E. Effective coordination of humanitarian assistance efforts
Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations
The item entitled “Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian emergency
assistance of the United Nations” was included in the agenda of the forty-sixth
session of the General Assembly, in 1991, at the request of the Netherlands on
behalf of the States members of the European Community (A/46/194). During that
session, the Assembly adopted guiding principles and a framework for strengthening
the coordination of humanitarian emergency assistance of the United Nations system
(resolution 46/182). The Assembly has considered the question annually since then
(resolutions 47/168, 48/57, 49/139 A, 50/57, 51/194, 52/168, 53/88, 54/95, 55/164,
56/107, 57/153, 58/114, 59/141, 60/124 and 61/134).
At its sixtieth session, the General Assembly decided to upgrade the current Central
Emergency Revolving Fund into the Central Emergency Response Fund by
including a grant element based on voluntary contributions; took note of the fact
that an advisory group would be established, as an independent body, to provide
advice to the Secretary-General on the use and impact of the Fund; and requested
the Secretary-General to report to the Assembly and the Economic and Social
Council on the detailed use of the Fund (resolution 60/124).
At its sixty-second session, the General Assembly:
- requested the Emergency Relief Coordinator to continue his efforts to strengthen the oordination of humanitarian assistance;
- called upon the relevant organizations of the United Nations system to improve the humanitarian response to natural and man-made disasters and complex emergencies;
- encouraged relevant United Nations organizations to strengthen the coordination and collaboration between development and humanitarian entities, and to support the efforts of Member States to strengthen systems for identifying and monitoring disaster risk;
- recalled the request made by the Economic and Social Council that the Secretary-General review and report on the use of military assets for disaster relief;
- called upon United Nations humanitarian organizations, in consultation with Member States, to strengthen the evidence base for humanitarian assistance;
- and requested the Secretary-General to report to it at its sixty-third session, through the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 2008, on progress made in strengthening the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations and to submit a report to the Assembly on the independent review of the Central Emergency Response Fund in 2008 (resolution 62/94).
Document:
- Report of the Secretary-General (resolution 62/94), A/63/81-E/2008/71
International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters, from relief to development
At its sixty-second session, the General Assembly underlined the importance of
disaster risk-reduction activities and reiterated its commitment to support the efforts
of countries to strengthen their capacities at all levels in order to prepare for and
respond rapidly to natural disasters; reaffirmed the request made by the Economic
and Social Council to the Secretary-General to review and report on the use of
military assets for natural disaster response; encouraged Member States and relevant
United Nations organizations to enhance the global capacity for sustainable postdisaster
recovery; requested the United Nations system to improve its coordination
of disaster recovery efforts, in support of national authorities; called upon relevant
United Nations humanitarian and development organizations to ensure continuity
and predictability in their response; and requested the Secretary-General to continue
to improve the international response to natural disasters and to report thereon to the
Assembly at its sixty-third session (resolution 62/92).
Document:
- Report of the Secretary-General (resolution 62/92)
References for the sixtieth session (agenda item 73 (a))
- Reports of the Secretary-General:
- Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations (A/60/87-E/2005/78)
- Improvement of the Central Emergency Revolving Fund (A/60/432)
- Draft resolutions A/60/L.38 and Add.1
- Plenary meetings A/60/PV.51, 52 and 63
- Resolution 60/124
References for the sixty-second session (agenda item 71 (a))
- Reports of the Secretary-General:
- Central Emergency Reponse Fund (A/62/72-E/2007/73)
- Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations (A/62/87-E/2007/70)
- International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters, from relief to development (A/62/323)
- Draft resolutions A/62/L.34 and Add.1 and A/62/L.37 and Add.1
- Plenary meetings A/62/PV.53, 54, 55 and 74
- Resolutions 62/92 and 62/94
Related links :
- UN Humanitarian Affairs
- Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
- ReliefWeb
- UN Central Emergency Response Fund
- IRIN news
- International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
Source: A/63/100
