Summary: 21 July 2009, Geneva - Intervention by Deputy Director Mikael Lindvall, Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations, on behalf of the European Union, ECOSOC humanitarian segment, Addressing the impact of current global challenges and trends on the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance
• Very useful and interesting panel discussion, that we would welcome returning to next year in ECOSOC.
• As stated in the SG-report, global challenges are exacerbating vulnerability and increasing humanitarian need. In addition to this we recognise that the triggers for humanitarian assistance are less shock-and-event driven. Instead, international humanitarian response is increasingly driven by chronic needs or cyclical crises.
• In order to handle these new challenges, the response must be flexible, efficient and better targeted. In this context, the EU would like to stress the importance of increased efforts in the area of preparedness in order to reduce disaster risk. The key is to focus on capacity building at local, national and regional levels. With the Hyogo Framework for Action we have witnessed significant improvements in the past few years. However, this is far from enough when needs are increasing in a
changing climate, as was concluded by the recent Global Assessment Report on DRR. We therefore need intensified efforts among all actors involved including better coordination among key international preparedness actors.
• The EU would like to emphasize the urgent need to clarify coordination arrangements in early recovery and transition situations. We encourage increased information sharing and coordination between the humanitarian and development actors in order to facilitate a smooth transition, as well as avoiding gaps, between relief and development assistance.
• Questions
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