UN Economic and Social Council
June 30 - July 25, 2003

Humanitarian Affairs Segment

Statement by
Claudia Serwer

Acting Alternate United States Representative to the
Economic and Social Council

Geneva, Switzerland

July 11, 2003

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to extend my appreciation to the Under Secretary-General for his presentation of the Secretary-General's comprehensive report. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank OCHA, along with the UN agencies, for past and ongoing efforts to provide protection and assistance in response to complex emergencies around the globe.

Over the past year, there has been progress toward peace in previously precarious humanitarian contexts, such as Sierra Leone and Sudan. Nonetheless, as the Secretary-General's report states, we have seen in recent months the resumption or intensification of numerous conflicts. Liberia is caught in a fierce downward spiral of violence, superimposed on an already fragile West African dynamic. The ongoing fighting, which has spread across the country and penetrated the nation's capital, has made the provision of humanitarian assistance impossible in most of the country. The tragic scenario in Liberia stands as an all too grim hallmark of humanitarian crises, in which the failings of political and social efforts have left a country on the verge of collapse and the people in a state of near constant despair.

In the same vein, the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to be plagued by setbacks and obstacles. The recent upsurge in violence and turmoil in Congo's northeastern Ituri district has once again left its civilian population, already displaced and persecuted, bereft of hope. The campaign of sexual violence in South Kivu province and elsewhere constitutes some of the most alarming abuses in Congo today.

The scourge of HIV/AIDS continues to destroy lives and livelihoods through both its direct and indirect consequences. The devastating effects of HIV/AIDS, on both individual and regional levels, have taken a human toll of incomparable proportion. While directly taking the lives of countless people, this epidemic also undermines the very agricultural productivity and vital economy that are the sustainable foundations upon which future famines will hopefully be averted.

Other challenges ahead include the need to support Iraq and Afghanistan on the difficult path from relief to reconstruction. On a positive note, we can draw inspiration from the recent humanitarian preparedness and response in Iraq, which have illustrate the importance of effective coordination among all concerned actors.

It is also important to note the efforts of the Secretary General to strengthen the UN code of conduct to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse. We commend the special codes of conduct adopted by UN peacekeeping operations in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo, reflecting the six principles of conduct adopted by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. We welcome this progress toward good practice in the field and urge all humanitarians to adhere to the Code's core principles.

The humanitarian challenges of the world are many and they are daunting. Today, the international community has gathered to face up to, and consult each other on, these challenges. In confronting today's numerous crises we must envisage an approach that transcends humanitarian response.

In complex emergencies, we must seek to protect and assist vulnerable civilian populations while simultaneously engaging political actors in solutions at a variety of levels. Our efforts must address underlying causes of both conflict and natural disasters, and more concertedly focus on durable solutions.

To achieve these intended results, all parties will need to carry a portion of our shared responsibility. In addition to the above efforts, the United States, recognizing the work of the international meeting on good donorship held last month in Stockholm, plans to take on the recommendations of the meeting and to participate in the working group to further the implementation plan. In turn, we encourage the UN agencies to continue improvements in coherent inter-agency strategies and realistic prioritizations of needs as expressed in the Consolidated Humanitarian Appeal Process, as well as rationalization of programming that can be measured against indicators, and an increased commitment to and practice of common services wherever possible.

There are many challenges still before us that will require significant effort by the international humanitarian community, working together, to continue to improve our humanitarian response, thereby safeguarding the human rights and fundamental freedoms of victims of natural disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies.

Thank you.