Summary: 22 June 2009, Brussels - Louis Michel, the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid and John Holmes, the UN's Emergency Relief Coordinator, met in Brussels today. They discussed key humanitarian priorities and ways of strengthening the response capacity of the international humanitarian system. They also focused on a number of current humanitarian hot spots including, in particular, Somalia, where millions of people are in need as a result of the long-running conflict there.
Louis Michel stressed: "The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the European Commission pursue the same goals of ensuring the delivery of relief aid to civilian populations throughout the world in an impartial and non-discriminatory way. But humanitarian access is becoming ever more difficult and the security of humanitarian workers is increasingly at risk. In countries such as Somalia, Sudan, Sri Lanka and the occupied Palestinian territory, we face wholly
unacceptable humanitarian situations. The violation of International Humanitarian Law is as deadly as any weapon. And no reason can justify it."
Commissioner Michel underlined the importance of a joint and well-coordinated effort by humanitarian organisations to tackle the challenge of getting vital aid through in conflict zones. He added: "The EU and the UN will continue their cooperation to ensure humanitarian space is respected. And OCHA has a key role in terms of leadership and coordination at a time when the needs are becoming critically acute."
John Holmes said: "The partnership between OCHA and the Commission is a vital component of the global humanitarian system and makes a real difference in tackling suffering around the world. It is already good, but we want to do even more to strengthen our joint response capacity."
Since 2007, the European Commission has provided around €20 million to support OCHA's work.
For further information: http://ec.europa.eu/echo/index_en.htm
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