A/77/PV.44 General Assembly

Today’s meeting on strengthening the coordination of the United Nations humanitarian and disaster relief assistance could not come at a more fitting moment. Our world today is in a permanent state of humanitarian emergency. We are breaking all the wrong records. The Global Humanitarian Overview 2023 outlines the trends in stark terms: the highest number of violent conflicts since 1945; at 339 million, the highest number of people needing assistance, which is many more than last year’s 235 million, itself a record; the highest number of people at risk of hunger and food insecurity; the highest number of people forcibly displaced — 103 million — or well over 1 per cent of the global population. Throughout these crises, gender-based violence, sexual harassment and discrimination, particularly against women and girls, are especially alarming. They say that statistics are human beings with their tears wiped off. This is a powerful image, and the reminder that behind these numbers there are families, children, the elderly and women. They are all of us: we, the peoples of the United Nations, we who have affirmed our faith in the dignity and worth of the human person, as our Charter puts it. As we struggle to make resources match the scale of need, millions within the United Nations family of 8 billion will lack the basic means to survive — even in coming days. We, as the General Assembly, can and simply must do better. Every member should be distressed at a delay in or denial of humanitarian access, or the killing, kidnapping or arbitrary detainment of humanitarian personnel. The thirty-first anniversary of the adoption of the General Assembly resolution that created the United Nations humanitarian system (resolution 46/182) offers an opportunity to acknowledge that deep anxiety. This year’s draft humanitarian omnibus resolution reaffirms the need to strengthen the United Nations response to the complex humanitarian challenges of our times. I urge the Assembly to ensure that this draft resolution reflects a culture that is transformative in nature. One of the fastest, most effective ways to do this is through the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), an agile and proven part of the international humanitarian financing landscape. Investment in the CERF is an investment in people. Its basic commitment to a fund “for all, by all” embodies this spirit. Through its underfunded emergencies window, the CERF works to scale up and sustain protracted relief operations when no other funding is available. This is where the States Members of the United Nations can make a difference: by helping to meet unmet needs and forging the partnerships that serve the most vulnerable. Development partners, international financial institutions, civil society and the private sector all have a role to play in reducing that exposure. I also welcome the innovative practices to develop locally sustainable solutions based on the knowledge of the people living in those locations. The first responders who race to save lives and remain at crisis scenes long after the global spotlight dims are the backbone of our humanitarian responses. Whether addressing famine risk in the Horn of Africa, helping those in Somalia cope with the country’s worst drought in 40 years, or assisting victims of deadly flooding in Pakistan or providing aid to those affected by the earthquake in Indonesia, they are the first in and the last out, all this while working to cover those still in need of coronavirus disease vaccine and care. Let us honour their work. The General Assembly’s decision today truly has the power to transform tomorrow. My appeal is that members look at the needs around them with empathy and solidarity and see themselves in those who are suffering. In their discussions, they should accept and study the data, evaluate the evidence, trade the expired ideologies for innovative practical ideas on how to improve coordination and further develop our preparedness response and recovery efforts, and, above all, as Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, make a career of humanity. I now give the floor to the representative of Sweden to introduce draft resolution A/77/L.30.

First, I would like to note that Sweden will join a statement to be made by the representative of India later in the debate. It also fully aligns itself with the statement to be made later this morning by the representative of Czechia on behalf of the European Union. On behalf of 78 sponsors, it is my great privilege today to introduce to the General Assembly this year’s draft resolution (A/77/L.30) on strengthening the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations, the so-called humanitarian omnibus resolution. This year marks the thirty-first anniversary of the landmark resolution 46/182, adopted in December 1991 (see A/46/PV.78), which laid the foundations for today’s United Nations humanitarian system. Sweden has been honoured to facilitate the negotiations on this annual resolution ever since. The goal of our collective efforts remains the same as it was in 1991: to effectively assist women, men, girls and boys affected by crisis. We remain convinced that principled humanitarian assistance is the best way to achieve this. The draft resolutions presented to the General Assembly today (A/77/L.30, A/77/L.32, A/77/L.34 and A/77/L.35) provide the humanitarian community with the framework it needs to deliver such assistance. Following the two previous sessions of virtual negotiations resulting in a series of technical updates, we were delighted this year to conduct in-person consultations on the draft omnibus resolution. The consultations were marked by a very constructive spirit on the part of participating delegations, which enabled us to reach an agreement on the text as a whole. This is a mature draft resolution, the core elements of which enjoy broad support from Member States. This year’s draft includes important and updated language on, inter alia, climate change, cash assistance, the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, the need to narrow the humanitarian funding gap and to strengthen partnership with international financial institutions, and accountability to affected populations. I would like to thank all delegations for their constructive engagement and willingness to compromise, making these important achievements possible. I also want to extend our sincere gratitude to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and its technical support staff, which made great efforts to ensure a smooth process. The draft resolution before the General Assembly was agreed in its entirety during the informal consultations, and we strongly encourage its adoption by consensus. Moreover, we invite all Member States that have not already done so to co-sponsor the draft resolution when action is taken later today. In closing, let me say that by adopting draft resolution A/77/L.30, we, the States Members of the United Nations, must hold ourselves accountable by translating the words of the draft into concrete action to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity across the globe.

I now give the floor to the representative of Pakistan to introduce draft resolution A/77/L.32.

On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/77/L.32, entitled “International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters, from relief to development”. The Group of 77 and China would like to thank the delegation of Bangladesh for facilitating and coordinating, on behalf of the Group, the negotiations on the draft resolution. As we present the draft resolution 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 landmark resolution 46/182 and the guiding principles mentioned therein for the strengthening of the coordination of the emergency humanitarian systems of the United Nations system. The draft resolution recognizes both the clear relationship between emergency response, rehabilitation and development, on the one hand, and the need to ensure smooth transition between these three stages, on the other hand. It emphasizes that emergency assistance must support short- and medium-term recoveries that lead to long-term development for affected countries and peoples. This year, the draft resolution has introduced certain new substantive paragraphs that, we believe, will further strengthen the humanitarian system in its prevention, preparedness response and recovery efforts, and help to minimize the loss of lives and other material damage caused by natural disasters. Allow me to share a few highlights of the focus of this year’s draft resolution. First, the draft text encourages efforts to identify and systematically apply lessons learned and best practices to ensure an improved humanitarian-system-wide response, investment in disaster-resilient infrastructure to mitigate the humanitarian impacts of natural disasters, increased efforts to prevent famine, food insecurity and malnutrition related to natural disasters, and the incorporation of mental health and psychological support services into disaster preparedness, response and recovery. Secondly, the text before us underlines the importance of taking early action, with a view to minimizing and mitigating the impacts of natural disasters. In this regard, it enhances focus on increased localization of disaster preparedness. Thirdly, the draft resolution stresses the engagement of affected people and local communities in disaster preparedness and response. Member States are urged to increase their contributions to the Central Emergency Response Fund and humanitarian country-based and regional pooled funds for strengthening early and rapid response. Fourthly, in recognition of the close linkages between climate change and natural disasters, the draft resolution refers to the importance of enhanced access to international climate finance to support mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries, especially those that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. It also recognizes the special financial needs of the countries faced with compound risks caused by humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters and climate change. Fifthly, stronger partnerships among national disaster-management agencies and regional organizations have been encouraged, in accordance with their mandates to build, reinforce and complement their capacities, including through improved data- sharing and interoperability. We deeply appreciate the constructive engagement and greater flexibility of all the Member States during the negotiations, which led to agreement on a range of substantive proposals introduced in this year’s draft resolution. We look forward to adoption of the draft resolution A/77/L.32 by consensus and hope that it will, as in previous years, enjoy a large number of sponsors. We thank the delegations that have already co-sponsored the draft resolution and invite the remaining delegations to join the list of sponsors. In conclusion, allow me, in my national capacity, to thank all the humanitarian actors and the United Nations system for standing with Pakistan in responding to the need of the hour.

I now give the floor to the representative of Czechia to introduce the draft resolutions contained in documents A/77/L.34 and A/77/L.35.

I will introduce draft resolutions A/77/L.34 and A/77/L.35 in a single statement on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. I am honoured, first, to introduce draft resolu­ tion  A/77/L.35, entitled “Safety and security of hu­ manitarian personnel and protection of United  Na­ tions personnel”. This year, humanitarian needs have continued to grow. Increased instability, armed con­ flicts and climate change have contributed to the high­ est number of people requiring humanitarian assistance we have seen in decades. In order to meet this need, humanitarian and United Nations personnel face great personal risk to serve others. The international community has a moral obligation to mitigate this risk as much as possible. As facilitators of this draft resolution since 1998, the EU and its 27 member States take this obligation very seriously. In addition to our leadership regarding this particular draft resolution, the EU continues to take steps to enable principled humanitarian action to reach those in need. The monitoring and risk management by the Department for Safety and Security (DSS) is crucial for the protection of humanitarian and medical personnel. To continue these efforts, DSS must have adequate and predictable resources. We are grateful for the guidance of Under-Secretary-General Gilles Michaud in the work of the DSS. This year we have seen two worrying trends that I would like to highlight. First, disinformation campaigns undermine trust in the United Nations and humanitarian organizations and put their personnel at risk. For the first time, this year’s draft resolution notes this concern in the context of humanitarian action. Secondly, national and locally recruited personnel face particular vulnerabilities, often resulting in a negative impact on their health, including their mental health and psychosocial well-being. The draft resolution adds references to these topics and maintains all of the elements negotiated in years past. The EU sincerely thanks all delegations that participated in the productive negotiation process this year. We also express our gratitude to those delegations that are co-sponsoring the draft resolution. Our detailed discussions have ultimately resulted in a text that we feel expresses the appropriate amount of concern for humanitarian and United Nations personnel, including in relation to the continued and emerging threats to their work and their well-being. We are proud that the draft resolution remains a consensual document, reflecting our common commitment to humanitarian action. The people risking their lives in order to help others deserve the strong support of the entire General Assembly, and we are glad that this draft resolution continues to signal that support. Also on behalf of the European Union and its States members, I will now make a statement concerning sub-item (b) of agenda item 69 and introduce draft resolution A/77/L.34, entitled “Assistance to the Palestinian people”. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania, and the potential candidate country Bosnia and Herzegovina, align themselves with this statement. The EU remains gravely concerned about the difficult living conditions and humanitarian situation affecting the Palestinian people, in particular women and children, throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, including in Area C, and in particular in the Gaza Strip. The EU deplores the continuing risk of demolitions and seizures of Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank and calls on Israel to allow for a tangible improvement of freedom of movement and access for the Palestinians to enable accelerated Palestinian construction as well as social and economic development in Area C and to reverse the worsening of living conditions for Palestinians in Area C. Towards this end, the EU recalls the importance of the implementation of the commitments made at the meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for the Coordination of the International Assistance to Palestinians, held in New York in September. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains a particularly grave concern. The EU welcomes the easing of some restrictions, which may lead to the improvement of the lives of the millions of people living in Gaza under dismal conditions, and it calls for full and unimpeded humanitarian access. The EU will continue to contribute to the development of Gaza through investments in reform in and support for economic sectors and in key infrastructure in the water and energy sectors, inter alia, and expects Israel to facilitate such efforts. But to ensure lasting results, a fundamental change of the situation in Gaza is crucial. We call once again upon all parties to take urgent steps in line with the Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) that would lead to a fundamental change in the humanitarian, political, security and economic situation in Gaza, including through ending the closure policy and fully opening crossing points and access for humanitarian actors, while addressing Israel’s legitimate security concerns. The European Union expresses strong support for the work undertaken by the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Mr. Tor Wennesland. The return of the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip is indispensable to improving conditions and the humanitarian situation for the long term. The EU will continue to call upon the Palestinian Authority to hold free, transparent and inclusive elections without further delay and urge all Palestinian factions to engage in good faith in the reconciliation process. The EU is determined to sustain its assistance in support of the Palestinian people, including Palestinian 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 (UNRWA). We were among the first to answer the Agency’s call for additional funds during the last four years’ extraordinary financial crisis. We are and will continue to be strong, reliable and predictable supporters of UNRWA, whose role also remains crucial for the stability of the region. We would like to thank all parties and the rest of the membership for joining consensus again this year and rallying behind the principles and objectives outlined in draft resolution A/77/L.34. Last but not least, I have the honour to deliver a statement on behalf of the European Union on sub-item (d) of agenda item 69, on the humanitarian consequences of the Chornobyl disaster. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the potential candidate countries Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia, and the European Free Trade Association country Iceland, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement. Thirty-six years ago, the accident at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant caused by the reckless nuclear- safety policies of the Soviet Union led to a tragic disaster, with widespread consequences for Ukraine and its people, as well as other countries in the region. The consequences were long-lasting and widespread, causing fatalities, human suffering, long-term health damage and food shortages, as well as polluting the environment. Some 350,000 people had to leave their homes in severely contaminated areas, with social and economic consequences that continue to this day. Europe was among the first to respond to the Chornobyl disaster and assist Ukraine in mitigating the consequences of the disaster. We have provided more than €1 billion in grants and loans to ensure the safe containment of Chornobyl reactor no. 4, effective radioactive-waste management and assistance to the affected regions. We will continue to focus our nuclear- safety-related assistance on the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and the exclusive zone where the estimated damage caused by Russian troops, including to the laboratory originally provided and funded by the EU, amounts to €80 million. The tragedy of Chornobyl triggered a strong response from the international community, which is also required to support Ukraine today. Chornobyl generated new awareness of nuclear-safety issues and new international conventions to improve nuclear safety, waste management and the exchange of information in the event of nuclear emergency. All EU member States are parties to those conventions and continue to support all efforts to strengthen nuclear safety and security worldwide. We also stress the need to consider new legally binding international rules specifically prohibiting armed attacks against any nuclear installations devoted to peaceful purposes, as called for by the resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference, which refer to the Charter of the United Nations. Today nuclear safety is again jeopardized in Ukraine and on the rest of the European continent, this time by Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia attacked, seized and illegally claimed ownership of Ukrainian nuclear sites, recklessly damaging facilities, harassing and detaining their personnel and undermining their safe and secure operation. The EU condemns the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. We remain gravely concerned about the continued attacks by the Russian armed forces around nuclear sites and the illegal seizure of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. The EU will never recognize Russia’s attempted illegal annexation of Ukraine’s regions and seizure of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant from its rightful owner, Ukraine. We urge Russia to immediately withdraw from the nuclear power plant and return its control to the legitimate Ukrainian authorities, in full respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We fully support the work of the IAEA and other United  Nations organizations in Ukraine and the discussions, led by the IAEA Director General, on the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant.

I am honoured to deliver this statement on behalf of the States members 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/77/72, A/77/318, A/77/361 and A/77/362) under this agenda item, outlining the efforts to strengthen the humanitarian coordination and response across the globe amid the impact of many interlocking challenges. We therefore acknowledge, and would like to commend, the efforts of the United Nations, in particular the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, for its tireless work in providing aid and assistance to affected Member States. We would also like to commend those participating in humanitarian and disaster-relief operations, risking their own safety and security to lend a helping hand to others in need. The support, partnership and engagement with the United Nations through the ASEAN-United Nations Joint Strategic Plan of Action on Disaster Management 2021–2025 is integral to ASEAN’s efforts towards building a disaster-resilient and adaptive ASEAN as one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. Many interconnected challenges, including the enduring impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic, as well as the impact of climate change, inter alia, have compelled ASEAN to further strengthen its practices on disaster-risk reduction and management and emergency response. A key part of that endeavour lies in the operationalization of the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region and the ASEAN Vision 2025 on disaster management, both of which underline ASEAN’s foundational aspirations to achieve a faster response, mobilize greater resources, establish stronger coordination to ensure an effective collective response to disasters and become a global leader in disaster management. The ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response and its work programme 2021–2025, as the main regional policy backbone and common platform to implement One ASEAN, One Response, and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management, as the primary ASEAN regional coordinating agency on disaster management and emergency response, have been integral to the achievement of a whole-of-ASEAN approach to disaster management and the provision of humanitarian assistance. In the same spirit, the first ASEAN Disaster Resilience Platform was convened in June, involving 12 ASEAN sectoral bodies across all three ASEAN community pillars. It exchanged views on the challenges vis-à-vis resilience to promote an all-of-ASEAN synergy and coordination in order to better respond to emerging disaster risks. Furthermore, the adoption of the Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration on the Strategic and Holistic Initiative to Link ASEAN Responses to Emergencies and Disasters was also a crucial step towards enhancing a holistic, cross-pillar and cross-sectoral approach to preparing for and addressing disasters and emergencies in the region. A vital part of implementing that initiative is the review of the terms of reference of the ASEAN Secretary-General as ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator, involving relevant sectors and senior officials within ASEAN. One example of ASEAN’s work in a cross-sectoral approach is its work on disaster health management to strengthen the resilience of health systems in times of disasters and emergencies. The Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Disaster Health Management (2019–2025), which is based on the Bangkok Principles for the implementation of the health aspects of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, provides a multisectoral collaboration framework within our region. ASEAN also very much values the support and cooperation of its dialogue partners and other stakeholders. In that regard, ASEAN welcomed the inaugural ASEAN-Republic of Korea Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management, held on 20 October. We also welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on the Strengthening of Community Resilience in Southeast Asia in May. This year, ASEAN also actively participated in the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, co-hosted by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Government of Indonesia, and issued the ASEAN Joint Statement on Strengthening Resilience to Disasters for the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2022, reaffirming ASEAN’s commitment to, and demonstrating ASEAN’s leadership and cooperation in, disaster management. We look forward to the upcoming high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the midterm review of the implementation of the Sendai Framework in May 2023, and we have complete trust in the Permanent Representatives of Australia and Indonesia in co-facilitating the negotiations of its political declaration. ASEAN will continue to strengthen and improve its disaster-management, risk and response capabilities to build resilient societies and communities for the safety and well-being of our peoples and the region, as well as to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and beyond.

Last week, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) launched the Global Humanitarian Outlook 2023, which amounts to $51.5 billion. The needs are increasing year by year. However, humanitarian aid alone will not meet today’s challenges. The humanitarian response system is overwhelmed and overstretched. The scale and complexity of the crises that we face are putting it under pressure. Our current trajectory is unsustainable. The only solution is to address the root causes of the crises — conflict, forced displacement, climate change and epidemics. A comprehensive approach that combines humanitarian aid, development cooperation and a peace policy is required. In that context, we must do what is necessary to enable the United Nations system to provide a rapid, effective and coordinated response, based on principles of humanity and impartiality. While providing a normative framework to that end, the draft resolutions (A/77/L.30, A/77/L.32 and A/77/L.35) that we will adopt today must reflect the obligations established by international humanitarian law. In that regard, I would like to highlight three points. First, regarding localization, we all know that, when a disaster occurs, local actors are the first to respond. As far as possible, the response should be locally directed and delivered. Switzerland promotes a humanitarian response that is as local as possible. It is a signatory to the Grand Bargain, and localization is its top priority as co-Chair of the Pooled Fund Working Group. We want to contribute to increased funding accessibility for local and national non-governmental organization partners, capacity-building activities and a cohesive and strategic approach to localization among all country-based pooled funds. Switzerland’s co-chairmanship is further characterized by an inclusive and participatory approach. We want to give a greater voice and more space to local and national actors and promote their participation in the Working Group’s meetings and processes. Strengthening local actors not only leads to a more efficient use of humanitarian funds, but it also improves accountability to affected populations. We would also like to pay tribute to the courage of humanitarian workers, particularly local actors, who are regularly the targets of attacks. International humanitarian law must be respected by all parties and in all circumstances, including the obligation to allow and facilitate humanitarian access. That brings me to my second point, that is, accountability to affected populations. We still too often provide what we think is most useful to the affected people. We do not pay enough attention to what they say they need. As a result, our aid is not sufficiently useful to them. The issue is also reflected in OCHA’s new strategic plan, which seeks to achieve a coherent, people-centred, locally driven and agile humanitarian response. It is now up to the system to put its money where its mouth is. Accountability to affected populations should no longer depend on one individual, but must be translated into action. My third point concerns anticipatory action. In that regard, I have good news: today we can predict with greater confidence the timing and impact of certain shocks, such as extreme weather events. In such cases, we need to act before the disaster occurs. If we wait for the images of those affected to reach us, we will have failed in our protection mandate. I strongly believe that we must also move from a reactive to an anticipatory attitude if we are to become more effective. I say attitude, as we believe that there is an urgent need to change the mindset of the humanitarian system.

At the outset, I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his insightful reports (A/77/72, A/77/318, A/77/361 and A/77/362) on this agenda item. The global community is witnessing the concurrent effects of armed conflict, climate change and the coronavirus disease pandemic. Together, those factors have created a challenging global context. As a result, this agenda item is now more important than ever. The Secretary-General’s reports underscore disturbing trends in human rights abuses, displacement, climate crisis and food insecurity. Those humanitarian concerns must be addressed with urgency. Our multilateral system must continue to play a central role by following a no-one-left-behind approach. Indeed, vulnerable groups are disproportionally impacted in the challenging global context. As discussed in the Secretary-General’s report (A/77/72), in 2021 the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance rose to unprecedented levels. Effective coordination and financial support for those in need of humanitarian assistance are therefore essential to maximizing the help that our strained humanitarian systems provide. We invite the international community to pause and learn from the lessons of the past, as well as address the root causes of humanitarian crises. If we do not learn from history, then history will repeat itself. To break that vicious cycle, active prevention is vital. That is especially true with regard to climate change, which poses an existential threat to many small island developing States, such as the Maldives. It is also one of the main causes for the increasing humanitarian crises across the globe. As noted in the Secretary-General’s report, 90 per cent of refugees come from countries that are among the most vulnerable and the least ready to adapt to climate change. Globally, by 2050 approximately 1 billion people are projected to be at risk from coastal-specific climate hazards. In my country, the Maldives, where most of our land area is less than one metre above sea level, even a minimal sea-level rise will have devastating effects. Our low-lying islands are already exposed, and they are increasingly vulnerable to a number of hazards exacerbated by climate change. Such hazards include coastal erosion, frequent monsoon flooding and intense sea surges. Climate disasters can affect any country at any time. That reality requires us to take urgent and effective action to address what is a universal threat. Just this year, after record-breaking rains in Pakistan, severe floods took nearly 2,000 lives and displaced more than 30 million people. Hurricanes Fiona and Ian resulted in catastrophic loss and damage in North and Central America. Across the Horn of Africa, in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, humanitarian emergencies caused by acute drought affected approximately 36.1 million people. Lastly, Tropical Cyclone Dovi is estimated to have caused more than $80 million in damage to parts of New Zealand and Vanuatu. Such disasters highlight the need for support to developing countries, especially small island developing States, such as the Maldives, to address the loss and damage that we face. That is why we applaud the establishment of a loss and damage fund for vulnerable countries at the twenty-seventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Sharm El-Sheikh. That is a historic achievement. We must utilize that momentum to finalize the technical details and ensure the prompt and urgent operationalization of the fund. We urge all parties to work together to ensure that this fund is able to address the immediate and urgent need for small island developing States and other vulnerable developing countries to address the devastating impacts of climate change. In the context of extreme exposure and our particular vulnerabilities, SIDS face a heightened risk for humanitarian crises. We will therefore continue to advocate finalizing and implementing a multidimensional vulnerability index for small island developing States. Such an index would allow for realistic assessments and awareness of the risks that SIDS face and aid in our efforts to avoid humanitarian crises. The Maldives would also like to express its concerns with regard to the humanitarian crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory. The report of the Secretary- General notes that across the occupied Palestinian territory, 2.1 million people remained vulnerable to humanitarian disasters. In April, an outbreak of violence increased people’s aid dependency and their reliance on negative coping strategies to address basic needs. Urgent humanitarian crises derive from illegal settlements, threats of annexation and the demolitions of Palestinian homes. Such threats are in direct conflict with the core principles of the United Nations Charter and must be addressed with firm resolve from the international community. Once again, the Maldives reaffirms its long-standing and steadfast commitment to supporting the Palestinian people’s struggle for sovereignty, independence and self-determination. The only viable solution is the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. We call for redoubling our collective efforts aimed at ensuring global relief for those facing dire humanitarian crises and at relieving our strained humanitarian systems. Robust cooperation and multilateralism are vital to effectively addressing these challenges, protecting the most vulnerable populations and building a better world for future generations. Sheikh Al-thani (Qatar) (spoke in Arabic): We express our great appreciation to the President of the General Assembly for convening today’s meeting. The State of Qatar is always committed to the principles of shared responsibility and multilateralism. My country continues to play a pioneering role in providing humanitarian and development aid, which has had a positive impact on the lives of millions of people throughout the world. As part of its commitment to humanitarian action and to alleviate human suffering especially among the most vulnerable, the State of Qatar recently donated $12 million in humanitarian aid to the Horn of Africa, especially since its countries are suffering from major challenges linked to drought and food insecurity. In addition, the State of Qatar has announced a contribution of $20 million to support the humanitarian programme involved in exporting grain from Ukraine in order to help African countries gain access to Ukrainian foodstuffs. The State of Qatar continues to provide multi-year non-earmarked aid for basic resources for United Nations agencies. The Qatar Development Fund is working closely with strategic partners from many United Nations agencies, including the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The Qatar Development Fund has also signed agreements to make contributions to various United Nations organizations and entities. We would like to take this opportunity to commend in particular the pivotal role of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). We are pleased that the State of Qatar has been one of the first countries to contribute to the CERF. The Qatar Development Fund has also signed a contribution agreement for 2022–2023 in the amount of $2 million in support of the CERF. The State of Qatar has provided humanitarian and development aid to the brotherly Palestinian people. My country has increased our contributions of basic resources to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and we were one of the first Arab countries, in 2018, to have signed a multi-year agreement with UNRWA to provide essential resources. In his report (A/77/93) entitled “Assistance to the Palestinian People”, the Secretary-General recalls the State of Qatar’s financing of the provision of fuel to the Gaza power plant, which has stabilized the electricity supply to the Gaza Strip. The report also refers to the monetary aid provided to many vulnerable families in Gaza. We have also made important progress towards vital facilities for water and sanitation. In conclusion, we reiterate that the State of Qatar will continue its policy of cooperation in providing development and relief aid. We will spare no effort to continue supporting the United Nations agencies and cooperate with them in humanitarian affairs.

At the outset, allow me to express my delegation’s gratitude to the coordinators and facilitators of the draft resolutions introduced under this agenda item (A/77/L.30, A/77/L.32, A/77/L.35 and A/77/L.34) for their leadership and for working towards the achievement of consensus among Member States. I would also like to extend my appreciation to the Secretary-General for his reports (A/77/72, A/77/318, A/77/361, A/77/93 and A/77/537). The international community continues to face emerging and evolving challenges as it strives to address the emergencies referred to under this agenda item. With an increasing number of people suffering from the effects of natural disasters, armed conflicts and foreign occupations, the coronavirus disease pandemic, unilateral coercive measures, blockades and the use of the starvation of human beings as a weapon, the effects of such disasters have significantly eroded our capacity to confront these challenges and hindered the development of disaster-stricken countries. In our region, the humanitarian situations in Afghanistan, Syria, Palestine and Yemen have directly and indirectly led to an enormous amount of suffering. Furthermore, in our region, the massive influx of displaced Afghans into its immediate neighbouring countries, among other countries, has severely exacerbated this tragedy. We strongly believe that addressing the root causes of humanitarian crises and emergencies, as well as greater investment in prevention, are the only sustainable solutions for this global phenomenon. In our view, all the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, especially the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, should be strictly observed by all countries and humanitarian aid organizations. Since States have the primary role in and responsibility for responding to humanitarian emergencies, national ownership and leadership in the coordination of humanitarian assistance to ensure its effective delivery must be acknowledged. In the same vein, any humanitarian crises or emergencies, especially those that have been intentionally created under a specific hidden political agenda, must not lead to any foreign intervention, including under the pretext of the responsibility to protect. The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes the importance of humanitarian assistance activities, including the United Nations humanitarian response system, by upholding its purely humanitarian nature. Legitimate concerns with regard to the misappropriation of humanitarian aid and the undertaking of non-humanitarian activities under the guise of providing humanitarian aid must be met immediately with thorough and independent investigations. We are of the view that, to sustainably tackle humanitarian situations, resources must be mobilized by taking anticipatory financing steps through the United Nations budgetary system. In this regard, those who serve as the main contributors in protracted wars and occupations by their involvement or through the provision of sophisticated weapons should shoulder more of the burden in financing United Nations humanitarian responses. This also includes those that have a historical responsibility owing to their greenhouse-gas emissions, which have led to rapid climate change and exacerbated disasters. We also strongly condemn situations where the humanitarian needs of populations in dire deprivation are taken hostage for political or military objectives, including by imposing blockades to starve civilians to death. Furthermore, the United Nations must ensure that all humanitarian aid should be distributed among all populations in need, indiscriminately and without any interference by donors. The Islamic Republic of Iran considers unilateral coercive measures as one of the main obstacles that hinder international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance, while also serving as one of the main sources of creating humanitarian crises around the world. We strongly condemn the imposition of unilateral coercive measures by certain States that utilize them as political leverage in their bilateral relations. While our region is prone to a variety of disasters, such as earthquakes, droughts, dust and sand storms, as well as floods, which stretch our resources to the absolute brink, the Islamic Republic of Iran has suffered tremendously from the additional burden that unlawful and illegal unilateral sanctions cause. There are many humanitarian crises around the world that require our swift attention. Regarding the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, as winter approaches and the situation of the Afghan people, particularly women, girls and children, 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 and citizens, especially its neighbours, have unhindered access to humanitarian goods, as well as vaccines. In addition to the challenges that I just mentioned, our region, West Asia, suffers from various environmental challenges, including climate change, desertification, sand and dust storms, water scarcity and biodiversity loss. Addressing such difficulties requires strong regional and global cooperation. In order to tackle those challenges, I would like to report that the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the related United Nations agencies, will convene the International Conference on Combating Sand and Dust Storms in 2023. Finally, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 and its seven targets and four priorities, a practical step is expected to be taken, under the auspices of the United Nations, to boost regional cooperation, particularly among our neighbouring countries, on harnessing the tools needed to face disasters such as sand storms and hazes. We welcome cooperation among the relevant United  Nations bodies on disaster-related issues, including resilience prevention, risk reduction, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

The humanitarian work of the United Nations is essential in order to assist people affected by conflict, famine, climate change and natural disasters. It is a response to the fundamental reality of the increasing cross-border challenges, which most countries in the world cannot overcome on their own without adequate international cooperation. Humanitarian cooperation became particularly important during the coronavirus disease pandemic. Humanitarian action under the auspices of the United Nations is proof that there is a global demand for effective and efficient multilateral cooperation. The success in implementing the 2030 Agenda relies heavily on the capacity of countries to deal with the effects of climate change and natural and human-made disasters. Within its national capabilities, Belarus does its utmost to provide assistance to countries facing humanitarian crises. Over the past 20 years, within the framework of bilateral mechanisms, Belarus carried out 76 humanitarian missions, benefiting 32 countries. In November of this year, Belarusian humanitarian aid was delivered to the Sudan, and we are now preparing to send shipments to Syria and Pakistan. In the context of strengthening international cooperation in order to improve the coordination of humanitarian activities, I would like to touch on the issue of the Chornobyl disaster and overcoming its consequences, which is of great importance to the Republic of Belarus. The catastrophe at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in 1986, which was unprecedented in its scale and gravity, is the worst radiological accident in the history of humankind. It affected more than two dozen countries in one way or another and determined the situation in the affected areas for many decades. For Belarus, the consequences of that catastrophe are in many ways comparable to those of the Second World War. During the war, 628 settlements, together with their inhabitants, were destroyed on Belarusian soil. After Chornobyl, 479 inhabited settlements ceased to exist on the territory of Belarus. In the most difficult period of the immediate struggle against the disaster, with its direct humanitarian consequences, and later during the development of national capacities to deal with the medium- and long-term consequences of the Chornobyl accident, the people of Belarus were not alone. For decades, international solidarity around Chornobyl brought Governments and ordinary people from Belarus and many foreign countries closer together. It has become the best example of people-to-people diplomacy and truly engaged depoliticized international cooperation. The people of Belarus will never forget that help. I express my gratitude. Over more than 35 years, Belarus has evolved from a country that is a recipient of humanitarian aid to a full- fledged partner and expert country, with experience of overcoming the consequences of a major human-made disaster. Since 1990, five State programmes have been implemented, which have made it possible to carry out a number of tasks aimed at creating infrastructure in the affected areas, enabling safe production, improving the quality of life, providing medical care and ensuring safe living conditions for the population. Today Belarus possesses unique scientific and practical experience in the areas of medicine and ecology, emergency preparedness, producing green commodities and reclaiming and rehabilitating land and forests. Moreover, we are a unique nation, which overcame its tragedy and consciously embraced peaceful nuclear power by building a Belarusian nuclear power plant 35 years after the Chornobyl disaster. We are ready to share our experience. Decades will pass, and current and future conflicts will pass, but the consequences of Chornobyl will remain on the Belarusian soil forever. We call for the rejection of any short-term politicization and for reflection on the strategic importance of preserving the results of international cooperation regarding Chornobyl, which today is focused primarily on Belarus and its human, scientific, practical and managerial potential. The General Assembly resolutions on the long- term consequences of the Chornobyl disaster are in line with that goal. Belarus notes with appreciation the continuing contribution of the international community, including the United Nations system, to the development of the affected regions. International cooperation on Chornobyl is supporting our national efforts specifically related to the social and economic development of the affected areas. In that regard, a special role is clearly played by the United Nations Development Programme, which coordinates the work of all the United Nations agencies and entities involved in that effort. However, I cannot fail to mention that, since 2020, Belarus has been under the severe pressure of sanctions from Western countries. Blind sanctions have directly affected ordinary people, reducing the possibility of international technical assistance, which the Government sought to strengthen and complement national programmes to develop the capacity of the regions affected by the Chornobyl disaster. The Government has already filled those gaps from domestic sources. Belarussians act in solidarity. Nevertheless, Belarus remains firmly committed to the principles of multilateral cooperation and sustainable development. We are convinced that international cooperation with regard to Chornobyl should be continued solely in a spirit of coordination and partnership and should not be a platform for manipulation and increased confrontation.

Poland aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union (EU) and would like to add a few remarks in its national capacity. This year’s general debate took place within an increasingly challenging context for the humanitarian system. As emphasized in the report of the Secretary- General (A/77/72), the compounding effects of conflict, climate change and the coronavirus disease pandemic caused an unprecedented increase in the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance. All those factors are disproportionately affecting those in the most vulnerable situations and are pushing more people into extreme poverty, thereby hindering our efforts for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Since 24 February, one of the biggest humanitarian crises since the Second World War has been unfolding in the territory of Poland’s immediate neighbour, Ukraine. Just a few hours after the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine, our Government and society started to provide assistance to Ukrainian civilians, who were forced to move from peace to war overnight. Our Government at all levels, as well as society, responded to the need and showed solidarity. Seventy-seven per cent of Poles have been involved in various kinds of assistance to Ukraine and to Ukrainian people who found refuge on our territory. Poland has supported Ukraine in a multifaceted manner since the very beginning of the war. Poland is acting on three fronts. First, we are hosting, and providing support to, the largest community of Ukrainian refugees. Secondly, we operate as a transfer hub for international humanitarian aid, which reaches Ukraine through our borders. Thirdly, like other donors, we deliver humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Despite its engagement in Ukraine, Poland remains a reliable humanitarian partner and continues to fulfil its commitments by supporting refugees, internally displaced persons and the poorest local population, particularly in the Middle East, where people struggle with the consequences of more than a decade of the Syrian war and one of the worst humanitarian crises in Yemen. According to the 2022 preliminary estimates of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Poland will spend more than €8.36 billion, that is, approximately 1.5 per cent of Polish gross domestic product, on humanitarian assistance, with an average cost per capita of more than €5,000. Those are very considerable costs, but the needs are unfortunately growing. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 100 million people globally were forced to flee war, violence, persecution and discrimination. It is the highest figure on record. Among them, there are almost 15 million people from Ukraine, who were forced to flee their homes as a result of the Russian aggression. In 2022, both out of necessity and as a demonstration of its solidarity, Poland has become one of the largest refugee-hosting countries, with more than 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine registered for temporary protection in Poland. That number may unfortunately increase as Russia’s deliberate attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure continue and may force more people to leave their homes as they are deprived of heating and electricity while winter is setting in. That means that we need to mobilize even more resources to provide generators and tools for the civilian population to survive in the winter conditions during the ongoing war in Ukraine. Poland strongly condemns using winter as a weapon of war against civilians in Ukraine. The impact of the Russian attacks against critical infrastructure risks the collapse of basic services — hospitals, schools and communication networks. Such attacks and their consequences will undoubtedly severely impact, and considerably slow down, the work of humanitarian partners and United Nations agencies. Poland supports the appeal of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who stated that the number of people displaced globally should serve as a wake-up call for more action to promote peace and address all causes of forced displacement. The impact of the Russian war against Ukraine is already being felt beyond the borders of Ukraine and well beyond the European Union and the European continent. Hunger and food insecurity are at unprecedented levels. In order to tackle the food crisis, we must foster the humanitarian-development-peace nexus at the global, regional and national levels and show solidarity. Poland is ready to continue cooperation with, and within, the international community in the global fight against the food crisis through Polish development assistance. We strongly support the activities of the World Food Programme (WFP). That is why Poland decided to contribute $1 million to WFP to support food security in Africa and show its solidarity with African countries suffering from the food crisis caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine. In the past years, Poland contributed financially to WFP actions in Lebanon, Yemen, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Syria and Kenya. Poland is determined to provide help to Ukraine in order to facilitate the trade of food, thereby easing the negative consequences of the Russian aggression, including for African countries. We have already taken measures to ensure the smooth transport of Ukrainian agricultural products through our territory. We have facilitated to a maximum level the controls of agricultural goods performed by the Polish inspection services. Logistics corridors from the border to Polish ports are operational. We also took on investments in the railway infrastructure in order to increase the transport capacity and integrate Ukraine into the EU transport network. Since 24 February, nearly 1 million tons of Ukrainian grain have entered Poland. There is at least a fourfold increase in the volume of Ukrainian grain exports through four major Polish ports. Let me conclude by stressing that the humanitarian response needs to be coordinated and coherent, while prioritizing concrete actions and innovations and based on respect for international humanitarian law. For Poland, respect for international humanitarian law is essential. International law, respect for humanitarian principles and accountability are core rules to ensure that the humanitarian system is dependable for civilians who find themselves in conflict zones. Poland remains a reliable partner in multilateral cooperation on humanitarian aid. As a member of the Donor Support Group of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs since 2012 and a dedicated partner to the International Committee of the Red Cross, we have been actively engaged in providing humanitarian assistance in various places across the world. We will continue our engagement in order to help to bring relief to all those in need of humanitarian assistance.

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

I am pleased to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its 27 member States. The candidate countries Türkiye, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, align themselves with this statement. In 2022, the combined impact of new and ongoing wars, the worsening global climate emergency, and the coronavirus disease pandemic has created a perfect storm of crises, resulting in a rise in humanitarian needs that is unprecedented in scale and speed. The humanitarian situation this year has been much worse than projected  — from an estimated 274 million people to 324 million people that are currently in need of assistance. Alarmingly, according to the Global Humanitarian Overview 2023, launched last week, we will start 2023 with a massive humanitarian caseload of 339 million people in need. In addition, a record number of 103 million people, 1 per cent of the world’s population, are displaced, many for the second or third time or for a protracted time. Many countries across the world have been affected by devastating floods or droughts, and others will soon have to face extremely harsh winters. The impact of climate change further erodes the resilience of the most vulnerable communities. We salute and honour the life-saving work undertaken by humanitarian and medical workers across the world and express our solidarity with people in need. The EU and its member States remain committed to addressing the root causes of humanitarian crises, reducing needs and continuing to promote cooperation between humanitarian, development and peace actors. I will highlight three points today: first, respect for international humanitarian law and how paramount it is for the protection of people affected by armed conflict; secondly, the food crisis, unprecedented in our modern history, which poses a serious threat to people around the world; and thirdly, the necessity of meeting rising needs by expanding the donor base. First, on respect for international humanitarian law, to put it plainly, continued violations of international humanitarian law lead to the suffering of civilians and massive assistance and protection needs for them. And worse, they prevent vital assistance from reaching people in need. Saving lives should not cost lives. The EU and its member States will continue to take action to deter such violations and protect humanitarian space. Compliance with and accountability under international humanitarian law has to be at the centre of our efforts. Compliance also means that principled humanitarian actors  — and medical workers  — must never be targets. This pertains to all humanitarian relief and medical personnel, wherever they are. Perpetrators must be held accountable. The safety and security of humanitarian workers, often operating on the front line in complex environments, is of paramount importance. This year, we continued to witness attacks and threats against those people whose role it is to help others. One particularly worrying trend is the rise of information manipulation, including disinformation, which can undermine trust in humanitarian organizations and put their personnel at serious risk. States and parties to conflict must respect international humanitarian law and take action within the bounds of international human rights law to prevent disinformation. We are also deeply concerned by the impact of the widespread destruction or damage caused to such civilian objects as schools, hospitals, energy and water infrastructure, in violation of international law. The direct and indirect effects are not only one of the most critical challenges to the lives and well-being of civilians; they are also major drivers of long-term social and economic instability. I will speak later today at the Security Council debate on how the Russian aggression against Ukraine is wreaking such havoc on Ukrainian infrastructure and the people of Ukraine. To ensure that humanitarian space remains open for all necessary aid to reach those in need, we must also continue to make progress in preventing any potential negative impact of sanctions and counter-terrorism measures on exclusively humanitarian activities that are carried out by humanitarian actors, including medical work. The EU will continue to take such mitigating measures as the consistent inclusion of humanitarian exceptions to sanctions. Lastly, we must not forget to keep those who bear the consequences of breaches to international humanitarian law at the centre of our attention, be it children caught in war who fall victim to one or more of the six grave violations against children in armed conflict or survivors of conflict-related sexual violence who need access to services, justice and accountability. In this vein, accountability measures should take a survivor-centred approach, and we should avoid retraumatizing those who have already suffered harm when responding to the call of duty. The second point I wish to highlight is the fight against hunger. The world is facing an unprecedented food crisis. Almost a million people are living in famine conditions, with starvation and death a daily reality. This is 10 times more people than five years ago. Food crises are also increasingly protracted, affecting the same countries and populations again and again. South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Yemen remain the countries of greatest concern, and women and girls continue to be disproportionally affected, often eating last and least. Conflict remains the primary driver of hunger, but we are also increasingly seeing the impact of weather extremes, exacerbated by climate change, driving hunger. We are particularly concerned about the drought in the Horn of Africa, already persisting for two years. This year, global food insecurity has been further exacerbated by the effects of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine on the prices of food, energy and fertilizers, as well as on international supply chains. This is having devastating effects, especially for fragile countries around the world that were already facing high levels of food insecurity, including countries in North Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. We need to urgently step up to keep famine at bay. There is no time to lose. The European Union is doing its part. We have increased our humanitarian food assistance by 64 per cent since 2020, and the comprehensive Team Europe global food security response, implemented jointly with our member States, is supported with around €8 billion of EU funding until 2024. But we need others to step up. We need to work together for at-scale multisectoral solutions. Food- security solutions alone will not be sufficient to prevent deterioration. We need holistic responses, and we need to look at how we can act now to avert a further slide towards catastrophe. A comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of food insecurity is essential. This includes frontloading funding to enable an early response, as well as investments in sustainable solutions and in building the resilience of communities. Collectively we can do a lot more to prevent a further worsening of the hunger crisis. That brings me to my third and final point: to meet the high level of humanitarian needs, we must expand the donor base for humanitarian assistance. The EU and its member States, in the Team Europe approach, are determined to do our part. We remain committed and ready to continue assuming our share of responsibility — and more — in addressing emergencies worldwide, in 2023 and beyond. But the donor base for humanitarian action remains extremely narrow and is overstretched. The 10 biggest humanitarian donors account for over 80 per cent of all humanitarian funding, and the three largest donors are providing over 60 per cent. This is not sustainable. Helping the most vulnerable people around the world is a shared responsibility, and we need to see a much broader group of countries contributing to humanitarian funding. Let me conclude by reiterating that the EU’s engagement towards principled humanitarian action is an integral part of its strategic commitment to effective multilateralism. The United Nations can continue relying on our support.

The Philippines is in the Pacific emergency belt, battered by storms and typhoons, no less than 20 every year. On top of that, we have earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and monsoons. There is no year that the country is not besieged by disaster. And because of climate change, calamities come fiercer than before. Filipinos are among the most persevering and resilient people in the world, having to live with these whims of nature. When the skies clear and the floodwaters recede, we pick up the pieces and stand strong again. Our partnership with the international humanitarian community contributes to our recovery. We therefore cannot overemphasize the importance of the humanitarian resolutions of the United Nations. We also commend all humanitarians working to prevent death, provide life-saving support, stem hunger, shelter people and keep women, children and the vulnerable safe from violence and the predatory practices of criminals. The Philippines prioritizes anticipatory action to reduce the impact of crisis. We cannot move the location of our country, but we can mitigate negative effects of climate change and natural disasters. The Philippine Development Plan underscores the importance of anticipatory actions to manage multidimensional risks arising from natural disasters and pandemics. Information and communications technology also has a critical role to play in risk assessment, disaster- risk reduction and the provision of humanitarian assistance. We call on States to bridge the technological divide, including through technology transfer. One of the objectives of the newly-established Philippine Space Agency is to strengthen the hazard-monitoring and hazard-forecasting capabilities of the country by harnessing potential Earth-observation technologies. The Philippines continues to strengthen its multi-hazard, impact-based forecasting and early- warning action systems as a basis for developing rights-based and gender-responsive social protection programmes. President Marcos is ensuring closer coordination and sharing of data between national and local government agencies in order to improve disaster- risk reduction and management. The Philippines also pays close attention to migrants caught in situations of crisis in countries of transit and destination, as they are in situations of particular vulnerability. We call on all States to fully respect international human rights law and international humanitarian law and to ensure that the provision of humanitarian assistance to migrants is not considered unlawful. States should also take migrant populations into account in crisis preparedness, emergency response and post-crisis action. While Governments have the primary role in humanitarian action, we underscore the importance of maintaining strong relationships with United Nations humanitarian agencies and such organizations as national Red Cross and the Red Crescent societies, as part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. We are all in this together as we work for the great cause of humankind.

The world continues to witness an increase in various crises and natural disasters that are giving rise to humanitarian needs. The report of the Secretary-General (A/77/362) notes the unprecedented increase in humanitarian assistance over the past year as a result of exacerbated armed conflicts, wars and political tensions, as well as the adverse impacts of climate change. The Egyptian delegation therefore welcomes the holding of today’s meeting, which has an increasing importance since it addresses the various means to tackle the humanitarian threats that the world is experiencing today and which is bringing an additional burden to many communities, given higher commodity prices, supply- chain disruptions and the continuing adverse impacts of the coronavirus disease pandemic. That constitutes a warning for the need to take expedited measures to prevent millions from falling prey to food insecurity and to improve international cooperation in addressing the current situation and avoiding a further spike in humanitarian needs. The delegation of Egypt appreciates the end of consultations on the draft resolutions on humanitarian assistance before the General Assembly today (A/77/L.30, A/77/L.32 and A/77/L.35). They reflect international commitment to responding to humanitarian crises by addressing their root causes and taking effective measures to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of people who unfortunately continue to face many crises. That is why my country’s delegation would like to extend its thanks to all the facilitators of the consultations on those draft resolutions. The increasing humanitarian challenges highlight the importance of the full application of international humanitarian law and the commitment to protecting civilians as well as medical and humanitarian workers. Furthermore, we must continue to push for political solutions to the settlement of disputes, in accordance with established standards pursuant to the Charter of the United Nations, in addition to investing in maintaining State institutions and building their capabilities with a view to addressing various challenges, ensuring sustainable peace and stability and creating an environment conducive to achieving sustainable development, thereby enhancing national ownership and transforming from receiving urgent humanitarian assistance to establishing a mechanism that leads to development and prosperity while preventing the renewal of conflicts. Through the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development, Egypt continuous enhancing bilateral and trilateral cooperation to provide sisterly and friendly countries with support, capacity-building, humanitarian relief and scholarships, while focusing on the most sustainable areas in accordance with beneficiary countries’ priorities within a framework that takes into consideration the principles of humanitarian work, namely, impartiality, independence, depoliticization or intervention into countries’ internal affairs, as well as working in coordination with the countries concerned to ensure the effectiveness of that assistance. In that context, Egypt hosts the African Union Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development, which aims at supporting national institutions, enhancing good governance, securing sustainable peace and preventing the recurrence of conflicts, which shows that Egypt is firmly eager to support stability, development in sisterly African countries along with prosperity and development in our precious continent, in accordance with the African Union Agenda 2063. Egypt will continue to support all efforts to end conflicts, alleviate human suffering and establish peace and stability.

The General Assembly is meeting today to consider one of the most important items on its agenda, namely, enhancing the coordination of United Nations humanitarian and relief assistance in disaster situations, including special economic assistance. At a time where the world is still recovering from the adverse economic and health-related impacts of the coronavirus disease pandemic, we are still witnessing an increasing number of crises, which contribute to the increase of those in need of humanitarian assistance across the world. It is therefore incumbent upon the international community to consolidate efforts to foster international action while helping those affected by those crises and alleviating their adverse impacts. The Global Humanitarian Overview 2023, which was launched last week, made clear that next year would witness an unprecedented demand for humanitarian relief, with 339 million people in 69 States now requiring assistance. That is an increase of 65 million people as compared to last year. The estimated costs of the humanitarian response in the year 2023, according to the report, will increase to $51.5 billion, which is 25 per cent higher that at the beginning of 2022. As one of the largest international donors  — in 2021, it ranked third on the global list — the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia considers humanitarian work to be one of its most important priorities. My country has worked tirelessly and continuously to enhance the coordination of international humanitarian efforts, including chairing the Donor Support Group of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs this year. Our capital, Riyadh, was involved in the launching last week of the Global Humanitarian Overview 2023. My country will also host the Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum in February 2023, which will be an important platform for exchanging ideas and suggestions on the means to develop and improve international efforts in the area of humanitarian response. Given the increasing gap between humanitarian needs and the relief assistance offered, our country believes in the importance of strategic planning for international humanitarian efforts and of meeting those needs based on a professional and scientific basis. We also believe in the importance of protecting relief workers and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need according to international humanitarian law. Women and children are the groups most affected during disasters and in dire need of relief assistance. That is why my country accords those groups utmost importance and implements relief programmes to support and empower them while promoting integrated protection for the women and children affected in many countries across the world, including Yemen and Somalia. My country also believes that the humanitarian needs assessment report should give a voice to vulnerable communities, particularly women affected by armed conflict, in order to improve response plans aimed at addressing their needs, especially in cases of contingencies, and ensure their participation in the design and implementation of humanitarian programmes. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is exerting every effort to address climate change as part of its national plans and priorities and international commitments, would like to emphasize that dealing with natural disasters, particularly their humanitarian ramifications, requires a swift response as well as international cooperation and solidarity on the part of all members of the international community. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, based on its global humanitarian responsibilities, responds immediately to humanitarian crises across the world irrespective of their nature and causes. My country has announced a humanitarian assistance package of $400 million to Ukraine. Saudi Arabia was also among the very first countries to take the initiative to provide assistance to the brotherly Pakistani people in order to respond to the devastating impact of the floods in that country, in coordination with the Government of Pakistan. We sent medical supplies, food and shelter-related items valued at more than $10 million in order to help more than 700,000 beneficiaries. My country urges all Member States and international donors to swiftly and immediately respond to humanitarian crises. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, over the course of many years, has always been the largest donor country to Yemen. During the past six years, we have provided it more than $18 billion. Although donor countries have offered billions of dollars in recent years to alleviate the impact of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, humanitarian organizations face many obstacles and challenges, particularly when it comes to providing assistance to areas of need in Yemen owing to the continuous violations by Houthi terrorist militias, which prevent assistance from reaching the intended beneficiaries. My country would like to emphasize that the Palestinian question is its number-one cause. My country fully supports that question at the political, economic, social and humanitarian levels. Over the past decades, my country has supported Palestine with nearly $5.2 billion, including direct assistance for infrastructure, health care, education, food security, agricultural, water and environmental reform. My country emphasizes its support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). We have provided it with more than $1 billion over the course of the past decade, including, recently, $27 million to support UNRWA programmes and operations in the region. In conclusion, my country stresses the importance of coordinating international efforts related to humanitarian assistance and of working hand in hand with the United Nations in order to alleviate the suffering of all disaster-affected groups throughout the world.

The Chinese delegation supports the adoption by the General Assembly of the four draft resolutions submitted under agenda item 69, entitled “Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance” (A/77/L.30, A/77/L.32, A/77/L.34 and A/77/L.35). At present, with the overlapping coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and unprecedented changes, and with interlinked geopolitical conflicts and global challenges, the international community is faced with multiple crises in the areas of energy, food and climate. In such an era of instability and uncertainty, humankind’s social development is encountering severe, unprecedented challenges, and the global humanitarian situation is also facing major difficulties. We call on the international community, in the spirit of humanity, to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, help countries experiencing a humanitarian crisis overcome their challenges, and give comfort and hope to people in humanitarian distress. With regard to humanitarian assistance efforts going forward, China would like to emphasize the following points. First, we must uphold the principle of humanity and strictly abide by the norms governing international relations. Humanitarian assistance efforts should be carried out in line with the Charter of the United  Nations and resolution 46/182, adhere to the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, hew to international humanitarian law, respect the sovereignty of recipient countries and refrain from interfering in their internal affairs and avoid the politicizing and instrumentalizing of humanitarian issues. The international community must keep addressing conflicts by peaceful means, handling differences through dialogue and consultation, work for the political settlement of relevant hotspot issues, and defuse humanitarian crises by addressing their root causes. The protection of vulnerable groups such as women, children, refugees and displaced persons should be strengthened. Unilateral coercive measures should be lifted at an early date to avoid exacerbating already dire humanitarian situations. Secondly, we must abide by the concept of equity and meet humanitarian needs in all parts of the world in a balanced manner. The Global Humanitarian Overview 2023, released last week, shows that there was a global humanitarian funding gap of nearly $27.6 billion in 2022, that the humanitarian contributions already collected are being used unevenly and that some countries in humanitarian crisis are severely underfunded. We call on all donors to increase their assistance to peoples in humanitarian crisis, effectively close that funding gap, all the while responding to humanitarian crises in all parts of the world without discrimination. A helping hand should be extended to African countries in particular, which have long suffered humanitarian disasters and are struggling on the brink of poverty and war. The people there should not be forgotten. Thirdly, we must continue to prioritize development and ensure a smooth transition from relief to development. There are many deep-rooted causes of humanitarian crises, and underdevelopment is one of the key issues in that respect. The international community should combine short-term assistance with long-term development while providing timely emergency humanitarian assistance commensurate with the needs of countries experiencing a humanitarian crisis. Development assistance should be increased to ensure that the countries concerned can make an early and smooth transition from receiving aid to rebuilding and ultimately embark on the road to independent development. Fourthly, we must increase assistance to developing countries and help enhance their capacity in the area of disaster prevention and reduction. The international community should consolidate and deepen United Nations-led international cooperation in disaster prevention and reduction. Developed countries should accelerate their support and assistance to disaster-prone developing countries in terms of funds, technology and means of disaster prevention and reduction and effectively help them enhance their capacity in such matters. They should fulfil in earnest their historical responsibilities and international obligations to address climate change, especially by honouring as soon as possible their $100 billion pledge in annual assistance. China has always followed a foreign policy objective of maintaining world peace and promoting common development. China is committed to promoting the building of a community with a shared future. It attaches great importance to and actively participates in global humanitarian affairs and supports the United Nations in its organizational and coordination role in international humanitarian relief efforts. We have actively participated in major international humanitarian relief operations and helped the developing countries concerned respond to their persistent situation of famine and malnutrition and fight the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters through multilateral and bilateral channels. Going forward, China would like to work with the international community, continue to actively participate in multilateral and bilateral humanitarian assistance efforts and continue to provide support and assistance within its capacity to countries in need.

I thank the Secretary- General for his reports under this agenda item (A/77/72, A/77/318 and A/77/361), which provide a useful overview of our efforts to strengthen humanitarian and disaster relief assistance. I would also like to thank Sweden for facilitating draft resolution A/77/L.30, entitled “Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations”. My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of Brunei on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and would like to make a few additional remarks. As stated in Article 1, paragraph 3, of the Charter, one of the purposes of the United Nations is “to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character”. Singapore fully supports the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s work to coordinate the United Nations response to emergencies and provide humanitarian relief to those in need. At the same time, the United Nations and its system entities must remain nimble and adapt quickly to new and emerging challenges on disaster risk and management, such as climate change. The ASEAN area is one of the regions most impacted by climate change, which the Secretary- General has rightly described as the defining issue of our time. The causal links between climate change and disasters are clear. The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had highlighted the possibility of more extreme rainfall in South-East Asia. In 2020, ASEAN experienced 530 natural disasters. In 2021, that figure almost tripled, to about 1,400, and resulted in more than 1,000 fatalities and 16,000 injured. That reflects a trend of increasing occurrences of potential disaster events, including rising sea levels and more extreme changes in weather patterns. We are concerned about the increased frequency of natural disasters given their catastrophic consequences. But it is not too late to take decisive action. In that context, Singapore would like to make three recommendations to help strengthen the role of the United Nations in coordinating humanitarian and disaster relief assistance. First, we should encourage greater investment in resilience-building and early warning. That is because prevention is not only better than cure; it is also significantly cheaper. According to the International Institute for Sustainable Development, every dollar invested in disaster-resilient infrastructure will save $4 in post-disaster reconstruction. However, that requires a paradigm shift by Governments and stakeholders alike. One example is adaptation to sea-level rise. Like in many small island developing States (SIDS), sea-level rise poses an existential threat to Singapore; 30 per cent of our island is less than 5 metres above sea level. We have therefore begun developing a coastal-inland flood model to assess flood risks and set up a coastal and flood protection fund to finance the construction of drainage infrastructure and coastal protection measures. Singapore stands ready to share our experience in this and related fields with other Member States through the Singapore Cooperation Programme, which includes a dedicated climate action package that has trained more than 137,000 officials from over 180 countries and territories in areas such as climate adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk management and green finance; and the SIDS Technical Cooperation Programme, which caters to the specific needs of SIDS. Secondly, we need to strengthen partnerships with non-State actors to build disaster resilience. Governments should recognize that non-governmental organizations and businesses have key roles to play. More can be done to incentivize the private sector to improve sustainability and better protect investments from the adverse effects of natural disasters. For instance, Governments can share the costs of incorporating sustainability and resilience elements into infrastructure projects with the private sector. Thirdly, we should harness technology to better predict disasters. In that context, Singapore is pleased to join the United Nations Global Early Warning Initiative, which will help ensure that every person on Earth will have access to early-warning systems within five years. We encourage more collaboration between Member States, the relevant United Nations entities and other stakeholders to put our collective disaster-management capabilities on a surer footing for the future. Given the continuing effects of climate change, we must be prepared for more frequent and severe disasters. When disasters occur, we must collectively mitigate and minimize their effects. Singapore urges all Member States to work with and through the United  Nations to build the resilience of the most vulnerable so as to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and leave no one behind.

We are pleased to be taking part in the debate on this very important agenda item. The issue of providing humanitarian aid to the peoples affected is an absolute priority for the United Arab Emirates. We reaffirm in that context my country’s support for United Nations efforts to coordinate humanitarian response and relief assistance to those affected by disasters. That is a first step toward recovery, development and stability. We emphasize in that regard the need to provide such aid on the basis of humanitarian principles, free of any religious, racial, political or geographic considerations. The United Arab Emirates would like to highlight today three main points. First, we commend draft resolution A/77/L.30, which aims to promote the capacity of all Member States to address climate change and to mitigate the impacts and repercussions of that phenomenon — which is a source of concern  — on humanitarian situations in particular. My country believes that prevention is the most effective and cost-effective investment to protect humankind and ensure stability. We will continue to support measures aimed at alleviating the impacts of climate change and increasing our ability to adapt to it. In that context, we will host the twenty- eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change next year. Secondly, we urge United Nations agencies to step up their action and strengthen their links with local communities and organizations in their emergency response, as well as to ensure that local women leaders take part in those efforts. That will strengthen the United Nations ability to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches all segments of the population, especially women, children, the elderly and the most affected. We commend first responders for their work in cases of natural disaster or humanitarian crises, in which they too are usually affected. We emphasize our shared responsibility to take the necessary measures to prevent conflicts, especially long-term ones, and to resolve existing ones peacefully, because such conflicts can lead to exacerbated and protracted humanitarian crises. That is why my country, since joining the Security Council at the beginning of this year, has made efforts to ensure that the Council fully considers humanitarian issues. We are also working side by side with other Member States to encourage peaceful solutions to armed conflicts. In that context, we commend the work of the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies in providing support to those in need, especially in conflicts and wars. In conclusion, the United Arab Emirates stresses that it will continue to work closely with Member States, United Nations organizations and other humanitarian stakeholders to collectively respond to the growing humanitarian needs around the world and to overcome ongoing humanitarian challenges, as our joint humanitarian efforts have become more urgent than ever.

The events of 2022 have devastated lives and livelihoods around the globe. Multiple, intersecting and complex crises are stretching humanitarian organizations to their limits. Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine continues to unleash suffering, death, injury and destruction. Last week, Under- Secretary-General Griffiths presented the Global Humanitarian Overview 2023, painting a picture of a humanitarian system under strain in the face of unprecedented needs. In the year ahead, we will continue to face compounding challenges: rising food insecurity, protracted conflicts, record levels of displacement and the impacts of climate change, including increasingly intense disasters. It is a deeply challenging prospect and will require continued and increased humanitarian assistance. But humanitarian assistance alone is not the solution. We must find political solutions and hold warring parties to account for violations of international humanitarian law. We must invest in a multi-hazard, cross-sectoral approach to disaster-risk reduction and preparedness, as well as resilience-building, and in doing so, ensure that gender equality, disability inclusion and localization are at the centre of our efforts. The ongoing midterm review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 presents a crucial opportunity to strengthen coherence between humanitarian action and disaster-risk reduction and halt the exponential growth in humanitarian need. Australia’s region, the Asia-Pacific, is the most disaster- prone region in the world. We were therefore proud to contribute to finding solutions to that challenge by hosting the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, held in Brisbane in September. Australia looks forward to facilitating, with our friends from Indonesia, the political declaration for the high-level meeting on the midterm review of the implementation of the Sendai Framework. We encourage all Member States to actively engage in the midterm review and look forward to deliberating how to take its outcomes forward at next year’s humanitarian affairs segment. I conclude today with Australia’s thanks to the humanitarians around the world who continue to work tirelessly in the back offices and on the front lines to deliver urgent assistance to millions of people in need.

The United States is pleased to co-sponsor and join the consensus on the draft resolutions before us today and reaffirms the vital functions of the United Nations in responding to humanitarian needs. Last week, the United Nations released the Global Humanitarian Overview 2023. Nearly 340 million people are expected to need assistance — an all-time high. The appeal requests a staggering $51.5 billion. Like last year, we are breaking the world’s worst records. The world is facing an unprecedented food insecurity crisis. Countries are reeling from increased hunger and malnutrition caused by the coronavirus disease and climate and face further suffering from Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine. The world is also suffering a catastrophic climate crisis, from flooding in Pakistan to the unprecedented drought in the Horn of Africa. Families are facing impossible choices, choosing which child to feed and wondering whether they will survive. And across the globe, we face a series of deadly and protracted conflicts. On all fronts, the United States is stepping up to do the right thing to meet urgent global challenges. We remain the largest-single humanitarian donor, giving nearly $17 billion in humanitarian assistance in fiscal year 2022. Since Russia launched its premeditated, unprovoked and full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, the United States has provided more than $1.5 billion in humanitarian assistance to support those displaced, including refugees and other vulnerable populations inside Ukraine and in the region. In response to the global food insecurity crisis, we have committed nearly $11 billion since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In May, the United States introduced a road map for global food security. More than 100 Member States have already supported that road map. We continue to scale up assistance for drought response in the Horn of Africa. We have doubled funding our commitments there to more than $2 billion this fiscal year. The extremely high levels of food insecurity are driving humanitarian needs in Afghanistan as well. And the United States is proud to be the largest bilateral donor of humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people. Conflicts, as we have heard, are accounting for over 80 per cent of global needs. In addition to Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, the protracted violence in Ethiopia, Yemen, Syria, Somalia and South Sudan has driven humanitarian needs through the roof. The parties to the violence are failing to help their citizens. Warmongers are choosing violence over peace, corruption over prosperity and personal gain over the protection of human rights. The answer is not more violence. We need political solutions. As President Biden has said, we must engage in relentless diplomacy. We need to engage more effectively in diplomatic negotiations regionally and globally, bilaterally and multilaterally, and in our capitals and in the United Nations, in order to bring parties together and end those conflicts. In the meantime, we must defend those doing the difficult, dangerous and necessary humanitarian work. The United States is proud to co-sponsor draft resolution  A/77/L.35, on the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United  Nations personnel. We are deeply concerned about the increase in safety and security incidents affecting all humanitarian personnel, especially those locally recruited. Draft resolution A/77/L.35 is the first of its kind to recognize the increasing threat of disinformation campaigns that undermine the United Nations and humanitarian organizations and put aid workers at risk. The United States remains concerned over the continued obstruction of humanitarian access by parties to the conflict and attacks on humanitarian aid workers. In Ethiopia we are glad to see the recent improvements in humanitarian access, but the persistent presence of Eritrean forces and bureaucratic impediments are still impeding aid to vulnerable populations in need, including survivors of widespread gender-based violence. In Yemen, the long-term solution to food insecurity is a lasting peace. We must do more to press all parties to the conflict, especially the Houthis, to comply with international humanitarian law. In Syria, attacks by the Al-Assad regime have killed humanitarian personnel and destroyed their facilities. The Al-Assad regime continues to impede the flow of humanitarian aid to people in need around the country. Across all conflicts, we must promote accountability consistent with international humanitarian law. That means continuing our long-standing work to keep the humanitarian consequences of crises in Ethiopia, Yemen, Syria, South Sudan and elsewhere on the Security Council agenda. The United States has also proudly enhanced the understanding of what is permissible under United  Nations sanctions and how to minimize unintended negative impacts, especially on the flow of assistance. For example, Secretary Blinken announced an initiative in September to carve out humanitarian activities both in the United States and United Nations sanctions regimes. We have also been focused on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse. We must prioritize and strengthen our collective efforts to implement prevention and risk-mitigation strategies. We must provide support to survivors. We must enhance reporting mechanisms and hold perpetrators to account, and we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. We can and should do everything we can to meet the highest of aspirations. That means advancing management reforms across United Nations agencies to improve humanitarian outcomes for affected populations. That means providing financial and diplomatic support to those actors seeking to help people trapped in conflict. And it means doing everything in our power to forge political solutions, hold bad actors to account and push for permanent peace. Before I conclude, I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm that resolutions are non-binding documents. They do not create or affect rights or obligations under international law. We refer the Assembly to our general statement delivered before the Second Committee at this seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly.

I should like to begin with a procedural point. Today we have twice heard statements on behalf of the European Union, one of which was made during the introduction of draft resolutions A/77/L.34 and A/77/L.35. We wish to ask the European Union to adhere to the rules of procedure. We note with satisfaction that this year we were able to reach consensus on three humanitarian draft resolutions (A/77/L.30, A/77/L.32 and A/77/L.35), negotiations on which were especially lively. We appreciate the efforts of the delegation of Bangladesh on behalf of the Group of 77 as well as all other colleagues for helping us achieve that outcome. We hope that despite our differing approaches we will in future continue to muster enough political resolve to continue our constructive efforts on the humanitarian front, especially given that projections for global humanitarian needs for the coming year are deeply alarming: 339 million people will be in need of aid amounting to $51.5 billion, which is a record. Under those circumstances, any donor participation is more important than ever. Russia has been and will remain a reliable humanitarian partner in bilateral channels as well as within the United Nations. We place great importance on cooperation with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. In addition, we contribute regularly to the Central Emergency Response Fund. However, this year, at a time when our country has been subjected to a record number of sanctions by the United States and the European Union, our ability to provide financing, including for humanitarian projects, is limited, and those difficulties are outside of our control. For example, we could not contribute tens of millions of dollars to the WFP budget to assist countries in Africa, Latin America and Central Asia because Western banks would not carry out the transactions. For the same reason, this year we will not be able to provide more than 100 Kamaz trucks to the WFP’s global transport fleet. Our school-meal projects, carried out jointly with the WFP, have also experienced setbacks. At the same time, in 2021 our official development aid amounted to $1.2 billion in total, so we once again call on the Secretariat to continue to seek solutions to that problem. We call on the parties involved to shoulder their share of the responsibility for undermining humanitarian work and to stop saying that humanitarian exemptions to sanctions actually work. We cannot agree with the accusations made that we have allegedly triggered a global food and energy crisis. As the largest global producer of fertilizer and an undisputed leader in the area of wheat production, Russia is more motivated than anyone else to expand exports of such goods and ensure the stable functioning of food markets. As United Nations leaders have repeatedly noted, there is no shortage of food in the world this year. The reason behind the budding food crisis is a disruption in international supply chains and other short-sighted actions by Western countries, including a forced energy transition and unbridled protectionism. We would like to stress our willingness to provide countries in need with almost 300,000 tons of fertilizer and 500,000 tons of grain free of charge. To conduct that humanitarian action, we need to ensure the unhindered exports of those products, including from warehouses in Europe, but so far progress in that area has been insufficient. With regard to the so-called grain deal, which includes Russian and Ukrainian components that are to be implemented as a package, despite the efforts of the Secretariat that scheme continues to lack balance. Given the stable flow of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea corridor, we will not tolerate one-sided difficulties with our exports indefinitely. We call on all those involved in the de facto freezing of Russian agricultural exports to change their attitude before the second 120- day phase of the Black Sea Grain Initiative comes to an end. Furthermore, no one has been able to provide convincing evidence that that initially noble endeavour actually serves the interests of the most vulnerable States. Statistics provided by the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul, which anyone can access and study if they wish to do so, are a clear testament to that. In the context of the Chornobyl issue, we would like to underscore that the nuclear and physical security of all nuclear facilities is an absolute priority for us. We made that clear when the Chornobyl nuclear power plant was under the control of Russian troops. No damage to the station security was done. Radiation levels remained normal, as publicly confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency. We cannot but note that in the report of Secretary-General on the persistent legacy of the Chornobyl disaster (A/77/537), that very important point was omitted. We deplore the fact that once again the United Nations was unable to demonstrate an equitable approach. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that the annual humanitarian debates represent an opportunity to discuss a broad spectrum of issues in that area and have never been monopolized by any country topics, otherwise we would have been forced to hold debates on the repercussions of every bombing by the United States and NATO countries throughout the world, the humanitarian consequences of which are still being felt by the peoples of the countries affected. We believe, out of respect for the victims as well as for other developing countries that are experiencing the protracted consequences of a lack of adequate development financing, that their interests should not be overlooked.

We are entering another year of rising humanitarian needs, with more than 330 million people estimated to need humanitarian assistance and protection in the year to come. We must do our utmost to strengthen humanitarian assistance and protection. We are particularly concerned about the increasing level of food insecurity worldwide. From the Horn of Africa to the Sahel, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, conflict, climate change, the coronavirus disease and rising food and energy prices are driving the dramatic increase in global humanitarian needs. In addition, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has caused a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine with global implications. The magnitude of those crises requires us to mobilize and reinforce humanitarian action and to do so in a way that puts people affected by crises at the centre. Here I would like to highlight five issues of particular importance to Norway. First, civilians must be protected. The protection of civilians — including the protection of children — has been a defining aspect of Norway’s term as an elected member of the Security Council. But it will not end there. In June next year, we will host a conference on the protection of children during armed conflict. Children are made particularly vulnerable by conflict. Yet we know that attending school substantially reduces the risk of a wide range of threats. Therefore, it is vital to uphold the right to education, even in emergencies, and schools must be safe from attacks and military use. We call on all States to endorse and implement the Safe Schools Declaration. Secondly, we must work smarter and better. Developing innovative solutions will be key to closing the growing gap between humanitarian needs and resources. It will also provide humanitarian responses and ultimately ensure better protection for people affected by conflict. Ensuring efficiency in humanitarian response is also a continual challenge. Considerable progress has been made in recent years, and Norway remains committed to providing quality funding and supporting cash responses in humanitarian action. Still, we need to reinforce local humanitarian action and ensure better accountability to the populations affected. Norway will continue to push for reforms that put the needs of people affected by conflict and crisis at the centre. Thirdly, we need to ensure closer collaboration between humanitarian efforts, long-term development assistance and peacebuilding. Complementarity must replace competition. Fourthly, climate change adaptation and prevention must be more closely connected to humanitarian action. Norway supports efforts to promote preparedness and disaster risk reduction. We also need more financing for climate-robust food production. Norway just launched a new strategy on food security with the main objective of contributing to climate-robust food production, including by smallholders, and the development of local value chains and markets. Last but not least, we need to act ahead of humanitarian crises. Improved data and new technology now increasingly allow us to anticipate disasters and crises before they evolve. Anticipatory action saves lives, and it is more effective and cost-efficient. We therefore must ensure better coordination and more efficient modalities to act ahead of the curve. We need to make anticipatory action the preferred option.

Thailand aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Brunei Darussalam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. At the outset, Thailand wishes to thank the Secretary-General for his reports and recommendations for better coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance. We believe that the coherence and synergies between the work of the relevant United Nations agencies, in particular the Emergency Relief Coordinator, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee are key to the effective delivery of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance to peoples in times of need while making the best possible use of our limited resources. Against the backdrop of the ongoing humanitarian situations around the world, other global challenges, including the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and natural disasters, have contributed to increasing the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance to an unprecedented level. Member States, the United Nations, humanitarian and development organizations and other relevant stakeholders must therefore further strengthen efforts to prevent, prepare for and address those challenges at the local, national and regional levels. In that regard, Thailand would like to make the following three points. First, we must continue to make efforts to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches those in critical need in accordance with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence and with full respect for international humanitarian law where applicable. Thailand remains committed to doing our part. Even though it is a small country, Thailand has made far-reaching efforts to extend humanitarian assistance globally. We have been a modest but consistent supporter of the Central Emergency Response Fund since its inception. In past years, Thailand has also provided bilateral assistance to countries in the fight against the outbreak of COVID-19, countries affected by natural disasters and countries facing other humanitarian challenges in our own region and beyond. Secondly, it is evident from the COVID-19 pandemic that health-care services are vital components of humanitarian relief efforts. We must work to advance universal health coverage and ensure the continuum and provision of essential health services and public health functions in emergencies, as called for in the Political Declaration of the high-level meeting on universal health coverage of 2019, and translate the lessons learned into commitments at the upcoming high-level meeting in 2023. In that connection, we must also increase coordination between the health and disaster risk management sectors, in line with the Bangkok Principles for the implementation of the health aspects of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Thailand is concerned about the notable increase in the number of reports of attacks against humanitarian and health workers, as presented in the report of the Secretary-General (A/77/72), and joins others in the call to ensure the safety of medical personnel in carrying out their duties. We also reiterate the need to provide them with the necessary protection and support, particularly with respect to their health, including mental-health and psychosocial needs. Thirdly, according to the report of the Secretary- General contained in document A/77/361, the world is expected to face 560 disasters per year by 2030, a projected increase of 40 per cent during the lifetime of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. It is apparent from the 2021 statistics that developing countries bear the brunt of natural disasters in the world, be they floods, droughts or hurricanes. We must therefore strengthen the implementation of the Sendai Framework to build the capacities of countries and the relevant actors to prepare for and respond to natural hazards, including by scaling up early-warning mechanisms and early action through the Early Warnings for All initiative of the Secretary- General so as to ensure that every person on Earth is covered by early-warning systems by 2027 and by localizing disaster preparedness and response to ensure that national and local actors are enabled to respond to community-level needs and priorities. To that end, Thailand stands ready to constructively engage in the Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework next year in May. Allow me to conclude by reiterating Thailand’s commitment to working with the international community and the United Nations system to enhance humanitarian coordination and efforts to save lives and alleviate suffering during and in the aftermath of emergencies, as well as to strive to build back better and bring about a more resilient and sustainable post- COVID world.

We started 2022 with 274 million people in need, a tragic increase from 2021’s figure of 235 million, already considered to be the highest in decades. That number climbed through 2022 to reach a staggering 324 million. Projections for 2023 put the number at 339 million, and we are once again calling this need unprecedented — one of every 23 people, more than double the number four years ago. To reach 230 million people targeted for life-saving humanitarian assistance, we need $51.5 billion. (spoke in French) In the year since this forum last convened, armed conflicts have proliferated around the globe, exacerbated by an already familiar set of issues: the ongoing impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and climate change. (spoke in English) But new and grave challenges have arisen from Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s deplorable attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure have precipitated unprecedented rates of forced displacement in Europe, contributing to global food insecurity and a malnutrition crisis. (spoke in French) Globally, the number of people affected by forced displacement surpassed 100 million  — another tragically historic milestone. More than 300 million people need clean water, emergency medicine, shelter, food and nutrition, protection and other humanitarian services. Hundreds of millions are experiencing hunger, in some cases at catastrophic levels — in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. Needs are arising not only in countries that are already vulnerable but also in relatively stable contexts. (spoke in English) As 2022 comes to a close and we focus our collective attention on 2023, Canada highlights three humanitarian priorities. First, we continue to call for predictable, flexible and quality humanitarian financing in accordance with the Grand Bargain and good humanitarian donor principles. The humanitarian funding gap remains significant despite the efforts made to mobilize additional resources. It is imperative that we collectively strengthen our humanitarian response, our funding and how we employ it. When we are required to do more with less, we need to ensure that we mobilize all possible resources. That can mean striving to widen the donor base, reaching out to non-traditional donors and the private sector, and considering innovative financing approaches, all while respecting humanitarian principles. That also means a better mobilization of the resources and capacity already in place, such as through supporting and reinforcing the critical role of local and national actors, including women-led and refugee-led organizations, which are on the front lines of humanitarian responses. Local and national actors play a critical role as front-line and first responders. Canada has taken some important strides towards supporting localization. Since 2016 we have significantly increased our contributions to the United Nations country-based pooled funds and have played a leadership role in ensuring that the funds support the leadership of local actors, particularly women-led organizations. We must also continue to support the many underfunded humanitarian crises around the world, including in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. While our attention may be focused on the crises that dominate headlines, we cannot forget those that do not. Suffering is suffering no matter where it is. Secondly, the crises in Ukraine and in other contexts demonstrate the imperative of solidarity and coordination. Supporting people in need must become the norm, not the exception. We must build strong 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. However, we can all do more to protect the most vulnerable during armed conflict. That is why Canada, along with 82 other Member States, on 18 November in Dublin endorsed the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences Arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. We must ensure that humanitarian access is facilitated at all times and that the safety and security of aid workers is upheld. It is unacceptable that each year hundreds of them  — the majority of them local responders — are killed, kidnapped or injured and their work blocked. Thirdly, a paradigm shift to a more forward- looking approach to humanitarian assistance is needed. That can be achieved through flexible, coordinated and predictable financing for anticipatory action, early- warning and action systems, forecasting and emergency preparedness. In line with the Group of Seven statement on anticipatory action, Canada is committed to scaling up anticipatory approaches. The humanitarian system also needs to improve collaboration between anticipatory action and other related yet distinct issues such as climate risk financing and disaster risk reduction to foster an enabling environment. We must also continue to more broadly address the humanitarian impacts of climate change. At the twenty-seventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Canada announced its signing of the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations and will work with humanitarian partners to implement those commitments. We also need to increase the agency of localized aid organizations and actors that understand the context and systems and are best placed to act effectively. Partnerships of that type are critical to bridging humanitarian, development and peace efforts and addressing the root causes of humanitarian needs. The fact that it will take 132 years to achieve global gender parity is jarring. The increasing sexual and gender-based violence and trauma experienced by women fleeing conflict and hunger is deplorable, as is the rollback on advancements in gender equality due to the effects of COVID-19. It is striking that reports continue to document the fact that gender is often forgotten in emergencies. We should have learned by now that while women and girls are the most affected, they are also key drivers of change and must be included in the development and implementation of response plans. Canada will continue to ensure that gender- responsive humanitarian action and gender equality are at the heart of emergency response. We must not sideline persons with disabilities in our efforts to serve as many people as quickly as possible. Their voices and needs must be mainstreamed. Canada is committed to humanitarian assistance that meets the different and specific needs of all members of an affected population, taking into consideration gender, age, disability and other intersecting identity factors. Addressing the challenges ahead may be significant, but together as an international community we can reaffirm our commitment to international cooperation. When we convene again next year, let us strive to ensure that the numbers tell a different story — a better story.

My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of the European Union. We thank the Secretary-General for the reports submitted under the agenda item “Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance” (A/77/72, A/77/318 and A/77/361). This year large-scale conflict, the worsening climate crisis and health epidemics have caused record levels of hunger and displacement, worsened poverty and put equality for women and girls increasingly out of reach. The rapidly growing percentage of people in need of humanitarian relief is of grave concern. The year 2022 was also profoundly marked by the humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s brutal and illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In response to the staggering number of people in need, Romania’s humanitarian assistance efforts were swiftly undertaken in order to provide relief to the most vulnerable affected by the war. Most recently, we have consolidated our support for Ukraine during the winter months. A voluntary contribution to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official development assistance budget amounting to €300,000 is in the process of being disbursed. Additionally, under the RescEU umbrella, Romania will host a modular temporary shelter, which will be fully equipped and ensure accommodation for up to 16,000 refugees. The unlawful war waged by Russia triggered a record crisis in our neighbouring country, the Republic of Moldova, where the refugee caseload has reached almost 100,000. Economic and energetic crises have taken hold, while the inflation rate is expected to climb further. In response to the huge amount of pressure that the Government in Chișinău has to bear, Romania has contributed almost €10.5 million. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine generated an unprecedented food-security emergency worldwide, putting additional strain on the most fragile countries, which were already fighting hunger. Romania joined the international efforts to contain the negative spillover effects and to date, the total cargo of Ukrainian agricultural product shipments that have transited Romania is more than 8.5 million tons. In addition, Romania’s financial contribution to the Central Emergency Response Fund targeted some of the most fragile countries facing food insecurity. My country also responded to the humanitarian needs caused by climate disasters and climate change. In 2022, Romania voluntarily contributed to the UNICEF flash appeal for floods in response to the devastating flooding that hit Pakistan and also tackled the humanitarian needs following typhoon Odette, which hit the Philippines a year ago. Recognizing that children are among the most vulnerable groups affected by global humanitarian emergencies, we have sought to bring relief in Mauritania and the Niger through a voluntary financial contribution. We equally acknowledge the benefit of regional cooperation in achieving durable solutions and resilience-building. In that vein, Romania financially supported the activities of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management. In the face of the growing humanitarian needs, we remain a responsible actor and will continue play our part in addressing emergencies worldwide. Respecting and promoting international humanitarian law remains a core objective of the global community, given the current context marked by ongoing wars and conflicts in almost all regions of the world. In my country’s immediate vicinity, we are witnessing how innocent people’s lives are being lost following strikes on Ukrainian cities and on civil infrastructure, in clear defiance of the basic norms of international humanitarian law. There is no justification for attacks against innocent people. Romania is also aware of the grave challenges posed by conflicts in urban areas and the devastating effects that they have on the civilian population. As the Secretary-General’s report notes: “The use of explosive weapons in urban areas, particularly those with wide-area effects, carried a high risk of indiscriminate harm.” (A/77/72,  para.  62) In that regard, Romania was among the countries that, on 18 November in Dublin, formally signed the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences Arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. The Declaration is a solid political commitment to strengthening compliance with the existing legal framework of international humanitarian law in order to better protect civilians in urban warfare. My country is committed to further working towards consolidating respect for international humanitarian law at the international and regional levels through various initiatives meant to foster dialogue and cooperation, as well as at the national level through the adoption and enforcement of legislative and practical measures. Before concluding, we would like to thank the delegations that introduced draft resolutions under the agenda item “Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations”. Romania co-sponsored all the draft resolutions (A/77/L.30, A/77/L.32, A/77/L.34 and A/77/L.35) and looks forward to their adoption by consensus.

In Aotearoa New Zealand’s 2021 humanitarian debate statement, we highlighted our concerns about the rise in global humanitarian need, the toll that conflict was having on civilians and flagrant violations of international humanitarian law. In the 12 months since, the humanitarian environment has changed in many significant ways, but, sadly, not for the better. Demand for humanitarian assistance has soared, driven by lack of political will to prevent and end armed conflict, as well as the compounding effects of the coronavirus disease and climate change. With that in mind, I would like to start by recognizing humanitarian actors working in high-risk environments, delivering aid and support to those in need. In a context of ever-increasing need, those actors are under immense pressure to do more and largely without a corresponding increase in funding. Ensuring that those actors can carry out their work safely and without hindrance or obstruction is essential. Last year we highlighted our concerns about food insecurity. This year the world is facing a pressing global food crisis in which the impacts of protracted conflict, climate change and rising daily costs are forcing families to take desperate measures to put food on the table. Parts of the world face the risk of famine. The warnings are clear: unless we can forge political solutions, next year food supplies could be tighter. However, the Black Sea Grain Initiative  — extended in November — is an example of what can be achieved when diplomatic channels remain open and solutions are found through talking rather than fighting. We commend the United Nations, the Secretary-General and all other parties involved in that initiative. In ongoing armed conflicts, we see devastating impacts from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Recently, we have seen again civilians and civilian infrastructure be the targets of warfare. The impact on civilian life will be felt for years to come. New Zealand continues to advocate for women and girls in all their diversity. Reports of sexual violations against women, girls and children in conflict is deplorable. We stress that their sexual and reproductive rights must be upheld in all contexts. Failing that, gender equality and women’s empowerment simply cannot be achieved. Climate change also continues to drive and magnify humanitarian need. As an island nation in and of the Pacific, Aotearoa New Zealand is acutely aware of the threat of climate change. For the Pacific region, the impacts of climate change continue to be felt, from rising seas to the increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. We look forward to ambitious dialogue on climate change when the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 undergoes its midterm review next year. We welcome the progress made on the inclusion of climate change in humanitarian resolutions. We must be measured by how we both tackle the root causes of climate change and how we adapt and respond to its adverse effects. Anticipatory action and emergency preparedness are extremely valuable in reducing the impact of disasters. The global humanitarian outlook for 2023 is bleak, with the number of people in need of life-saving assistance set to rise once more. The humanitarian system must be agile and able to evolve, to strengthen effectiveness and, importantly, deliver for people in vulnerable situations. We owe it to those living out the consequences of conflict and climate change to collectively deliver on our shared commitment to humanity and sustainable peace. The General Assembly can be assured of New Zealand’s continued commitment in that regard.

Every year we meet here to reflect on the global humanitarian picture and to look ahead to how we can respond to future challenges. Yet again, we are faced with a sobering picture. In 2023, 339 million people will be in need of humanitarian assistance  — an increase of 25 per cent from this year. Those are not just numbers; they represent individual lives, people suffering the impacts of both new and protracted conflicts, people hit simultaneously by droughts and floods driven by climate change, people who are the most vulnerable to the global energy and food crisis caused by Russia’s choice to illegally invade Ukraine, in a year that should have been the year of recovery from the coronavirus disease pandemic. To tackle the magnitude of global challenges, we need a shared vision and the collective political will to deliver it. The United Kingdom’s international development strategy, launched in May this year, is a commitment to the world’s most vulnerable. It sets out how we will ensure a more effective international response to humanitarian crises. We will deliver this in three areas. First, we will push for the system to prioritize limited resources effectively, including towards the 1 million people who are living in famine or famine-like conditions in Yemen, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan. We will do that by ensuring that humanitarian responses are accountable, data-driven and cost-effective. And we will continue to champion the scale-up of digital cash transfers as an effective and dignified way to deliver assistance. Secondly, we will continue to use our voice to protect the most vulnerable and to uphold international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law. We will use our position on the Security Council to enable unhindered access to those in need, including 4.1 million people in north-west Syria this winter. We will use all the tools at our disposal to ensure accountability for those who violate the humanitarian principles and the Charter of the United Nations in Ukraine. We will also deliver on our commitments at last week’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict conference, held in London, bolstering our support for local, women-led organizations. Those are vital to the humanitarian response and to ensuring that women and girls are free from violence and able to meet their full potential. Finally, we will use our expertise to prevent today’s problems from turning into tomorrow’s crises. We will leverage United Kingdom networks in the private sector, climate science and academia to deepen early- warning expertise, promote innovation and strengthen systems to prevent and anticipate shocks. And we will use our position on the boards of the international financial institutions to unlock the financing for those efforts, such as the doubling of the World Bank’s Early Response Financing to $1 billion, which we helped to secure this year. Building on sustained advocacy at the twenty- sixth and twenty-seventh sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, we will continue to push for an increase in access to climate finance in climate-vulnerable countries with the highest levels of humanitarian need. That will help communities adapt to new challenges with dignity and agency. With needs soaring every year, the United Kingdom humanitarian vision is not an ideal but, rather, a necessity. Today we are asking for all present here to join us in delivering it.

As the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently launched Global Humanitarian Overview 2023 shows, humanitarian needs have reached unprecedented levels globally, while humanitarian crises are becoming increasingly complex. The failure to address the major root causes of crises continues to incur heavy humanitarian and financial costs globally. Stretched humanitarian financing and multiple large-scale crises requiring our simultaneous attention render humanitarian response an increasingly challenging global endeavour. Given that outlook, the international community has clear responsibilities based on the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. First, we need to alleviate the suffering of the people in need through sufficient, predictable and sustained humanitarian assistance. Despite the record funding levels in absolute terms, a concerning funding gap remains. Türkiye is doing its part. Considered the most generous country since 2015 as a proportion of its gross national income to its international humanitarian assistance, it is also the second-largest donor country in terms of its official humanitarian aid. The assistance allocated to the Syrians under temporary protection in Türkiye constitutes the main share in that regard. At the same time, our international assistance has reached 122 countries in the last year. Secondly, we need to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches people in need through the most direct routes and that the populations affected can access the assistance and services that they need. Our efforts towards that objective should be guided solely by humanitarian considerations. Those efforts should not be politicized. In that framework, we reiterate our strong call for the renewal of the mandate for the United Nations cross- border humanitarian assistance mechanism for Syria. Thirdly, while addressing humanitarian needs through emergency assistance, we should also duly take into account and act upon emerging risks and trends such as the unfolding global food crisis. The United  Nations system has a fundamental role in coordinating a comprehensive response to mitigate global food insecurity. The Black Sea Grain Initiative is a landmark agreement that opened up the passage of grain through the Black Sea, ultimately helping millions of people and easing the pressure on food prices. Nearly 500 ships have carried more than 13 million tons of grain and foodstuffs in the past four months, reaching or on the way to some 40 countries. Türkiye will continue to support the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul for the smooth functioning of that vital supply line. Together with the Secretary-General, we will continue our efforts to facilitate the continuation of that initiative. Fourthly, refugees and migrants are among the most vulnerable populations globally. Their humane treatment and respect for their fundamental human rights is a moral and legal obligation for States. Practices such as pushbacks, which risk the lives and well-being of refugees and migrants in violation of States’ international human rights obligations, has to stop. The dignity, well-being and rights of migrants and refugees must be upheld. Fifthly, the rising number of forced displacements is deeply alarming, with 103 million people displaced, which represents more than 1 per cent of the world’s population. We need a new approach to international cooperation in handling the repercussions of forced displacements. Proximity should not entail sole responsibility for bearing the brunt of the consequences of emergency situations. Türkiye has been the largest refugee-hosting country since 2014. We reiterate our call for greater international solidarity and predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing. We also call for strong support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, including sufficient, sustained and predictable funding for the Agency. UNRWA is a lifeline for close to 6 million Palestine refugees and a key stabilizing factor in the region. We strongly support the renewal of the Agency’s mandate by the General Assembly next week as well as the Secretary-General’s call to increase assessed contributions to UNRWA from the United Nations general budget.

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