UN humanitarian chief expresses support for Humanitarian Consensus in European Parliament

(Brussels/New York/Geneva, 29 January 2008): Speaking to members of the European Parliament, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes expressed his support for the new European Union Consensus on Humanitarian Aid.

"The Consensus document is a significant achievement and shows the great common ground in our approach to catastrophes and humanitarian action in general," said Mr. Holmes. "Demands for humanitarian relief will only grow in the coming years. One main driver will be the increased number and severity of natural disasters linked to the effects of climate change, and I fear 2008 will have no shortage of man-made disasters either," he added. "To aid those caught in crises, in desperate need of food, shelter, protection and healthcare, we need not only the significant resources that Europe contributes to our operations, but also Europe's engagement and shared commitment," he said.

The Consensus document, which was adopted on 18 December 2007, is an important step in the effort to streamline coordination between and among European institutions and to promote common approaches in the Council, the Parliament and the Commission to humanitarian assistance in conflicts, natural disasters, and situations of recovery and rehabilitation.

The document defines a common vision, policy objectives and shared principles for humanitarian response. In addition, it reaffirms the European Union's commitment to promoting respect of humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law and its support for a common standards and evaluation criteria to ensure the quality of the European Community's aid delivery. The Consensus is also meant to improve the coherence, flexibility, performance and professionalism of aid delivery through reinforced coordination with other European Union entities and by strengthening partnerships with international partners, including the United Nations. Enhancement of disaster preparedness and response among European Union countries is another important component.

While in Brussels, Mr. Holmes also met Mr. Karel De Gucht, Foreign Minister of Belgium, and Mr. Charles Michel, Belgium's Minister for Development Cooperation. Likewise, he had meetings with senior officials from other international bodies, including Mr. Antonio Cavaco, Head of the European Community's Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO), as well as Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and Ambassador Martin Erdmann, NATO's Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Security Policy. Joint efforts to restore stability in conflict-torn countries and incorporating disaster risk reduction and preparedness into development policies were key items on the agenda.

For further information, please call: Christina Bennett, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 8059, mobile +1 917 435 8617; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570; Channe Lindström, OCHA-Brussels, +32 2 213 82 90, mobile +32 4 740 86 121. OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.