteen years after the
disaster.
The IFRC has maintained its coordination with the UN throughout
this time, and is a prominent member of two UN initiatives (the
'International Chernobyl Research and Information Network' and
the 'Cooperation for Rehabilitation of living conditions in
Chernobyl affected areas in Belarus'), which seek to promote
sustainable development of regions affected by the Chernobyl
disaster.
The IFRC welcomes today's adoption of the Resolution on Chernobyl,
and looks forward to next year's anniversary, to keep it alive.
Mr. President, We believe that to strengthen the coordination
of humanitarian and disaster relief, coordination must be inclusive
of a myriad of actors. Naturally, national authorities lead
this coordination effort with possible support of the United
Nations system and other international organizations.
Of utmost importance however, is for coordination to include
affected communities, capturing their roles as first responders
and capitalising on their resilience. Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies, with their expertise in disaster response, extensive
reach into vulnerable communities, and auxiliary relationship
to governments are ideal partners for governments to this end.
Early engagement with National Societies at the national and
local levels can greatly improve collaboration and results during
the relief effort - as well as ongoing support at the community
level, on a wide range of activities, from reducing greenhouse
gases to planning for evacuations.
To conclude, Mr. President, Opportunities for positive change
are within reach. The IFRC supports efforts to strengthen the
coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief of the UN,
as a partner, and in the name of our shared beneficiaries. Indeed,
we consider it one of this Assembly's most important priorities.
Our staff and volunteers remind us daily - as you so ably do
yourself - that success is measured in our actions, and notably
in our ability to alleviate human suffering. It is mindful of
the very realities outside of this august hall, that we urge
Member States to give consideration to the wide-ranging impact
of such reform.
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