Statement by
Indonesian Delegation
before Humanitarian Segment of
2004 Substantive Session of ECOSOC
on
Agenda item 40 (a):
Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and
disaster relief assistance of the United Nations,
including special economic assistance:
strengthening coordination of emergency
humanitarian assistance of the United Nations

New York, 14 July 2004

Mr. Chairman,

I wish to begin by expressing the appreciation of my delegation to the Secretary-General for his report, and to the Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs for his important introductory statement, that bring us updates concerning the most important humanitarian developments and challenges in the past year, as well as useful insights for the future.

Among some of those developments, I would like to draw particular attention to a few. The first is the reported increase in the diversity of actors providing humanitarian assistance. It is significant to note that during the past year; more regional peacekeepers were mandated to provide humanitarian support. In our view, this is an encouraging development, and we hope that we can take the benefit from this experience, as appropriate, when humanitarian operation is deemed necessary in the future.

Also worthy of note during the past year is the reported increased engagement of private contractors in the management and distribution of relief assistance, as well as the direct involvement of armed forces in relief and reconstruction activities. While we support every effort aimed at making relief assistance available to needy populations as quickly as possible, we think that this is an angle to humanitarian assistance that needs ground rules to govern the provision of assistance, as well as civil-military relations and coordination.

The report of the Secretary-General also underlines the increasingly interrelated nature of humanitarian problems, especially – in the case of southern Africa – the issues of food insecurity, HIV/AIDS, and weakened capacity for governance. My delegation is of the strong opinion that this is further proof of the need for stronger and more coherent international response to these challenges.

We are also gravely concerned that there are nearly 10 million refugees under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This figure excludes the 4 million refugees under the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Mr. Chairman:

It is our hope that UNHCR and all relevant international humanitarian agencies will continue with their very valuable work in trying to reduce these high numbers of refugees and the internally-displaced. The existence of a single refugee or internally-displaced person anywhere, in our view, is evidence that the search for peace is a task that must not take a break.

My delegation believes that the programming and implementation of humanitarian operations should be conducted in strict compliance with the guiding principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality as set out in the General Assembly resolutions, in particular resolution 46/182 of 19 December 1991. Humanitarian assistance should be provided with the consent of the affected country, and with respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and the national unity of States.

Similarly, in the process of the provision of humanitarian assistance, the affected state should play the primary role in coordinating relief efforts, while humanitarian agencies provides support when it is requested by the state concerned. We reiterate the importance of observing these basic principles because failing to do so not only corrupts the entire idea of humanitarian operations, but could run the risk of endangering human lives.

We particularly commend the report of the Secretary General in its reference to the necessity of enhancing sensitivity to local cultures and conditions when implementing humanitarian operations. My delegation believes that this could be strengthened even more if international humanitarian efforts can avoid, as much as possible, overlapping with existing humanitarian programs and projects being conducted by the government and local community.

Mr. Chairman,

Before I close, I wish to call on all Member States always to ensure that humanitarian assistance is not substituted for, or mistaken for peace or economic development. Towards this end, we share the view that parties in a conflict must cooperate with United Nations humanitarian efforts, but also that Member States must more actively play their role in terms of providing the necessary resources.

Thank you.