A/76/PV.50 General Assembly

This debate is timely, as resolution 46/182, which created the humanitarian system as we know it today, is turning 30. The importance of that resolution cannot be overstated. It was and remains a commitment by the international community to protecting the world’s most vulnerable people and empowering and enabling those who want to help. I am glad to say that many of the institutions, partnerships and principles that the resolution has nurtured remain with us today, albeit with changes and adaptations to reflect the times. However, as we mark this thirtieth anniversary, our discussion today is far from positive. Humanitarian concerns remain prevalent throughout the world. In fact, the Global Humanitarian Overview 2022 notes that nearly 300 million people in 63 countries are in need of humanitarian assistance. The United Nations and partners will target assistance to 183 million of those most in need  — the greatest number ever. That assistance comes at a financial cost. The Global Humanitarian Overview 2022 calls for $41 billion, the largest appeal ever made. I urge the international community to support the appeal. We have a moral obligation to protect and provide for the most vulnerable. Let us live up to those ideals. Our discussion today is focused on how we can strengthen the coordination of disaster and humanitarian relief assistance. In that regard, I will emphasize four key points. First, we cannot ignore the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It is widely known that the suffering of those furthest behind has been disproportionately greater during the pandemic. The least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, already burdened with debt and structural deficiencies, have had to face yet another crisis. For those already on the precipice of humanitarian need, the pandemic may have been the final push. We know full well, with data from the World Bank, that hundreds of millions have been forced into extreme poverty and food insecurity. Let us use the COVID-19 recovery to address those concerns. If we are talking here about coordination in the recovery from the pandemic, it is our first port of entry to helping millions of people. Secondly, vaccine equity must be prioritized above all else. We are facing yet another variant of COVID-19 that is a direct result of our inability to vaccinate the world. How many more variants will there be before one comes along that is more lethal or entirely resistant to our vaccines? We risk going right back to square one and enduring yet more lockdowns if we do not move quickly to stop the pandemic, so 2022 must be the year that we do that. Some of the poorest and most vulnerable countries are among the most underserved with regard to vaccine access. Let us protect them. Let us protect our world. Thirdly, the pandemic, like so many other challenges, has had an undue impact on women and girls. We are seeing that in the shadow pandemic of domestic violence, and in the fact that women and girls have been disproportionately affected by socioeconomic consequences such as the loss of jobs, livelihoods and access to education. I encourage all Member States to prioritize the plight of women and girls in their consideration of the issues of humanitarian coordination and response. Fourthly, we must not forget the larger climate crisis. The humanitarian community is also on the front lines of climate impacts, responding to disasters brought on by hurricanes, droughts, floods and other natural hazards that have seen an increase in intensity and frequency. Without action to address climate change, we will see only more climate-related disasters and climate-related migration. Even if the world were to act now to fully tackle climate change, we could continue to expect decades of problems owing to our delays. It is imperative to ensure that humanitarian and relief agencies are closely linked to efforts to support adaptation and help prevent and prepare for natural disasters. I also ask that we prioritize the safety and security of humanitarian personnel in our discussions and any actions we take. Too many have lost their lives or been injured while attempting to help their fellows. At least 113 humanitarian workers have been killed in 2021. That is simply unacceptable. Humanitarian workers deserve our gratitude, but they also deserve the resources, skills and equipment they need to be safe. We should not let them down. All Member States should give their full support to humanitarian access and ensure the safety and security of personnel. While it is essential that we meet humanitarian funding needs, it is also important that we strengthen the partnerships and collaboration needed to achieve success. Development partners, international financial institutions and the private sector all have a role to play in reducing vulnerability and strengthening resilience and response. COVID-19 may have set back progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, but that does not have to be the case if we respond and recover appropriately. Addressing humanitarian needs is key to that. It is up to us to act. Let us do so decisively, with conviction and compassion. I now give the floor to the representative of Sweden to introduce draft resolution A/76/L.23.

I would first like to note that Sweden fully aligns itself with the statement to be made later on behalf of the European Union. On behalf of 84 other sponsors, it is my great privilege today to introduce to the General Assembly this year’s draft resolution (A/76/L.23) on strengthening the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations, the so-called humanitarian omnibus resolution. As you noted earlier, Sir, this year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the introduction and adoption in December 1991 of the landmark resolution 46/182, which created the very foundations of today’s United Nations humanitarian system. Sweden has been honoured to facilitate the negotiations of the resolution ever since. The goal of our collective efforts, as set out 30 years ago, is to effectively assist our fellow women, men, girls and boys affected by crisis. We remain convinced that principled humanitarian assistance is the best way to reach that goal, and we are certain that the draft resolutions up for adoption today will equip the humanitarian community with the framework it needs to provide that assistance. Last year, owing to the limitations imposed by the pandemic, we restricted ourselves to a technical update of the resolution. At the same time, we committed to working to resume full-fledged negotiations on the thirtieth anniversary of this important resolution. We did not know at the time that the pandemic would continue to force us to negotiate in a virtual format. While that fact compelled us to limit the scope of negotiations, I am pleased that we were able to update the draft resolution with important new elements related to the pandemic, mental health and psychosocial support, the importance of continuing education in humanitarian crises, food insecurity and the integration of protection and health risks, among other things. The endeavour required strong support from the Secretariat, and I want to express my warm gratitude to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the technical support staff for ensuring that the process went smoothly. Just as important, the limited scope of negotiations required all Member States to be flexible, constructive and focused on the goal of reaching a consensus. My second expression of gratitude is therefore directed to the entire United Nations collective for working with us to ensure a consensus and a substantially meaningful outcome. Negotiating and adopting the draft resolution is the easy part. When we walk out of this building, we face the task of delivering on the commitments that we are making today. In that regard, I want to pay tribute to all the front-line responders delivering humanitarian assistance; 113 humanitarian workers lost their lives on duty this year. We, as States Members of the United Nations, now need to translate the words of the draft resolution into concrete action to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity across the globe. After introducing the humanitarian omnibus draft resolution in my national capacity, I now have the privilege of delivering a joint statement on this agenda item on behalf of India and Sweden. We would first like to pay tribute to humanitarian and medical personnel worldwide. We are sincerely grateful for the work they are doing to ensure that emergency relief reaches those in need, often at great personal risk. India and Sweden share a strong commitment to strengthening the United Nations system to respond to the complex humanitarian challenges of our time. The Global Humanitarian Overview 2022, published last week, makes it clear that humanitarian needs have continued to rise from last year’s record levels, with 274 million people now in need of humanitarian assistance and funding needs amounting to $41 billion. The United Nations and its partner organizations aim to assist 183 million people most in need across 63 countries in 2022. That is a formidable challenge for the entire international community, and one that we cannot afford to downplay. Conflict and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic continue to drive the increase in humanitarian needs. Climate change has also aggravated the humanitarian situation in several parts of the world. Development gains in employment, food security, education and health care have been seriously affected and in some cases even reversed. Increased food insecurity has also aggravated the humanitarian situation, with people in 43 countries facing the risk of famine-like conditions. School closures, mainly owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, have disrupted the education of 870 million children. Lockdowns and economic hardships have led to a wider gender-poverty gap and an increase in sexual and gender-based violence. It is worth reiterating that this is fundamentally about people. The chances of a life in dignity and prosperity, and the hopes and dreams of women, men, boys and girls, are undermined in humanitarian crises that are often human-made. We call on the entire global community to reflect on that in terms of what can be done to address the root causes of humanitarian needs and respond to the acute challenges. On that note, the humanitarian community has made impressive efforts to address those challenges in the past year. Data collection has improved. Flexible instruments such as the Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) and country-based pooled funds have enabled us to quickly redirect resources to the most acute needs, and the private sector is increasingly stepping in as a strong and creative partner with traditional humanitarian actors. Collaboration involving humanitarian, development and peacebuilding efforts is increasing, and local leaders and communities are gaining greater recognition as first responders. Where crises are predictable, anticipatory action is increasingly deployed as a cost- efficient way to minimize the impact on people in emergency situations. The persistent shortfalls in financing humanitarian appeals remain a challenge. We call on Member States to consider increasing their contributions to the United Nations humanitarian assistance system, including country-based pooled funds, and the Central Emergency Response Fund, to which India and Sweden are long- standing donors. We would also like to emphasize the value of non-earmarked, flexible funding and predictable support for our humanitarian partners. India and Sweden reaffirm that humanitarian principles and international law provide the basis for humanitarian assistance. We remain committed to preserving the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence in responding to all humanitarian situations. The primary responsibility for providing protection and assistance in a humanitarian crisis lies with the countries concerned. International humanitarian assistance must be provided impartially in accordance with the guiding principles of resolution 46/182 and subsequent resolutions. Repeated violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law are persistent challenges. Parties to armed conflicts, including non-State actors, continue to flout international humanitarian law and perpetrate human rights abuses with impunity. Arbitrary restrictions on humanitarian access are an increasing problem that deprives people of assistance that is both needed and available. We must continue to strengthen the international cooperation framework in order to bring perpetrators to justice. The protection of women and children remains a particularly pressing issue that requires greater attention. While United Nations agencies and partners are responding commendably to a number of complex emergencies, developing a coherent and comprehensive approach remains a significant challenge. We need greater coordination to achieve effective and context- tailored responses that facilitate participation by local actors. We believe that our approach to a humanitarian response must put those affected at its very centre. That ensures respect for human dignity, as well as flexibility in making choices about the goods and services that the populations affected need the most. We should also continue our efforts to develop a multisectoral needs assessment, as well as building strong databases, in order to enhance the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of humanitarian action. The need for greater complementarity between humanitarian action and development cooperation is well recognized. Development action by national Governments and the international community should focus on reducing risk and vulnerability, which will help to build resilience and capacity. The protection of humanitarian workers, especially in situations of armed conflict, remains a concern. Attacks on humanitarian personnel are unacceptable, and we welcome draft resolution A/76/L.26, on the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and the protection of United Nations personnel. Terrorism further compounds the twin problems of violence against humanitarian personnel and lack of accountability. Access to new and emerging technologies has enhanced the ability of terrorist groups to obstruct humanitarian action, including where ensuring safe and unhindered access for medical and humanitarian agencies is concerned. We need zero tolerance for terrorism. All humanitarian actors must strictly adhere to a zero- tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and ensure that victims have adequate protection. Guided by its ancient philosophy of viewing the world as one family, India has been at the forefront of supporting fellow developing countries through assistance and relief efforts in humanitarian emergencies, including natural disasters. Such efforts have ranged from the immediate supply of relief materials to emergency evacuations of large numbers of people of various nationalities from affected areas. During the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, India emerged as a net provider of health security and successfully took on its responsibility as the pharmacy of the world, sending consignments of medicines and medical supplies to more than 150 partner countries. As a responsible member of the world community, India will use its vaccine production and delivery capacity to help all humankind in fighting the crisis. Moving forward, we need to look beyond immediate relief and rehabilitation. India remains committed to addressing the challenges of complex humanitarian emergencies by building disaster- resilient infrastructure. It was in that context that India took the initiative to launch the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, in partnership with several other countries at the 2019 Climate Action Summit. Continuing its efforts, India has introduced under the Coalition a new initiative for technical assistance and capacity-building in island States, the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States initiative, which will make it easier and faster for small island developing States to mobilize technology, finance and necessary information. The promotion of quality infrastructure will benefit both lives and livelihoods in small island States. In the face of the unprecedented increase in humanitarian needs, Sweden has responded and acted. We are proud to continue to be one of the largest donors to the United Nations humanitarian system, and this year we are contributing a total of $874 million in humanitarian aid. In line with its Grand Bargain commitments, Sweden will continue to provide multi-year core funding to major United Nations agencies such as the World Food Programme, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNICEF and CERF. The COVID-19 pandemic and its knock-on effects have clearly demonstrated the importance of flexible humanitarian funding, which enables timely, independent, effective and efficient humanitarian action, and that is why Sweden strongly believes that it is the right path to pursue and encourages other donors to follow. Sweden was proud to host the launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview 2022 last week for the first time ever. Sweden will remain a strong voice for principled humanitarian assistance and a leader in developing new, innovative and efficient solutions to the challenges facing the world in the humanitarian field. We remain committed to tackling the negative effects of climate change on humanitarian action and will intensify our efforts to accelerate the mainstreaming of anticipatory humanitarian action moving forward. Almost two years have passed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is abundantly clear that the pandemic has compounded a number of trends driving global humanitarian needs. As the United Nations, we must rise to the challenge together. We need to demonstrate more resolve, resources and creativity. We — India and Sweden — reiterate our commitment to working with all Member States to ensure a unified and robust response to the world’s humanitarian challenges. Our debate today is an opportunity to send a strong and united message of support to those in need of humanitarian assistance and humanitarian actors worldwide. We therefore call on delegations to adopt the draft humanitarian resolutions before us by consensus.

I now give the floor to the representative of Argentina to introduce draft resolution A/76/L.24.

I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/76/L.24, entitled “White Helmets Commission: participation of volunteers in the activities of the United Nations in the field of humanitarian relief, rehabilitation and technical cooperation for development”. Since the creation of the Commission, in 1994, 340 humanitarian assistance missions have been carried out in 75 countries on every continent in response to requests from States in need or to international humanitarian appeals. The missions are always guided by the principles of independence, neutrality, humanitarianism and impartiality. The White Helmets Commission is made up of civilians and relies on a body of national and international volunteers who develop their activities on the basis of cooperation, solidarity and community participation. It is based on a bilateral and multilateral cooperation network, through which it coordinates immediate responses to disaster situations and complex emergencies and contributes to disaster risk reduction and response and recovery efforts. The White Helmets Commission maintains a gender perspective and addresses the needs of girls, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities while promoting the provision of humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations and cooperation in building communities that are more resilient to disasters, including those caused or aggravated by climate change. In these 27 years of multilateral efforts, the Argentine Republic has demonstrated that humanitarian affairs are State policy and that they are based on a firm belief in unconditional respect for humanitarian principles, international humanitarian law and the sovereignty of States. Today, on 10 December, International Human Rights Day, we reaffirm that for Argentina the principal pillar of humanitarian assistance is human rights. In this global context, despite our need to respond urgently to critical situations at home, Argentina’s humanitarian commitment to the world has not ceased. Since 2019, the White Helmets have provided humanitarian assistance through missions and sent volunteers or humanitarian supplies to Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, Panama, Paraguay, the Philippines, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago in response to the consequences of humanitarian crises, Hurricanes Eta and Iota and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic  — representing more than 20 missions in 24 countries. Similarly, as part of its multilateral humanitarian commitment, Argentina has provided vaccines and technical assistance to combat COVID-19 to Guatemala, Haiti, Guyana, Suriname, the Bahamas, Grenada, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, the African Union, Ethiopia, Senegal, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Kenya, the Philippines, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Armenia and Azerbaijan, among other countries. For Argentina, it is important to emphasize the special significance of the General Assembly’s adoption of renewed support for the White Helmets Commission, given that together with the promotion and protection of human rights, humanitarian management is a priority in our political commitments at the international level. Lastly, I would like to thank the more than 96 countries that have become sponsors of the draft resolution, in a sign of international support for the initiative of the White Helmets Commission. That support sends an unequivocal message that the White Helmets can and should continue their work, based on solidarity and humanitarianism.

I now give the floor to the representative of Slovenia to introduce draft resolutions A/76/L.25 and A/76/L.26.

I will introduce draft resolutions A/76/L.25 and A/76/L.26 in a single statement on behalf of the European Union (EU). I will first introduce draft resolution L/76/L.26, entitled “Safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel”, on behalf of the European Union and its member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania; the country of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina; as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, align themselves with this statement. As conflicts and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic continue, humanitarian needs around the world are increasing significantly. Many brave and generous United Nations and humanitarian personnel have stepped up to the challenges that 2021 has presented and have continued to deliver assistance despite increased risks. But courage alone cannot protect those vital workers from threats to their safety and security. Every day, United Nations and humanitarian personnel meet risks head-on to serve others. The international community has a moral obligation to mitigate those risks as best as it can. As penholders of this annual resolution since 1998, the EU and its 27 member States take this obligation very seriously. This year, together with other key partners, we organized a discussion series on ensuring the protection, safety and security of humanitarian workers and medical personnel in armed conflicts. Representatives of States, United Nations agencies, humanitarian organizations and academia shared their experiences and best practices and contributed to a comprehensive outcome document capturing challenges and proposing around 40 practical action points. The outcome document was officially shared with Member States on 29 October. The EU hopes that all States will consider taking action on the points suggested in support of humanitarian and medical workers. The ideas generated during the discussion series also informed some of the elements included in this year’s draft resolution. I will highlight three of them. First, if we are to see attacks cease in the future, we must continue to improve the systematic monitoring, reporting and investigation of attacks on humanitarian and medical personnel immediately. Secondly, it is crucial to continue to strengthen the existing monitoring systems for the safety and security of humanitarian and medical personnel, including by improving the quality and effective use of the United Nations incident data system. Thirdly, United Nations and humanitarian organizations, including local humanitarian actors, should have timely access to the information available to strengthen their risk assessment and effective security risk management. With that objective in mind, Member States and other relevant actors should strengthen existing data-sharing mechanisms and facilitate field- driven support services for humanitarian actors This year’s draft resolution also reaffirms our collective commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse. That is an important element in achieving full gender-sensitive protection for United Nations personnel, and we appreciate States reaching a consensus on the issue. We would like to share our great appreciation for the work of the Department for Safety and Security (DSS), under the guidance of Under-Secretary-General Gilles Michaud. The monitoring and management of risks that DSS undertakes is essential to the protection of humanitarian and medical personnel. We want to sincerely thank all delegations that participated constructively in the negotiations this year, particularly those sponsoring the draft resolution. The discussions ultimately resulted in a draft resolution that we feel expresses the appropriate level of concern and the steps needed to further protect humanitarian and United Nations personnel. It remains a consensus document reflecting our common humanity. The people risking their lives in order to support the lives of others deserve the collective and absolute support of the entire General Assembly. Also on behalf of the European Union and its States members, I will now make a statement concerning sub-item (b) of agenda item 75 and introduce draft resolution A/76/L.25, entitled “Assistance to the Palestinian people”. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Serbia; the country of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina; as well as Georgia, align themselves with this statement. The EU remains gravely concerned about the difficult living conditions and the humanitarian situation affecting the Palestinian people, in particular women and children, throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, including Area C and in particular the Gaza Strip, which have been further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The political and security situation in Gaza remains volatile, and the humanitarian situation continues to be a matter of grave concern. The European Union strongly supports the work undertaken by Mr. Tor Wennesland, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, and commends his efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The immediate priority must be to reduce the tensions and avoid another conflict in Gaza. The return of the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip is essential to making lasting improvements in the conditions there and in the humanitarian situation, but if we are to ensure lasting results, the situation must be fundamentally changed. We once again call on all the parties to take urgent steps, in line with Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), aimed at achieving fundamental change in the humanitarian, political, security and economic situations in Gaza, including by ending the closure policy and fully opening crossing points and access for humanitarian actors, while addressing Israel’s legitimate security concerns. The EU will continue to support the efforts of the United Nations and Egypt aimed at helping Gaza and the West Bank reunite under a single and legitimate Palestinian Authority. We will continue to work to that end with our partners, both Israelis and Palestinians, and with regional actors and our international partners. In that context, the EU is determined to maintain its assistance in support of the Palestinian people, including Palestine refugees. The European Union and its member States are collectively the largest contributors to the budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. We were among the first to answer the Agency’s call for additional funds during the extraordinary financial crisis of the past four years, including additional support for the Agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are and will continue to be strong, reliable and predictable supporters of the Agency, whose role also remains crucial to the stability of the region. We would like to thank all parties and the rest of the membership for joining the consensus once again this year and rallying behind the principles and objectives outlined in draft resolution A/76/L.25.

I now give the floor to the representative of Guinea to introduce draft resolution A/76/L.27.

On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/76/L.27, entitled “International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters, from relief to development”. As we present this draft resolution once again this year, the Group of 77 and China continues to reaffirm the importance of international cooperation in providing assistance to countries and peoples affected by natural disasters, in accordance with resolution 46/182 and the guiding principles for strengthening the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations system. The draft resolution includes those important elements, while also recognizing that it is the States affected by natural disasters that bear the primary responsibility for the initiation, organization, coordination and implementation of humanitarian assistance within their territories. The draft text continues to recognize the clear relationship between emergency response, rehabilitation and development, and reaffirms that in order to ensure a smooth transition from one to the other, emergency assistance must be provided so as to support short- and medium-term recovery while ultimately leading to long-term development. This year’s draft resolution places particular emphasis on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and expresses grave concerns about the pandemic’s humanitarian impact on the people and communities affected by natural disasters. It also encourages the dissemination of best practices, including in the context of COVID-19, for improving disaster preparedness, response and early recovery in order to scale up successful local initiatives. The draft resolution stresses the importance of strengthening international and regional collaboration in achieving durable solutions to displacement in the context of disaster and climate change. Furthermore, for the first time it urges Member States, international financial institutions and humanitarian and development organizations to address food insecurity and malnutrition and their underlying causes related to natural disasters and climate change. In that regard, it emphasizes developing and strengthening resilient and sustainable food systems and shock-responsive social protection systems and improving the availability and use of data on food security and nutrition. It further encourages efforts to strengthen the disaster resilience and safety of schools to reduce interruptions to education and school meals during natural disasters. The text before us underlines the importance of taking early action, with a view to minimizing and mitigating the effects of natural disasters. It further urges continued efforts to prioritize risk management and a shift to an anticipatory approach to humanitarian crises, and encourages scaling up related activities and strengthening their coordination, coherence, complementarity and impact in order to better prevent and address disaster and climate risks and effects. It also encourages international financial institutions to accelerate the necessary financing for preparedness and response, as well as risk-informed resilient recovery, in ways that complement and reinforce humanitarian pooled funds. The Group would like to thank the delegation of Bangladesh for facilitating and coordinating the negotiations on draft resolution A/76/L.27 on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. We also appreciate the constructive engagement and flexibility of all Member States during the negotiations. The Group of 77 and China hopes that the draft resolution will be adopted by consensus. We also hope that as in previous years, it will receive a large number of sponsors. We thank the delegations that have already sponsored the draft resolution and invite others to join them.

I now give the floor to the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer.

I am honoured to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its 27 member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania; the country of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina; as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, align themselves with this statement. Thirty years ago, on 19 December 1991, the General Assembly adopted resolution 46/182. During the past 30 years, we have all worked together to modernize the normative humanitarian framework. The package of draft resolutions presented today is an expression of that collective and consensus effort, built on respect for international humanitarian law and the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. But while we are pleased to commemorate 30 years of multilateralism in this area, the tasks facing the humanitarian community have never been more daunting. The problem is not only the sheer volume of the humanitarian needs but most importantly the very nature of the current humanitarian challenges. Next year, 274 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection. In a constrained financing environment, humanitarian needs are on the rise, while the humanitarian space is increasingly challenged. In 2021, the secondary consequences of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic have added yet another layer of hardship on top of already significant humanitarian needs, amplified by conflicts, climate change and food insecurity. The pandemic has set back decades of development gains and has increased levels of sexual and gender-based violence, and the socioeconomic effects and global recession will hit those in the poorest countries hardest. At the same time, this has also been a year in which the humanitarian system has shown what can be done when the international community comes together. Three points stand out this year, which I will highlight. First, even when the world stops during a global pandemic, violations of international humanitarian law continue. That, coupled with a lack of respect for humanitarian principles, is restricting the humanitarian operating environment. The EU and its member States will continue to promote compliance with international humanitarian law and to insist on accountability in cases of violations of it. The EU calls on States that have not yet done so to ratify and fully implement important international humanitarian law instruments such as the 1977 Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions, as well as the Rome Statute. The EU also calls on all States to endorse the call to strengthen respect for international humanitarian law and principled humanitarian action launched by France and Germany in September 2019, which is currently endorsed by 52 signatories. Humanitarian assistance and, tragically, aid workers themselves are increasingly under attack. The international community has both a moral duty and an obligation to those who put their lives at risk in order to make a difference on the ground. Saving lives should not cost lives. Whether internationally or locally recruited, whether from the United Nations, the Red Cross movement or non-governmental organizations, humanitarian and medical workers have to be respected and protected. The EU and its 27 member States take that obligation very seriously. This year, together with other key partners, we organized a discussion series on ensuring the protection, safety and security of humanitarian workers and medical personnel in armed conflicts. The outcome document of the series capturing the main challenges and proposing around 40 practical action points was officially shared with all States Members of the United Nations. The EU hopes that all States will consider taking action on the points suggested in support of humanitarian and medical workers. Addressing the protection risks and needs of civilians affected by conflict remains central. Ensuring compliance with international humanitarian law is crucial, and even more so when armed conflicts are increasingly fought in urban areas, exposing civilians and civilian infrastructure to substantial risks. We also need to continue making every effort to avoid any potential negative impact of sanctions and counter- terrorism measures on exclusively humanitarian activities, including medical work, that are carried out by impartial humanitarian actors. To that end, the EU commits to preserving the humanitarian space, including by developing best practices and adopting mitigating measures, such as the consistent inclusion of humanitarian exemptions in sanctions regimes where relevant. Secondly, 2021 has been the year of climate change, culminating in the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Glasgow in November. The effects of the climate crisis on humanitarian needs can already be seen in the increased intensity of natural disasters. As disasters increase, so does our investment in emergency preparedness. We have also started to design and use innovative tools to make humanitarian action more effective and efficient, such as anticipatory approaches, which the European Union supports. By acting ahead of predictable disasters, anticipatory action saves lives and mitigates humanitarian needs, including those caused by the consequences of climate change. Such anticipatory approaches should be scaled up and mainstreamed throughout the entire humanitarian system. At the same time, we call on humanitarian actors to progressively adapt their response strategies to the realities of climate change. As humanitarian donors and actors, we should also lead by example. The EU is determined to reduce the environmental footprint of its humanitarian operations, and we have set an ambitious approach to achieve that. We hope that others will follow suit. Thirdly, for the past 10 years the numbers of displaced people have continued to grow. By mid-2021, more than 84 million people were forcibly displaced. On the seventieth anniversary of the Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, this is more than ever the time to support the important work of the High Commissioner for Refugees and his Office. We welcome the efforts made by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to ensure the implementation of pledges made at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum, and we look forward to the high-level officials’ meeting in December, which will provide an opportunity to take stock of our progress towards fulfilling our commitments so far. While the number of conflicts is increasing, it is important to note that climate change will also drive an increase in displacement, and that by 2050 it is likely that 216 million people will be displaced as a result of disasters. The EU supports the Platform on Disaster Displacement, which will create further solutions to the issue of disaster-driven displacement. In some areas, displacement will become predominantly internal, requiring not only a new approach but also a strong commitment on the part of Member States and the United Nations system to addressing internal displacement more effectively. At the end of last year, more than 48 million people were displaced within their own countries owing to conflict and violence, and 7 million were internally displaced owing to disasters. We welcome the work of the Secretary-General’s High- Level Panel on Internal Displacement, and we call for a strong, impact-driven engagement of the Secretary- General and the United Nations system in the follow-up to the Panel’s recommendations. This is also a moment to demonstrate strong collaboration and synergies. The operationalization of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus is critical to enabling United Nations agencies to leverage their respective comparative advantages and achieve a One United Nations delivery. The process requires a sincere willingness to cooperate among the different United Nations agencies through joint and multisectoral programming. We reiterate our commitment to putting people at the centre of the humanitarian response. Women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by disasters and conflicts. Many girls currently out of school will never return. Sadly, the pandemic has provided clear evidence that crises exacerbate structural gender inequalities. All humanitarian operations should take into account the needs and capacities of everyone, including women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities. That includes assistance to women and girls with regard to sexual and reproductive health, as well as actions to prevent, mitigate and respond to gender-based violence. We also continue to support the ongoing efforts related to preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as to ensuring that mental health and psychosocial support become an even stronger and more integral part of the humanitarian response. Today’s humanitarian challenges are enormous. Supporting the work of the humanitarian community through the draft resolutions that we will adopt today and by maintaining an international consensus on the Organization’s normative frameworks for humanitarian action is key. Tackling those enormous challenges will take deliberate action and collective effort in a spirit of effective multilateralism. With that objective, in Brussels in January 2022 the EU and France will organize the first European Humanitarian Forum, which will serve as a new international meeting and an innovative platform for promoting high-level discussions on humanitarian policies, strategies and operations. It will offer a European perspective on humanitarian challenges and contribute to identifying solutions and actions to address the unprecedented level of needs and constraints faced by humanitarian actors and beneficiaries. We welcome and encourage everyone’s participation. The EU and its member States are collectively the world’s largest humanitarian donor. We will remain committed and ready to take on our share of this responsibility, but we are also counting on the rest of the international community to stay the course and live up to our common endeavour.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the 10 member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). At the outset, I would like to express ASEAN’s appreciation to the Secretary-General for his reports (A/76/74, A/76/320 and A/76/376) under this agenda item, outlining the efforts to strengthen the coordination of and response to the rapidly changing humanitarian landscape across the world. We particularly want to acknowledge the increasingly challenging tasks facing the United Nations system in coordinating and delivering immediate and effective humanitarian and disaster-relief assistance in the face of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. ASEAN’s members join other Member States in commending the efforts of the Organization, particularly the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to optimize the speed, volume and quality of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. We also commend the courage and commitment of those who take part in humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief operations, often at great personal risk, especially when working in situations of armed conflict and being exposed to direct violence. In that connection, we would like to encourage the United Nation system to further strengthen its partnerships and engagements with ASEAN in order to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian responses and assistance, as outlined in the latest ASEAN-United Nations Joint Strategic Plan of Action on Disaster Management 2021-2025. ASEAN’s region is one of the most disaster-prone parts of the world, and the pressure on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the region is only intensifying as effects of climate change such as heatwaves, droughts and floods are becoming more pronounced and acute. In 2020 our region was hit by 405 disaster events, affecting 19.3 million people, displacing 2.4 million and resulting in damages amounting to $227.4 million. Building a disaster-resilient and adaptive ASEAN therefore continues to be a top priority for our region. Guided by the ASEAN Vision 2025 on disaster management and the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region, we recognize the importance of addressing those challenges holistically and are striving to develop disaster resilience across all levels of society. Since the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response came into force in 2009, ASEAN has made great strides in enhancing its disaster-management capabilities and coordinating humanitarian relief in the region. From being a beneficiary of international assistance, we have become a partner in global humanitarian relief operations. At the core of our efforts is the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), established to facilitate cooperation and coordination for disaster management and emergency response among ASEAN member States. Most recently, the AHA Centre successfully carried out a humanitarian assistance mission in August, with the support of ASEAN member States and other partners, to provide medical supplies and aid to Myanmar, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond ASEAN, the AHA Centre has established cooperation with ASEAN dialogue, developmental and sectoral partners including Australia, China, the European Union, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United States. The AHA Centre has also stepped up its partnerships with private-sector and civil-society organizations such as Deutsche Post DHL Group, the Temasek Foundation, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. In October ASEAN welcomed the establishment of the inaugural ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management and the ASEAN-Japan Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management. We also look forward to the establishment in 2022 of the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management, as well as the holding of the seventh session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Bali from 23 to 28 May 2022. In order to further demonstrate ASEAN’s commitment to building a disaster-resilient community, at the thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth ASEAN Summits, in Brunei Darussalam, ASEAN’s leaders adopted the Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration on the Strategic and Holistic Initiative to link ASEAN Responses to Emergencies and Disaster. The initiative takes a strategic, holistic and coordinated approach across the ASEAN community to ensure ASEAN’s collective, rapid and effective response in mitigating the impact of the various types of emergencies and disasters affecting the region. The ASEAN Vision 2025 for disaster management calls for ASEAN to become a global leader in humanitarian assistance and disaster management. As we continue to innovate, transform and strengthen our disaster-management and emergency-response capabilities, we hope that our efforts will be able to complement and contribute positively to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in order to effectively meet the humanitarian-assistance and disaster-relief needs of the future.

We thank the President for convening this important meeting. The State of Qatar greatly appreciates the efforts of the United Nations and stakeholders in the humanitarian and development fields in responding to the growing humanitarian needs resulting from conflicts, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the climate crisis and other humanitarian emergency situations around the world. The State of Qatar has been a pioneer in the provision of development and relief assistance and a firm believer in upholding shared responsibility and multilateral action. I am pleased to share with the General Assembly some of our efforts and illustrate some of our achievements. We are aware of the importance of international cooperation and joint action in responding to the challenges ahead of us. The State of Qatar has not hesitated to provide the necessary assistance to a number of States and organizations in their efforts to address the coronavirus disease pandemic. We have contributed more than $140 million in aid, and on 20 November the Qatar Fund for Development signed a partnership agreement with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) for the period from 2021 to 2025. We have contributed $10 million in support of GAVI’s efforts in order to ensure equitable and sustainable access to vaccines for low-income countries. In view of the important role of the World Health Organization (WHO), the State of Qatar signed a basic contribution agreement amounting to $10 million in support of the WHO’s programme of work for the thirteenth year in succession and for the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator in the countries most in need. Qatar gives support and implements its commitments to the United Nations in several areas. In 2020, the total funding allocated by the Qatar Fund for Development exceeded $533 million and was distributed to many partners in development and humanitarian assistance, including United Nations agencies. Given the importance of stepping up our efforts to respond to food security needs in Yemen, the Fund signed an agreement in November with the World Food Programme providing $90 million to respond to the urgent need for food in Yemen. We also believe in the important role of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and have therefore provided CERF with more than $17 million to date. In addition, we are preparing to sign a contribution agreement with CERF in the amount of $2 million for the period from 2021 to 2022. In keeping with our policy on mitigating the effects of humanitarian crises, Qatar has provided humanitarian and development assistance to the Palestinian people. In May, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, we announced a $500 million contribution to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. The report of the Secretary-General (A/76/68) on the subject commended Qatar’s generous contribution, which enabled a continuing supply of fuel for the Gaza power plant as well as sponsorships of projects and financial assistance. In November, the Qatar Fund for Development signed an agreement to contribute $18 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in support of the Agency’s basic needs for the period from 2021 to 2022. We are also providing additional assistance amounting to $7 million to Palestinian refugees in Syria in the areas of health care, education and economic development. In conclusion, the State of Qatar will continue to strengthen its partnership with the United Nations system while providing effective and constructive contributions aimed at achieving the desired goals.

I thank the Secretary- General for his comprehensive reports (A/76/74, A/76/320 and A/76/376) on this agenda item. We appreciate the reports’ practical recommendations, which will be helpful in strengthening international efforts to respond more effectively to the growing humanitarian needs around the world. Globally, humanitarian needs have reached critical levels in recent years, and the onslaught of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the entire landscape of humanitarian operations. It has put a sharp spotlight on the growing inequalities and pre-existing vulnerabilities, especially in countries with climate emergencies and conflict situations. The Global Humanitarian Overview 2022 predicts that in 2022, 274 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection. That will surpass last year’s figure, which was already the highest in decades. As the General Assembly is aware, Bangladesh is hosting more than 1.1 million displaced Rohingya, who fled atrocities in Myanmar. Within our limited capacity, we are providing them with the necessary humanitarian support. We appreciate the assistance provided by the international community and the relevant United Nations agencies in addressing the critical needs of the Rohingya. Given the protracted nature of the crisis, we urge everyone involved internationally to scale up their efforts to share the burdens and responsibilities. There is also an urgent need for greater international attention to the deteriorating situation in Myanmar itself, in order to create the necessary conditions for the Rohingya’s safe and sustainable return to their homeland. Prolonging the crisis will further compound the already complex political and humanitarian situation in Myanmar and the difficulties for its neighbours, including my own country, Bangladesh, in hosting Myanmar’s persecuted minorities. Bangladesh is a highly climate-vulnerable and disaster-prone country. We are making substantive investments in disaster-risk reduction, prevention, adaptation and resilience-building, mitigation and relief. We have adopted the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan, which shifts the focus from vulnerability to building resilience and eventually prosperity. In line with our commitment to sharing our home-grown expertise and innovations with others in similar situations, we stand by the disaster-affected peoples of our neighbours. As Chair of the Platform on Disaster Displacement for the period from January 2018 to June 2019 and as a current member of its steering group, we have been active in enhancing coordination and coherence among the relevant United Nations entities and other stakeholders regarding the humanitarian needs of those displaced as a result of climate change. We consider the work of the United Nations humanitarian and emergency relief assistance entities very important and support international efforts to aid them. Resolution 46/182 remains the cornerstone of all such efforts. I would like to underscore a few points in that regard. First, we recognize the importance of the transition from emergency response to preparedness and resilience-building as fundamental to any humanitarian situation. In preparing for the transition, the international community’s response mechanism should be tailored to align with national priorities and the situation on the ground, and should be backed by sustainable, flexible and multi-year financing support and the necessary expertise and technologies. It is also critical to have good coordination between national Governments and other relevant actors, including United Nations agencies, in addressing humanitarian situations on the ground. Secondly, the international community must undertake development activities with a focus on building resilience and ultimately reducing dependency on humanitarian aid. It is imperative to ensure better cooperation between humanitarian and development actors in order to enable a smooth transition from dependence on relief to sustained development. There must be a balance in funding between humanitarian and development work without compromising their respective priorities. Thirdly, we acknowledge the centrality of the role of women as first responders in any humanitarian crisis. It is therefore very important to further strengthen gender-responsive policy development for disaster-risk reduction and mitigation. Finally, we remain concerned about the denial of humanitarian access in many conflict situations and the indiscriminate armed attacks on humanitarian personnel and convoys, medical and peacekeeping personnel and civilian infrastructure essential to humanitarian operations. We stress the importance of ensuring accountability and justice in the event of any reported violence. The four draft resolutions being considered today will be important instruments for strengthening United Nations humanitarian operations. We thank the delegations of Argentina, Sweden and the European Union for their extensive work on draft resolutions A/76/L.23, A/76/L.24, and A/76/L.26, which we are pleased to sponsor. We are grateful to the Chair of the Group of 77 (G-77) and China for entrusting my delegation with the coordination and facilitation of draft resolution A/76/L.27, on natural disasters. We also want to express our sincere appreciation to all members of the G-77 and China and other delegations for their constructive engagement and support during the negotiations. We remain committed to the effective implementation of these four important annual resolutions.

At the outset, allow me to express my delegation’s appreciation to the coordinators and facilitators of the draft resolutions (A/76/L.23, A/76/L.24, A/76/L.26 and A/76/L.27) under this agenda item for their leadership and work in achieving a consensus among Member States. I would also like to extend my appreciation to the Secretary-General for his reports (A/76/74, A/76/320 and A/76/376). I align myself with the statement made by the representative of Guinea on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and would like to add the following remarks in my national capacity. The nature and extent of humanitarian situations have changed dramatically as new dimensions have emerged in recent decades. As a result, the international community has been facing evolving challenges in its efforts to address such emergencies in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. With the growing numbers of people suffering from the effects of natural disasters, the extent and frequency of such events, in addition to hindering the development of disaster-stricken countries, have eroded countries’ capacity to address them. Humanitarian emergencies also occur as a result of ever-increasing armed conflicts and the targeting of innocent civilians. We therefore concur with the Secretary-General in his report on strengthening the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance (A/76/74) that “[h]umanitarian needs soared in 2020, propelled by conflict, climate change and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic”. My delegation acknowledges the leading role of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. We are of the view that mobilizing the resources to tackle humanitarian situations sustainably requires an anticipatory financing approach in the United Nations budgetary system. In that regard, those who are the main contributors to protracted wars or occupations either through their direct involvement or the provision of sophisticated weapons should shoulder a greater part of the burden in financing United Nations humanitarian responses. That also includes those with a responsibility owing to a history of the greenhouse-gas emissions that have led to rapid climate change resulting in natural disasters. This year we are commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the Assembly’s adoption of its landmark resolution 46/182, as a solid foundation for humanitarian actions and responses. Based on the resolution, we believe that all of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, especially those regarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, should be strictly observed by all when providing humanitarian assistance. While emphasizing the primary role and responsibility of States in addressing humanitarian emergencies within their territories, we must acknowledge national ownership and leadership in coordination with humanitarian assistance in ensuring its effective delivery. Similarly, no humanitarian crises or emergencies, especially those that have been purposely created with a specific and hidden political agenda in mind, should result in foreign interventions under the pretext of the responsibility to protect. In taking note of the Secretary-General’s calls for a global ceasefire and humanitarian pause as a temporary solution for providing humanitarian assistance to those in dire need, the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly believes that addressing the root causes of humanitarian crises and emergencies and greater investment in their prevention are the main sustainable and durable solutions to such problems. That includes both natural disasters and human-made crises, including occupations, foreign military interventions and the imposition of illegal and inhumane unilateral coercive measures. In that regard, we stress the significance of liability and accountability. We were therefore disappointed with the Human Rights Council’s failure to renew the mandate of the Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts on Yemen on 7 October. While it is committed to the protection of United Nations and humanitarian personnel on mission, Iran emphasizes that the sanctity of humanitarian assistance activities, including the credibility of the United Nations humanitarian response system, must be preserved by upholding its purely humanitarian nature through the observation of humanitarian principles. Legitimate concerns with regard to the diversion of humanitarian aid, as well as the conduct of non-humanitarian activities, under the guise of providing humanitarian aid, must be met immediately with thorough and independent investigations. We strongly condemn situations in which the humanitarian needs of populations in dire need are held hostage as a political means or military tool, including by imposing blockades aimed at starving civilians to death. Furthermore, the United Nations should ensure that all humanitarian aid is distributed among all populations in need without discrimination or any interference from donors. There are many humanitarian crises around the world that require our swift attention. With regard to the situation in Afghanistan, as winter approaches and the situation of the Afghan people continues to deteriorate, the timely provision of humanitarian assistance and the release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets, which are essential to reviving its economy and saving lives, should in no way be politicized or conditional. Every effort should therefore be made to ensure that the countries hosting Afghan refugees, especially Afghanistan’s neighbours, have unhindered access to humanitarian goods and vaccines. With regard to Palestine, in particular the besieged Gaza Strip, we note with great concern the obstacles and impediments that the occupying regime has created in the Palestinian territories to people’s movements and to humanitarian access and operational space, as the report of the Secretary-General describes (A/76/78). Nearly 2,200 Palestinian children have been killed since 2000, while 18,500 have been arrested during the same period. The Islamic Republic of Iran considers that inhumane and illegal unilateral coercive measures are not only one of the main obstacles to international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance but also one of the main sources of humanitarian crises and violations of humanitarian principles around the world. They also undermine the ability of the countries they target, including my own, to meet their commitments under the relevant treaties and conventions, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. We firmly reject the unilateral coercive measures that a number of States have imposed as political leverage, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even in these times of the deadly coronavirus disease, the United States’ illegal and inhumane unilateral coercive measures have targeted innocent Iranian citizens by freezing our assets in foreign banks — assets that we desperately need to use for the provision of vaccines and other humanitarian needs. Finally, humanitarian issues occupy a very prominent place in Iran’s foreign policy. We therefore once again express our readiness to cooperate, coordinate and facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance to anyone in dire humanitarian need.

At the outset, I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his insightful reports (A/76/74, A/76/320 and A/76/376) on this agenda item. They make it clear that humanitarian crises are affecting more people than ever and that the combined threats of conflict, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and climate change are driving humanitarian suffering around the world. The Secretary-General’s reports also note the disturbing trends we are witnessing in terms of gender-based violence, increased human displacement and food insecurity, including the threat of famine. These are vital humanitarian issues that must be addressed with urgency, and the United Nations, at the heart of our multilateral system, must continue to play a central role. In countries facing humanitarian challenges we have witnessed a disturbing increase in the frequency and variety of infectious-disease outbreaks, such as cholera, dengue, measles and polio. They have been compounded by the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has interrupted many of the programmes designed to battle them. COVID-19 has also created further humanitarian needs and has exposed existing inequalities among those who are already marginalized and facing the most severe impacts in society, such as the disabled, the elderly, internally displaced, refugees and migrants. We should also highlight the fact that women and girls have been disproportionately affected by the advent of COVID-19. Gender-based violence and reduced access to education, health care, food and employment have left millions of girls and women at a higher risk of exploitation. For those reasons, it is urgent that we ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and take extraordinary measures to vaccinate those in humanitarian situations. As has been said time and time again, we can beat the pandemic only with true global solidarity. In that regard, we welcome the high-level meeting that the President will convene on 13 January 2022 on the theme of “Galvanizing momentum for universal vaccination”, aimed at advancing efforts to ensure vaccine equity. As we witness humanitarian crises compounding each other across the planet, we must step back to consider and address the root causes, because otherwise we will continue to face situation after situation of human suffering. The effects of climate change, including more frequent and intense extreme weather events, continue to be a key concern for the Maldives and other small island developing States (SIDS). As the report of the Secretary-General (A/76/376) notes, climate change poses an existential threat to many small island developing States and is a driver of growing humanitarian needs both through increasingly frequent, severe and sudden climate-related disasters and slow-onset events. Events related to climate change, such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, tropical cyclones and rising sea levels, are expected to push an estimated 100 million people into poverty by 2030. As noted in the report, Asia and the Pacific region have been hit hard by monsoons and cyclones, affecting crops, infrastructure and homes. In our own experience in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, which devastated our country, it took us more than five years to rebuild. We had to relocate people from islands that were destroyed. Climate disasters can affect any country at any time, and require that we take urgent and effective action to address their universal threat. Given their unique and particular vulnerabilities, SIDS also face a heightened risk of humanitarian crises. That is why we have strongly advocated for finalizing a multidimensional vulnerability index that will enable us to fully evaluate the risks that we in SIDS face, in an effort to avoid a potential future humanitarian crisis in our countries. The Palestinian people continue to face a humanitarian crisis marked by increasing tensions and violence and with deteriorating socioeconomic conditions and continued suffering. The illegal settlements, threats of annexation and demolitions of Palestinian homes are an urgent humanitarian crisis that must be addressed with fierce resolve. The Maldives once again affirms its long-standing and steadfast commitment to Palestine’s efforts to achieve self-determination, sovereignty and independence. We believe that the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine within its pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with Israel in peace and harmony, is the only viable solution to the ongoing humanitarian crisis facing the Palestinian people. The Maldives calls on the international community to redouble its efforts to ensure relief for those facing dire humanitarian crises around the world. Whether the causes of those problems are environmental, social or economic, in today’s world robust and responsive multilateralism is vital to effectively addressing those challenges and ensuring that we protect the most vulnerable among us.

Malaysia aligns itself with the statement delivered earlier by the representative of Brunei Darussalam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is clear from the reports of the Secretary-General (A/76/74, A/76/320 and A/76/376) that the climate and health crises have further exposed inequalities and increased humanitarian needs worldwide. In addition, conflicts continue to inflict devastating effects on the humanitarian situation in countries affected by them, hitting vulnerable populations the hardest. It is worrying that in 2022, more than 274 million people will require humanitarian assistance, with $41 billion in funding needed globally. Against that backdrop, more robust global action is required. In that context, Malaysia commends the efforts undertaken by the international community, including the United Nations, to ensure that humanitarian assistance remains operational despite the challenges of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation. Malaysia remains committed to assisting global humanitarian relief efforts. We will continue to work hand in hand with the United Nations in supporting the World Food Programme’s first relief base in Asia. The depot, which was set up in Subang in 2012, has played a crucial role in large-scale operations to support COVID-19 responses in the region. They include the shipment of mobile storage units, generator sets, water tanks, lighting equipment, furniture and prefabricated modules to support COVID-19 operations and humanitarian relief in Cox’s Bazar. Malaysia will also continue to extend assistance within its capacity through the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and bilaterally. This year, Malaysia provided a financial contribution to OCHA for the purpose of humanitarian relief in Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen. We also agreed to a predictable long-term contribution of $1 million over a five-year period to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, in support of the Agency’s relief efforts to the Palestinian people. At the regional level, Malaysia will continue to work closely with the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management in providing collective disaster responses by ASEAN nations in Southeast Asia. Malaysia notes with concern the continued attacks on humanitarian workers during the reporting period. The safety and security of humanitarian and United Nations personnel is paramount, and they must be protected. My delegation welcomes efforts to that end, including reinforcing security risk management strategies, enhancing the support of the Department of Safety and Security for resident coordinators and bolstering security collaboration between the United Nations and host Governments. In conclusion, Malaysia believes that a timely, predictable, coordinated and accountable response to humanitarian needs is more critical than ever in saving lives and alleviating suffering. Malaysia reiterates its call for continued coordination and collaboration between United Nations mechanisms and Member States in ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance to those most in need.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a long-standing partner in institutional humanitarian activities undertaken by the United Nations to assist countries facing emergencies as a result of natural disasters, wars, pandemics and other catastrophes, in coordination with States and with strict adherence to the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and operational independence. It is an ethical, humanist and supportive commitment, the urgency of which has increased alarmingly in the twenty-first century and for which our responsibility grows greater every day. The existential threat posed by climate change, which is made worse with every passing day by reckless human activity and a predatory model — even in the middle of the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic  — has intensified in recent years, as evidenced by the increase in floods, droughts and other natural events that humankind has not dealt with in an equitable way. Likewise, armed conflicts and the fomentation of wars, which have become a business, disproportionately affect the most vulnerable, resulting in migration crises, hunger, poverty and genuine humanitarian disaster. Subsequently, those responsible for them shamelessly purport to lecture the world on morality with their interventions and donations, which pale in comparison to the spoils of war. Examples abound on a global scale. The violation of the sovereignty of States and interference in their internal affairs has undeniably led to the tragic circumstances affecting the most vulnerable. Rather than helping to end crises, concepts such as humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect exacerbate them. And the fact is that certain countries frequently foster instability by using those concepts, which, at one time might have been based on noble intentions, to plunder goods and natural resources within the framework of campaigns of aggression that are motivated by geopolitical interests and seek to impose on other nations political models that are foreign to their cultures and historical processes. In that regard, we reject any attempt to politicize activities or operations aimed at coordinating and providing humanitarian assistance. Venezuela stresses that illegally imposed unilateral coercive measures qualify as warlike acts of aggression that violate the Charter of the United Nations and the norms of international law. Moreover, they are the cause of great pain and suffering for more than a third of humankind. Such criminal destabilizing acts continue to have a negative impact on the lives and human rights of more than 30 million Venezuelans, who are deliberately being denied access to food, basic services, medicines, and vaccines under a policy of maximally calculated cruelty, even in the midst of the worst pandemic of the past 100 years. In that regard, it is important to underline, on the one hand, the extraterritorial implications and the scope of so-called sanctions that fail to discriminate among any of the segments of the affected population, and on the other hand, the fact that in practice the supposed humanitarian exemptions have proved to be not just ineffective but non-existent, as has been documented by independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council. Only two days ago, Alena Douhan, Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, said, “Vulnerable groups are often those who rely and depend the most on social or humanitarian aid, but the aid very often cannot be supplied because of sanctions, despite existing exemptions. The complexity of sanctions regulations, combined with extraterritorial enforcement and heavy penalties, has led to widespread overcompliance with unilateral sanctions by entities out of fear of the consequences of inadvertent breaches or violations. Because of this, banks are reluctant to finance aid or process transactions for humanitarian purchases, and transport companies refuse to handle shipments of humanitarian goods”. Without fear of contradicting ourselves, we therefore state once again that the implementation of those cruel, inhumane and illegal measures, combined with the problem of overcompliance, leads to as many deaths and humanitarian casualties as a conventional war, if not more. That is why we will never cease to call for their complete and immediate elimination. We hope that this all but universal cry will be heard once and for all by those who advocate the implementation of the collective punishments that constitute a crime against humanity, especially as we commemorate International Human Rights Day today. We therefore believe that the time has come to move to establish an alternative system of global interbank and financial transactions that would be truly independent and compliant with international law, that would not fold under the pressures or blackmail of the great Western Powers, and that would enable us to meet the basic needs of our peoples, including on the humanitarian front, and guarantee their welfare with our own resources. In other words, the time has come to move to establish an international zone free of unilateral coercive measures, the work of which would be complemented by the implementation of what is known as green corridors, in a space free of trade wars and sanctions  — which would enable us to function not just day to day, but also during pandemics, natural disasters and other emergency situations. Lastly, while stressing that the bureaucratic costs must never be greater than those of implementing humanitarian programmes for the benefit of the most vulnerable, we want to take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to dialogue and cooperation with the entire humanitarian community, whose efforts we fully acknowledge, always based on respect for States’ sovereignty and non-intervention in their internal affairs, and in strict compliance with humanitarian principles and the need to ensure due coordination with the States concerned at all stages of the processes, in line with the provisions of resolution 46/182.

It is a great honour to return to the rostrum today. My remarks will focus on the devastating impact of what I call the three Cs — the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), climate change and conflict. When we look at the impact of those three things, we realize the extent to which the world is becoming ever more insecure, difficult and challenging for literally hundreds of millions of people. When COVID-19 struck in 2020, the system was therefore already stretched, and we now find that we are forced to navigate terrain that is unfamiliar to any post-1945 generation. The scale of the humanitarian needs has become unprecedented. They affect those who are the most vulnerable, including women and children. COVID-19 has reinforced the urgency, extraordinary importance and priority of collective action. In 2021, our efforts addressed multiple challenges, overcoming almost insurmountable obstacles to reach the most vulnerable and demonstrating the value of multilateralism and the strength of a united international community. Together we supported the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to 107 million people affected by crises, but the forecast for 2022 is even more challenging. The recently released Global Humanitarian Overview 2022 estimates that $41 billion is required to provide life-saving assistance to nearly 200 million people. As I said, the humanitarian need propelled by armed conflict, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic is unabating. As we look at the world map, we recognize that conflicts continue across Africa and the Middle East. We are witnessing increased instability in Ethiopia and Myanmar, and to put it mildly, evolving challenges in Afghanistan, where many commentators are speaking openly of the risk of famine as winter approaches. We also face brazen disregard for international humanitarian law that is reflected in attacks that are not accidental but that target civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and water and sanitation systems. That is causing death, injury, mental and physical suffering and displacement, often with complete impunity, to the very people who are supposed to be protected by international humanitarian law. Millions of refugees and internally displaced persons are without a prospect of durable solutions. This year alone, 24 million Africans are internally displaced mainly because they find themselves in conflicts. In Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Nigeria, South Sudan and Syria, attacks and violence against hospitals, medical and humanitarian personnel, transport and equipment have destroyed critical infrastructure, thereby depriving millions of life-saving care. Local and national responders account for more than 50 per cent of the casualties. Obstructions to humanitarian access in direct violation of international law and contrary to humanitarian principles are leaving millions without assistance or protection. There are disturbing reports of conflict-related sexual violence against women and girls, not to mention incidents of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. Children’s rights continue to be gravely violated, including through children’s recruitment and use as soldiers, as well as through sexual exploitation and abduction. Education has seen its worst disruption in modern history, with a disproportionate impact on girls, many of whom cannot return to school, and, as my colleague from the European Union said earlier, will not return to school and may face the possibility of early or forced marriage. The effects of climate change, including those created by desertification, drought and flooding, are compounding food insecurity. Millions are therefore facing famine-like conditions in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, South Sudan and Yemen. An estimated 283 million people are likely to face hunger in 2022. Worldwide, the pandemic has provoked an alarming increase in sexual and gender-based violence, and the damage has been worsened by limited access to medical, psychosocial, legal, sexual and reproductive health services. We all have a collective and common responsibility to ensure more effective and efficient humanitarian responses. However, let me share just a few reflections. First, the Charter of the United Nations requires us to take effective collective measures for the preservation of international peace and security. There are some who think that the Charter is not fundamental to our humanitarian obligations, but in fact it is very clear, because of what it says about threats to security. We have to find creative ways to respond in order to avert armed conflict when the use of the veto prevents the Security Council from carrying out its mandate. That is our responsibility here in the General Assembly, and one that we cannot avoid. We have to encourage dialogue with all stakeholders, including non-State armed groups, aimed at the peaceful settlement of disputes. We all have to learn to listen, encourage openness and humility and create space for both truth and reconciliation. We have to build stronger incentives for armed forces and non-State armed groups to fully integrate international humanitarian law into their operational practice, as well as their systems of justice. Secondly, we have to continue efforts to strengthen the system by figuring out better and quicker ways to respond to need. The Central Emergency Response Fund enables us to do that, and I was pleased to announce Canada’s contribution this year. We need to address situations before they become even more severe. We must learn how to have predictable financing for things that we know are going to happen. We have to deal with early-warning and action systems, forecasting and emergency preparedness. We also have to learn the critical importance of local humanitarian actors. What has happened in the case of COVID-19 is that the white vans have disappeared. What we are seeing now is that it is local humanitarian actors who are providing assistance, whether to local communities or refugee camps. It is the local actors whom we now have to provide with the power and ability to take steps to provide the assistance themselves. They include refugees, as well as people who have been displaced, and we need to focus on those who are the most marginalized, including women and the disabled. (spoke in French) Thirdly, it remains imperative to provide predictable and flexible humanitarian financing in line with the Grand Bargain and Good Humanitarian Donorship principles. In the face of ever-increasing needs, we must redouble our efforts to expand the donor base and promote innovative partnerships. We believe that Canada is doing its part, but we know very well that we must all do more. To date, we have provided more than $1 billion in flexible, quality humanitarian funding, including support for humanitarian responses in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, the Sahel region, Yemen and Syria. In response to the refugee and migrant crises in South America, Canada pledged $115 million at the June international donors conference in solidarity with Venezuelan refugees and migrants. In addition, in order to make up for lost gains and address malnutrition, this week at the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit 2021 we renewed our pledge of $520 million to promote nutrition over five years. Through our gender-sensitive humanitarian approach, we are working to meet the basic needs of the most vulnerable, including the disabled and especially women and girls. Last year, we provided almost $42 million to ensure the availability of essential life-saving sexual and reproductive health services for women, girls and vulnerable populations. Finally, we must acknowledge that humanitarian action alone is not enough. We must not work in silos, but rather implement complementary and comprehensive responses. Meaningful cooperation on the humanitarian-development-peace nexus must go much farther than words. Such cooperation is imperative if we intend to reverse the trend of ever- increasing humanitarian needs. Addressing the root causes of inequality and conflict, including climate change, is also imperative. We have already announced substantial climate-change responses, including $5.3 billion in development funding. We will of course continue our efforts to support the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility. We have already donated the equivalent of more than 200 million doses to COVAX, and that will continue in future. It must also be acknowledged, however, that we have to create the capacity to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines in regions all over the world. We need a much greater capacity to produce the necessary supply of vaccines. That is why Canada has donated $15 million to South Africa for the establishment of a technology transfer hub. We believe that such action should be taken in Africa, Asia and throughout the world. The choices that we make today will either bring hope to millions of people affected by crises or reinforce old paradigms, with their catastrophic consequences. Through international cooperation and support for a rules-based international order, we can achieve great change. Canada is ready. Lastly, we are very grateful to the facilitators of the negotiations on this year’s draft resolutions (A/76/L.23, A/76/L.24, A/76/L.26 and A/76/L.27). I hope that they will be adopted by consensus.

Today’s meeting marks the anniversary of the entire United Nations humanitarian response system. Exactly 30 years ago we adopted resolution 46/182, which established the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and laid down inviolable principles for humanitarian workers on the ground in conflict and disaster situations. The guiding principles are founded not only on ensuring humanity, impartiality and neutrality in the provision of humanitarian assistance, but also on upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the States concerned and the consent of their Governments to receive and subsequently coordinate such assistance. For the second year in a row, the humanitarian wing of the United Nations has shouldered the ever- increasing burden of humanitarian needs around the world. The pandemic has hit the most vulnerable hard and shows no sign of relenting. Donors are being asked for ever more support to alleviate the suffering of those affected by natural disasters and armed conflicts. Despite the global economy’s problems, that support will be forthcoming. The high-level pledging event on the Central Emergency Response Fund held only two days ago demonstrated that resolve. A record amount of $467 million was pledged. We believe that the leadership of OCHA will allocate those funds where they are most needed. According to United Nations estimates, ensuring food security and preventing the most extreme manifestation of its absence — starvation — are currently the primary humanitarian needs. The reasons for them vary, but they include armed conflicts, natural disasters and underdevelopment. In a number of countries the situation is extremely alarming. Against that backdrop there have been animated but very divisive discussions on the importance of bringing those who are to blame for these situations to justice. We would like to stress that socioeconomic and technological development is at the core of ensuring food security in any country. In that regard, we call for rejecting alarmist rhetoric and focusing on supporting the comprehensive development of the countries at risk and increasing the effectiveness of our early-warning systems. Considering the already major burdens on the humanitarian response system, the issue of illegitimate unilateral sanctions is becoming increasingly relevant. Their destructive impact on States’ socioeconomic potential and their peoples’ welfare and overall sustainable development is clear. The number of examples illustrating the inability of humanitarian workers to perform their functions and provide vital assistance to those in need owing to such restrictions is enormous. The pandemic has further demonstrated their ineffectiveness. We can all see that such restrictions not only fail to achieve their goals but endanger the lives of ordinary people. We urge States that misuse sanctions to abandon that pernicious practice. We also call on them to stop politicizing humanitarian aid in general, either by insisting on conditions or by blaming others and simplifying and distorting the overall picture, as some States like to do. Russia is an active participant in the international humanitarian response system, including through the United Nations. On an annual basis, we contribute both by making regular donor contributions, totalling $90 million, to the budgets of United Nations humanitarian agencies, and by sending humanitarian supplies and Russian humanitarian workers to areas most in need. That work has continued during the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, we would like to express our gratitude to the delegations who led the negotiations on the humanitarian draft resolutions (A/76/L.23, A/76/L.24, A/76/L.26 and A/76/L.27), and to all our colleagues for their flexibility during the work on the texts. Despite differences in our positions, together we were able to reach a consensus and update the guidelines for the work of the humanitarian workers for the coming year. We believe that there is sufficient political will to maintain unity on the United Nations humanitarian track in order to strengthen OCHA’s position and support Martin Griffiths in his work.

Romania aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union. We thank the Secretary-General for his reports (A/76/74, A/76/320 and A/76/376) presented under agenda item 75, “Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance”. This has been another challenging year, with humanitarian needs on the rise owing to the coronavirus disease pandemic, climate-related disasters and conflicts. Hunger is spreading, global education has been disrupted, people have been displaced and hard- won development gains reversed. The international community must stand united and show solidarity with those most in need of humanitarian aid. In 2020 and 2021, Romania allocated more than 10 per cent of its development and humanitarian assistance budget to humanitarian aid, and we remain committed to the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. Starting this year, we introduced a flexible financial allocation mechanism as part of our annual funding plan for development and humanitarian assistance, in order to enable a faster humanitarian response to emergencies, as was the case for the contributions allocated in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti and for supporting United Nations humanitarian activities targeting food insecurity in Afghanistan. In order to further consolidate our multilateral engagement, we have recently contributed to the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, in the light of the persistent critical humanitarian needs in that area. Given the increasing numbers of people at risk, we are looking into ways to boost the effectiveness of assistance, with a special focus on resilience and reducing dependency wherever possible. One such example is Romania’s support to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in facilitating access to renewable energy sources for refugees through the distribution of alternative energy sources made by and distributed to Sudanese refugees in Chad. We also acknowledge the added value of regional cooperation in achieving durable solutions. In that regard, Romania has provided financial support to the activities of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management. The adequacy of international humanitarian law has come under intense scrutiny in recent years, given the emergence of new challenges such as the involvement of non-State actors operating across borders, the use of new technologies, the rise of asymmetric and urbanized warfare, the privatization of security and the volatile distinction between armed conflicts and criminal activities. Romania shares the view that the four Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, as well as other conventional and customary norms of international humanitarian law, remain as relevant as ever and must continue to apply in all situations of armed conflict. The surge in the incidence of serious attacks on humanitarian and medical personnel in the past decade is particularly worrying and demands that we make increased investments in risk assessment, protection strategies and humanitarian diplomacy aimed at gaining the acceptance of local communities. That overall situation is attributable to such factors as a lack of satisfactory enforcement mechanisms, political will and the concrete capacities of actors engaged in armed conflicts to abide by their legal obligations, as well as insufficient knowledge of international humanitarian law. Consequently, finding appropriate ways to ensure greater respect for international humanitarian law is one of the most pressing humanitarian challenges we have. Romania has endorsed the humanitarian call for action launched by France and Germany and supports the increased activism within that platform for safeguarding the humanitarian space. The relevant actions at the international level should be paired with measures to ensure respect for international humanitarian law domestically. In that respect, in the past 15 years since its creation, Romania’s national commission on international humanitarian law has been responsible for monitoring the fulfilment of our obligations under the relevant international treaties, as well as for identifying the most effective ways of implementing them at the national level. At the same time, Romania has joined the growing community of States that have produced voluntary national reports on the implementation of international humanitarian law. Based on our experience, we can attest that such self-assessment is a valuable exercise that can help strengthen compliance with international humanitarian law by identifying areas in need of improvement, forging inter-institutional cooperation and raising the profile of international humanitarian law on the political agenda. From an international perspective, the voluntary reporting processes contribute to the inter-State dialogue on matters of international humanitarian law while serving as inspiration to other States and actors and displaying how States deal with enforcing their obligations through concrete measures. Before concluding, I would like to thank the delegations that have introduced the draft resolutions under the agenda item entitled “Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations”. Romania is a sponsor of all of those draft resolutions (A/76/L.23, A/76/L.24, A/76/L.26 and A/76/L.27) and looks forward to their adoption by consensus.

Let me start by thanking the global humanitarian community for staying the course and delivering life-saving services while facing ever-increasing challenges. That applies especially to locally recruited humanitarian personnel. I would also like to take this opportunity to urge all parties in situations of armed conflict to respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law. Humanitarian needs continue to rise, both in magnitude and complexity, and a coordinated humanitarian response is therefore needed more than ever. The recently released Global Humanitarian Overview 2022 paints a bleak picture, with an estimated 274 million people requiring humanitarian assistance and protection in a single year. Iceland was pleased to take part in the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) pledging event on Wednesday, 8 December, which saw 39 donors pledge a total of $467 million, the highest amount ever committed to CERF at a pledging event. We are grateful to all who pledged. However, with an ever-growing gap between needs and resources, more has to be done. In that regard, we were pleased to note a more stringent prioritization of needs in the Global Humanitarian Overview, with the aim of assisting the most vulnerable. We also encourage all actors to work to reduce humanitarian needs by enhancing their anticipatory action. With half of all current crises somewhat predictable, the human and financial cost of reactive responses is simply too high. Finally, Iceland emphasizes human rights and gender equality both at home and abroad. We therefore continue to push for a systematic focus on women and girls in all humanitarian crises and echo the calls for the further prioritization of prevention and decisive action on acts of sexual and gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies. That is even more important now that the pandemic has increased the vulnerability of women and girls.

The humanitarian work of the United Nations is fundamental to assisting people and communities ravaged by conflict, famine, climate change and natural disasters. A proactive approach and increased coordination among all humanitarian actors is needed to address the effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on populations affected by humanitarian crises. It is therefore our duty to work together to save lives and alleviate suffering, within a diverse and varied system of humanitarian partners, including Member States, the United Nations itself and its funds and programmes, international, regional, national and local humanitarian organizations and civil society. A coordinated humanitarian response is vital in a world devastated by crises, conflicts, epidemics and natural disasters. Aware of its responsibility and under the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has placed humanitarian action at the very core of its foreign policy. In that regard, we have always been ready and willing to contribute to efforts to assist populations affected by emergency humanitarian situations, whether due to political unrest or natural disasters. As instructed by King Mohammed, the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces have therefore deployed 19 hospitals and provided numerous medical services to local populations and refugees in 14 countries across four continents. Similarly, we have launched a humanitarian operation for the benefit of some 20 brother African countries, as well as for the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, with donations amounting of 228 tons of products to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. In Lebanon and Palestine, Morocco has provided aid in the form of 400 tons of food and medical products during 2020 and 2021. Morocco’s efforts and actions in the humanitarian field are not limited to emergency aid. They include knowledge-sharing through sustainable development projects and South-South cooperation. Morocco also continues to step up its support for efforts aimed at mitigating humanitarian crises through effective contributions to peacekeeping operations. In that context, our election to the World Food Programme’s Executive Board shows the high international regard for my country’s concrete actions and solidarity initiatives. Furthermore, as a member of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) Advisory Board, we consider the Fund’s work particularly important to enabling rapid, timely and better coordinated responses to emergency crises. Timely global responses by the United Nations have become more necessary than ever and CERF’s success stories bear witness to that. We have pledged to support the Fund with a voluntary contribution of $100,000 for 2022. Strengthening the coordination of humanitarian aid and relief efforts should never be affected by any exploitation or politicization, two of the main obstacles facing the international community in that regard. They increase the suffering of people affected by crises and make them more liable to be indefinitely prolonged. Respect for the Charter of the United Nations and resolution 46/182 is therefore vital to achieving humanitarian aid action in the world. In that connection, Morocco remains committed to upholding respect for impartiality, neutrality and independence as essential principles for the delivery of humanitarian aid. Furthermore, all parties, in particular host countries, must respect international humanitarian law, fulfil their obligations to protect civilians and guarantee access for humanitarian aid and its delivery to recipients. Against that backdrop, Morocco stresses the importance of the census and registration of refugee camp populations in order to guarantee their protection against any political instrumentalization or diversion of aid intended for them. There is therefore an urgent need to reaffirm the commitment to full respect for international humanitarian law, human rights and refugee law, as well as humanitarian principles and the essential nature of protection. It is deplorable that in 2021 there are still flagrant cases where entire populations are isolated in camps and deprived of their most basic rights, including the right to census and registration and the right to voluntary return. International humanitarian law is clear in that regard — registration is an instrument of protection, including in relation to the protection of access to fundamental rights, and the responsibility of host countries for populations settled on their territory is fundamental. International humanitarian law also recognizes the many forms of harassment suffered by people who do not possess papers attesting to their status. It is therefore essential to strengthen coordination among humanitarian actors in order to put an end to such situations and ensure the registration of all refugees requiring humanitarian assistance. That is particularly important given that registration is a way to identify those in need of assistance, as well as to facilitate the assessment and quantification of their needs. Similarly, international reports have documented situations where humanitarian assistance has been systematically diverted for years, if not decades, with the complicity of the host country. We cannot say it often enough — we can help to prevent the diversion of humanitarian aid through registration, population censuses and accountability measures. Morocco shares the Secretary-General’s concern about serious violations of children’s rights. More than 20,000 cases of recruitment, murder, physical harm, rape and other forms of sexual violence, abduction, attacks on schools and hospitals and denials of humanitarian access were recorded last year. Those alarming figures are an unfortunate reminder that children remain among the most vulnerable populations who suffer most in humanitarian contexts and emergency situations. On top of that, the military recruitment of children is particularly frequent in situations where the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is denied the free exercise of its statutory mandate to conduct censuses in refugee camps, and where children are taught about hatred and war instead of being in school and enjoying their right to education. Such acts are gross violations of international humanitarian law, both conventional and customary, as well as the Additional Protocols of the Geneva Conventions and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is therefore essential to strengthen coordination among humanitarian actors in order to put an end to such violations and serious crimes committed against children, especially military recruitment, which constitutes a war crime. Morocco supports the call to action and the renewed international commitment to ending and preventing the recruitment and use of children in conflict once and for all by 2025. The Kingdom of Morocco commends the efforts and leadership of Secretary-General António Guterres at the helm of our Organization. The international community is being called on to coordinate its contributions so that urgent measures can be taken to implement the Secretary-General’s calls for a global ceasefire, a humanitarian pause and greater investment in prevention, as well as the call to action launched by Morocco and supported by 173 delegations to step up the humanitarian response in the fight against the coronavirus disease pandemic. I also want to commend the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, under the leadership of Mr. Martin Griffiths, and other relevant United Nations agencies for their commendable work in humanitarian action. I should not conclude without also commending the selflessness of those national and international humanitarian and health workers, operating in the most dangerous parts of the world, who have become targets of abduction, attack, detention, threats, harassment and intimidation. They must be allowed to carry out their noble mandate in safety and without political interference. The international community must therefore join forces to ensure that the widespread disregard for international humanitarian and human rights law is brought to an end once and for all.

The ongoing pandemic has had a considerable effect on our ability to assist populations in need and has exacerbated existing humanitarian crises. In addition, we are seeing the emergence of new crises that are putting even more pressure on humanitarian actors. The issue of humanitarian access to populations in need, and their access to assistance and protection, is becoming increasingly complex, while the needs are constantly increasing. In order to face our many challenges, the international community must provide a strong and united response. Despite the current spread of a new variant, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic situation is very different from that of last year, thanks to vaccines and our knowledge of the virus. However, the vaccination rate in countries with humanitarian appeals is below the target that was set, of 20 per cent by the end of 2021, while the world’s five poorest countries have been able to vaccinate only 2 per cent of their populations. It is therefore crucial to show greater solidarity in the distribution of vaccines and to provide the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility with strong support. We want to commend the efforts of the United Nations system and its humanitarian agencies to mobilize in the face of growing and complex health and climate crises. We also salute the courage of humanitarian workers, especially local actors, who are often the target of attacks. Such attacks are unacceptable. International humanitarian law in particular must be respected by all parties and in all circumstances, without exception. Humanitarian access must be facilitated and civilians must be protected. Humanitarian operations must be carried out in accordance with humanitarian principles, including neutrality, impartiality and independence. Violators of international humanitarian law must be prosecuted. In that context, we must spare no effort to enable the United Nations system to provide a rapid, effective, coordinated and humane response. Draft resolutions A/76/L.23, A/76/L.24, A/76/L.26 and A/76/L.27, to be adopted by the Assembly today, must provide that normative framework. True to its humanitarian tradition, Switzerland is committed to a culture of dialogue that can identify consensus-based solutions. We are therefore pleased to have been able to contribute to strengthening the coordination and accountability of humanitarian actors in the context of the Economic and Social Council humanitarian affairs segment held in Geneva under the Swiss presidency in June. The adoption by consensus of resolution E/RES/2021/17, on strengthening the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance, sent a strong political message. While we note that several elements have been addressed in today’s draft resolutions, we also see that more collaboration and partnerships are needed to better protect and defend humanitarian principles. Before concluding, Switzerland would like to reiterate three points in particular. First, the pandemic is both a health and a protection crisis. International humanitarian law represents a universal legal framework for the protection of victims and the provision of humanitarian assistance in armed conflicts. We must ensure that we do not neglect the humanitarian needs, including those related to gender- based violence, that were already serious before the COVID-19 crisis. Secondly, while innovation and new technologies are making humanitarian action more effective, the confidentiality and protection of data collected for exclusively humanitarian purposes must be fully respected. Switzerland continues to be committed to that end. Thirdly, climate change and environmental degradation are having an impact on humanitarian action, especially with regard to forced displacement. The needs of people forced to move due to the negative effects of climate change or natural disasters are constantly increasing. In that regard, Switzerland welcomes anticipatory actions that mitigate the impact of shocks, reduce humanitarian needs, contribute to building resilience and make humanitarian action more effective. Switzerland also welcomes the recommendations made by the High-level Panel on Internal Displacement.

The General Assembly is meeting today to discuss one of the most important items on its agenda, the strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance. In the light of the natural disasters, health crises and conflicts facing the world today, the international community must demonstrate solidarity and join hands in supporting the populations affected by such crises and mitigating their impact. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has created complex and interconnected challenges at the humanitarian, health, economic and even educational and societal levels. That is why Saudi Arabia underscores its commitment to collective international action to combat the pandemic. We played a vital role when we assumed the presidency of the Group of 20 in 2020 and contributed $500 million in support of global efforts to combat the pandemic, as well as allocating $300 million to help various countries deal with the pandemic. My country is also supporting international efforts to facilitate access to COVID-19 vaccines, while fully respecting intellectual property and the relevant international conventions. I would also like to highlight that as one of the three primary donors providing humanitarian and development assistance at the international level, according to the Financial Tracking Service of the United Nations, Saudi Arabia continues to be committed to its significant humanitarian and development role worldwide. Women and children are most affected by disasters and are most in need of relief assistance. My country considers support to these groups vital and is therefore implementing quality relief programmes to support, enable and strengthen them while providing full protection to women and children affected in many countries, including Yemen and Somalia. My country believes in volunteer work, particularly in the area of humanitarian and rescue action. My country’s vision for 2030 gives significant attention to voluntary efforts and is one of our priorities, as we strive to develop it and increase its effectiveness while creating a supportive and appropriate environment for it. Through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre and with the participation of specialized Saudi bodies, my country has launched 170 humanitarian volunteer programmes, which have benefited more than 378,000 people in 21 countries around the world at a cost of more than $41 million. Some of the most prominent in that regard are medical programmes in areas such as blindness and the diseases that cause it, open-heart surgery and cardiac catheterization in young people and adults. My country believes in the importance of the vital and central role played by humanitarian workers from relief and humanitarian organizations. We reiterate the importance of protecting and safeguarding them in the face of any obstacles that may put their lives in danger. We must also ensure that humanitarian aid is delivered to those who need it. That is why we urge the international community to continue to put pressure on militias and terrorist groups to comply with the principles of international humanitarian law and to cease any practices that obstruct or jeopardize rescue and relief action. Climate change has a direct impact on food systems and food security, as do conflicts and extreme climate disasters. Many people are at risk globally due to lack of access to food. My country responds to humanitarian crises around the world in various ways and considers food security a top priority for humanitarian assistance. In conclusion, Saudi Arabia underscores the importance of coordinating international efforts in providing humanitarian assistance. We must all work in cooperation with the United Nations in order to mitigate the suffering of people affected by disasters all over the world.

Denmark fully aligns itself with the statement made on behalf of the European Union. We have the honour to deliver this statement in our capacity as the global lead for 2021 and 2022 of the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies. The Call to Action is a coalition of more than 90 partners  — States, donors, international organizations and non-governmental organizations — that aim to fundamentally transform the way gender-based violence is addressed in humanitarian crises, both in terms of global political advocacy and, more importantly, in terms of concrete action on the ground. The sad reality is that physical, sexual, psychological and economic forms of sexual and gender-based violence increase massively in humanitarian crises. More than 70 per cent of women and girls living in conflict contexts have experienced gender-based violence, and the pandemic’s socioeconomic effects have only intensified that risk. One year ago, the Secretary-General warned us of the shadow pandemic. Sexual and gender-based violence is a pervasive and life-threatening health, human rights and protection issue and a barrier to achieving gender equality and the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Every humanitarian effort should therefore include the policies, systems and mechanisms necessary to prevent, mitigate and respond to gender-based violence. That includes providing safe and comprehensive services to those affected, including basic health, psychosocial support and legal aid. As global lead of the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, Denmark is calling for action in relation to two priorities in particular. First, regarding inclusion and local ownership, we need to work more and better with local women and girls in humanitarian planning and decision-making. Their voices too often go unheard or neglected, and that must change. It is a simple fact that our efforts have value only if they are relevant and useful at the local and national levels. Local actors and women-led organizations are uniquely positioned to address the impact of crises. They know the context and they are often the first on the scene, sometimes putting their own lives at risk. They have greater access to populations and can provide solutions based on the trust they enjoy in their communities. Our second priority is financing. Action to end gender-based violence is not merely underfunded, it is chronically underfunded. Funding for gender-based violence is only just above 20 per cent of the global requirements, severely limiting capacities to save lives and meet the needs of gender-based violence survivors in humanitarian contexts. All of us in this Hall have a collective responsibility to increase funds to combat gender-based violence, as well as to ensure direct and more flexible financing for local actors. Our two asks are that we empower those it is about and increase its financing. The Assembly can count on Denmark. We will continue to drive that work in collaboration with all relevant partners. We will work to push for the systemic changes that must be made both in policies and in practice on the ground. We can do more, and we must do better.

I am pleased to be participating in this important meeting. The United Arab Emirates considers the coordination of humanitarian aid and disaster relief one of the most important roles of the United Nations and a top priority of its own foreign policy, particularly in the wake of the coronavirus disease pandemic. We are proud of the close partnership of our humanitarian institutions with the various United Nations entities and regional and international institutions working to provide humanitarian aid to the needy and afflicted. Here I would like to underscore my country’s approach to the provision of relief aid, regardless of religion, race, politics or geographic location. We are driven first and foremost by the humanitarian dimension, while working to achieve stability and respecting the dignity of needy people around the world. In addition to our collective responsibility to provide relief aid, we consider humanitarian work a strategic investment in the development of peoples and their economy and a tool for promoting world stability and security. In the context of today’s debate, the United Arab Emirates underscores three main points. First, we call on the United Nations to accelerate the delivery of aid in the coming year and to take the necessary measures in areas where disasters can be foreseen. We can benefit from the predictability of certain climate disasters and their consequences by taking anticipatory measures that support those who are likely to be affected by such disasters. That will also help to reduce the cost of providing aid, especially since funding relief plans are generally insufficient. The evidence on the ground shows that twice as many people can benefit from such aid at only half the cost when proactive measures are taken. In that regard, we urge the United Nations to adopt the approach of the Central Emergency Response Fund and apply it to all relief funds in order to help humanitarian coordinators determine the best moment to take proactive measures in the context of imminent disasters. Secondly, we must continue to intensify efforts to ensure that humanitarian aid takes account of factors such as age and gender perspectives, as well as persons with disabilities, who in my country we call people of determination. In that regard, gender and age indicators are important in bridging gaps at the individual level, but we must also consider how to optimize those indicators in order to achieve the desired results. During United Nations-led consultations on how to implement humanitarian programmes, we must ensure that those programmes cover 50 per cent of women, youth, people of determination and their families. That percentage may not be possible in all situations, but it could be a starting point for United Nations operations under the supervision of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. As the evidence on the ground shows, approaches such as these that are inclusive and accountable can help humanitarian action achieve better results. In that context, the United Arab Emirates is working to provide the necessary support to women and girls in difficult humanitarian circumstances and to deal with shortfalls in funding aid at the international level. My country has recently pledged $25 million in its largest humanitarian contribution to the United Nations Population Fund. We have also granted $10 million in support of victims of gender-based violence all over the world. Thirdly and finally, the Assembly is well aware that deadlocked political processes and the failure to achieve lasting solutions to a number of conflicts around the world are one of the main reasons for most global humanitarian problem situations. It is therefore important that we, the States Members of the Organization, work in the Security Council and other decision-making forums to support vulnerable people and those in need. In January 2022 my country will begin its term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council. We will seek to ensure that the issue of humanitarian consequences related to political stalemates is a top priority for the Council and will also address the Council’s approach to the issue.

I have a serious interest in taking the floor to speak on the subject of strengthening the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance. I welcome the report of the Secretary-General contained in document A/76/74 and issued pursuant to resolution 46/182. The report outlines measures to improve the coordination and effectiveness of humanitarian actions, including through a description of the trends and difficulties encountered. Haiti subscribes to the principle of humanitarian aid in the event of a disaster, but has serious reservations about approaches to providing that humanitarian aid. Helping a sister State in the event of a disaster represents a gesture of international solidarity that supports the theory that the international system is not a jungle but rather a community, where States cooperate and help one other. The concept of humanitarian disaster assistance lies within that theoretical framework of international relations. However, the traditional approach to humanitarian aid is problematic because it generally tends to weaken the recipient State and serve as a substitute for the process of sustainable socioeconomic development. Indeed, humanitarian aid is often driven by non-governmental organizations (NGOS)  — or more precisely, international NGOs  — that systematically bypass the recipient Government and have no notion of the national reality. In other words, the recipient Government is completely removed from the process of coordinating humanitarian aid and is replaced by international entities that determine their own priorities according to their own interests. That often leads to duplication and inadequacy in the distribution of aid. From that perspective, far from alleviating the suffering of disaster victims, humanitarian aid has become the business of many international NGOs. But in order to be effective, humanitarian aid must be primarily coordinated by the national institutions of the recipient State, which are best placed to determine national priorities and appropriate interventions. More specifically, the recipient State, in particular through local entities that are by definition closer to the victims, should play a leading role in the coordination of humanitarian assistance. Otherwise, aid intended to support or reinforce the recipient State’s disaster response will instead significantly weaken it, often for the benefit of powerful international NGOs. In addition to the problem of coordination, humanitarian aid is often presented as a substitute for the long-term socioeconomic development processes of recipient States. As a result, it tends to keep them in situations of recurring humanitarian crisis, which should not be the purpose of humanitarian aid. Fundamentally, however useful it may be, humanitarian aid cannot meet the long-term development needs of recipient countries. As a result, there is an ever-present need to situate humanitarian aid within a broader development strategy that considers the socioeconomic development of the country in question and prioritizes an approach to sustainable socioeconomic development that has the potential to reduce the level of vulnerability of the recipient State and increase its resilience. In other words, while humanitarian aid is certainly crucial during emergencies and disasters, it is not a substitute for States’ long-term socioeconomic development. That is why the emphasis should be placed on the long-term socioeconomic development of States in order to render them less prone to disasters and therefore less prone to the need for humanitarian assistance.

As we speak, the protracted and recurring coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is eroding the global gains that the world has made in poverty reduction during the past decade. A fragile global economic recovery, more-extreme weather events, some countries’ deteriorating food security and the increasingly negative effects of unilateral coercive measures have all created serious challenges to sustainable development, resulting in greater global humanitarian needs. In that context, the international community should practice true multilateralism, working in solidarity and collaboratively to address both the symptoms and root causes of humanitarian crises, assist the countries and peoples affected in overcoming the increasingly serious humanitarian challenges and build a community of a shared future for humankind. China would like to emphasize the following points. First, we must strictly abide by international law and the norms governing international relations in order to protect vulnerable groups effectively. In rendering humanitarian assistance, it is imperative to abide by the Charter of the United Nations and resolution 46/182, adhere to the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, comply with international humanitarian law, respect the sovereignty of recipient countries, refrain from interfering in their internal affairs and make every effort to avoid politicizing humanitarian issues. The international community should insist on resolving conflicts through dialogue, consultation and political negotiation and calling on the countries concerned to return to true multilateralism and end any unilateral coercive measures while strengthening protection for vulnerable groups such as women, children, refugees and displaced persons. Secondly, we must continue to prioritize development and place people at the centre of our actions in tackling the factors that give rise to humanitarian needs, in order to reduce those needs once and for all. Humanitarian crises are deeply rooted in issues such as extreme poverty, lack of resources, unbalanced development and ethnic and tribal tensions, of which the development issue is the most prominent. The international community should strive to eliminate the root causes of humanitarian crises by placing development at the forefront of macro-policy coordination and stepping up cooperation in areas such as reducing poverty, improving food security, pandemic responses and vaccines and expanding financing for development, climate change and green development, the digital economy and interconnectivity so as to speed up the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Thirdly, we must strengthen exchanges and cooperation with developing countries, increase assistance to them and enhance their emergency response capacity. Communicable diseases, natural disasters and climate change are challenges that are confronting the whole of humankind. Developed countries should honour their commitments and strengthen their exchanges and cooperation with developing countries in areas such as providing vaccines, dealing with natural disasters and responding to climate change, while increasing financial and technical assistance in accordance with the national realities and priority needs of the countries affected. It is also important to build the capacities of developing countries in disaster prevention, mitigation and relief, as well as to actively engage in disaster- related information-sharing and exchange and enhance their capacities in disaster monitoring, early warning and risk prevention. China is consistently committed to and actively engaged in global humanitarian affairs. We will lend our active support to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the role it plays in organizing and coordinating relief efforts in major humanitarian crises. In upholding the concept of a community of a shared future for humankind, China has been actively engaged since the outbreak of COVID-19 in international cooperation in the global COVID-19 response. We have so far shipped more than 1.85 billion vaccine doses to more than 120 countries and international organizations. At the general debate of the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session, President Xi Jinping proposed a global development initiative, emphasizing the need to stay committed to development as a priority and to a people-centred approach to promoting the implementation of the 2030 Agenda (see A/76/PV.3). This kind of initiative gives a strong impetus to the efforts of developing countries in their COVID-19 response and resilient recovery. We welcome all countries joining it so that we can effectively alleviate the global humanitarian crisis by advancing sustainable development. Looking forward, and together with the rest of the international community, China will actively participate in the multilateral and bilateral provision of humanitarian assistance and continue to provide support and assistance to countries in need to the best of its ability.

We have come to the end of another challenging year. The Global Humanitarian Overview 2022 projects another dire and record number of people in need of humanitarian assistance. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, climate change and conflict continue to be the drivers of humanitarian needs, compounded by poverty, food insecurity and natural disasters. Norway commends the work of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) and other humanitarian agencies, as well as international and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), for their continuing efforts to meet the humanitarian needs of millions around the world. We thank all their staff for their commitment to staying and delivering life-saving assistance and protection in increasingly difficult circumstances, often at great risk to their own lives and security. Norway remains concerned about the situation of refugees and internally displaced persons. The number of people forcibly displaced is now at a staggering 84 million. We need political will to change the situation. There is new momentum created by the High- level Panel on Internal Displacement. Let us take that opportunity to strengthen our efforts to find durable solutions to internal displacement. We look forward to and welcome the Secretary-General’s follow-up on the Panel’s report. The impact of COVID-19 on the health and economic fronts continues to fuel conflicts and worsen humanitarian needs. The related increase in sexual and gender-based violence is deeply worrying and unacceptable. More must be done in that regard. We need more funding for protection programmes, including sexual and reproductive health services. Norway encourages more Member States and organizations to join the Call to Action on Protection from Gender- Based Violence in Emergencies. It is important to put children at the centre of the humanitarian response and to ensure access to education for both boys and girls during crises. The Security Council’s unanimous adoption in November of resolution 2601 (2021), on the protection of education in armed conflict, was an important step in that regard. Ninety-nine Member States signed up as sponsors of the resolution, which was initiated by the Niger and Norway. That sends a strong message. Another encouraging development is that 113 States have now endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration. Our goal is to make the Declaration universal. Given the great humanitarian needs and limited resources, we believe we must find new and better ways to strengthen our shared efforts. First, we must be better at preventing humanitarian crises through preventive diplomacy, anticipatory action, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation. Secondly, we must do more to operationalize the humanitarian, development and peace nexus to meet short-term needs and provide long-term solutions. Building resilience though the provision of livelihoods and early recovery is key to reducing fragility and vulnerability. Thirdly, we need to work with greater cost efficiency through partnerships with local partners, as well as through cash-based assistance. Enhanced international coordination is important on that point, and we encourage the Inter-Agency Standing Committee to find a solution in that regard. Finally, we must continue to green the humanitarian response. We thank the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement for leading the way with the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations. It is encouraging that 197 international organizations and NGOs, including OCHA and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, have signed the Charter. Just a few days ago, our Minister for Foreign Affairs announced that Norway will contribute 1.8 billion Norwegian kroner to the Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) for the period 2022 to 2025. That commitment is a testimony of our strong support to CERF as a fast and efficient way to reach those most in need with principled humanitarian action. The country- based pooled funds are also important instruments for meeting the humanitarian challenges that lie ahead. Humanitarian needs are enormous. We must continue our joint efforts to prevent conflict and disaster and to protect and support those in need.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on the items for this meeting. We will continue the debate this afternoon at 3 p.m. in this Hall.