Statement by Mr. Taro Tsutsumi
Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
On Agenda Item 69:
“Strengthening of the Coordination of Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Assistance
of the United Nations, Including Special Economic Assistance”
General Assembly Plenary Meeting
8 December 2016
Mr. President,
The world is facing several unprecedented humanitarian crises today. We are seeing protracted crises, severe natural disasters and a huge number of people displaced by conflicts in many parts of the world. The Global Humanitarian Overview estimates that, in 2017, 22.2 billion USD will be required to provide humanitarian assistance for 92.8 million people.
Against such a backdrop, humanitarian issues have become one of the top agendas this year. In May, the World Humanitarian Summit was held in Istanbul. And in September, the United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants and the Leaders’ Summit on Refugees were held here in New York.
Mr. President,
The World Humanitarian Summit provided an opportunity to rally a wide range of actors to engage in comprehensive discussions on humanitarian issues. Discussions on various topics at the Summit, such as gender, IDPs and persons with disabilities, to name but a few, are reflected in the draft resolutions, which will be adopted later today. We welcome that the outcomes of the fruitful and constructive discussions at the Summit are now gradually beginning to be incorporated into the inter-governmentally agreed text.
We also welcome the presentation of the Grand Bargain document at Istanbul. The funding gap for humanitarian assistance has become larger than ever. Therefore, creating efficient ways of implementing assistance and shrinking overall need are of critical importance. We also welcome that many core elements of the Grand Bargain, such as the importance of reducing duplication and the necessity of harmonizing and simplifying reporting requirements are also incorporated into the draft resolutions.
Mr. President,
In September of this year, leaders from around the world gathered in New York to discuss the large movement of refugees and migrants. Both the application of the Comprehensive Refugees Response Framework (CRRF) and the discussions with regard to the Global Compact on Migration have now begun. Japan supports the implementation of CRRF through funding pilot projects. Japan is also ready to constructively participate in the discussions on the Global Compact on Migration.
Mr. President,
Although discussions on humanitarian issues are making progress step-by-step, the bitter reality on the ground seems unchanged. The number of displaced persons is rising, and the fundamental rules of international humanitarian law are being neglected, or worse, deliberately violated. Discussions and resolutions mean nothing unless we can also realize some positive change in the ongoing crises.
What we call “humanitarian crises” today is greater than the issues which normally fall under the mandates of humanitarian agencies. Because of their complex nature and large scope, most of them are also development challenges as well as concerns of international peace and security. To end ongoing tragedies, the United Nations should address these issues as a whole in a coordinated manner.
After decades of discussions on the humanitarian–development nexus, it has now become a common understanding that development actors should also be involved from the onset of a humanitarian crisis. In this regard, we are in the phase of discussing how to collaborate with each other on the ground. For our part, Japan has been implementing pilot projects concerning the humanitarian–development nexus in collaboration with UNHCR and UNDP in nine countries including Turkey, Uganda, and Zambia, and providing assistance with a total of approximately 110 million USD in terms of both humanitarian and development aspects.
Moreover, the Member States must raise their voices at every possible occasion that all parties to conflicts should respect international humanitarian law. In particular, attacks against medical facilities for strategic purposes are absolutely unacceptable. Holding this belief, Japan, together with New Zealand, Egypt, Spain and Uruguay drafted and lead the adoption of Resolution 2286 in May this year. Japan once again urges all parties to take concrete actions to protect medical care in armed conflict.
Mr. President,
Because we hear and see the devastating reality so often, we tend to become pessimistic about the challenge of humanitarian issues. However, we must also recognize that mankind has been learning from humanitarian crises and has made progress in response to it. The establishment of the United Nations’ humanitarian agencies after the ravages of the Second World War is a good example. It is important that we never reverse this progress, in honor of those affected by the crises of yesterday, and for the sake of those affected by the crises of today and tomorrow.
Thank you, Mr. President.
