World Humanitarian Summit 2016

The first-ever World Humanitarian Summit (WHS), on 23 and 24 May 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey, brought together a panoply of representatives of world governments, business, and civil society, to attempt to find a way to improve humanitarian responses to increasingly challenging conditions.

The May 2016 European Parliament plenary was due to hear from the European Commission and Council of the European Union on the EU approach to the WHS.

This Plenary at a Glance briefing set the scene. For all further information in ESO on the WHS see the related url hyperlinks.

Earlier in May 2016 Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) withdrew from active participation in the WHS claiming that 'As shocking violations of international humanitarian law and refugee rights continue on a daily basis, WHS participants will be pressed to a consensus on non-specific, good intentions to ‘uphold norms’ and ‘end needs’. The summit has become a fig-leaf of good intentions, allowing these systematic violations, by states above all, to be ignored'.

• Primary Source

Website: World Humanitarian Summit https://www.worldhumanitariansummit.org/

ESO: Background information: Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council. Towards the World Humanitarian Summit: a global partnership for principled and effective humanitarian action http://www.europeansources.info/record/communication-from-the-commission-to-the-european-parliament-and-the-council-towards-the-world-humanitarian-summit-a-global-partnership-for-principled-and-effective-humanitarian-action/

ESO: Background information: Press Release: Conclusions on the World Humanitarian Summit of 23-24 May 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-conclusions-on-the-world-humanitarian-summit-of-23-24-may-2016/

ESO: Background information: Press Release: European Union helps reshape international assistance at the World Humanitarian Summit http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-european-union-helps-reshape-international-assistance-at-the-world-humanitarian-summit/

ESO: Find all information in ESO on this topic http://www.europeansources.info/advSearchLink?keyword=world%20humanitarian%20summit%202016%20&searchOption=all

European Commission: Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection: Partnerships: European and international cooperation: World Humanitarian Summit http://ec.europa.eu/echo/partnerships/european-and-international-cooperation/world-humanitarian-summit_en

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) : Press Release, 05.05.16: MSF to pull out of World Humanitarian Summit http://www.msf.org.uk/article/msf-to-pull-out-of-world-humanitarian-summit

The Conversation, 23.05.16: World’s first humanitarian summit: a ‘fig-leaf of good intentions’ that won’t help the poorest https://theconversation.com/worlds-first-humanitarian-summit-a-fig-leaf-of-good-intentions-that-wont-help-the-poorest-59717

The Conversation, 23.05.16: What does the UN want to achieve from the first World Humanitarian Summit? https://theconversation.com/what-does-the-un-want-to-achieve-from-the-first-world-humanitarian-summit-59099

ESO: Background information: Press Release: European Union commits to action at the World Humanitarian Summit http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-european-union-commits-to-action-at-the-world-humanitarian-summit/

EurActiv, 23.05.16: World humanitarian summit starts amid hope, hype and fear of empty words http://www.euractiv.com/section/development-policy/news/world-humanitarian-summit-starts-amid-hope-hype-and-fear-of-empty-words/

CAPX, 23.05.16: Localisation would help alleviate global suffering http://capx.co/localisation-would-help-alleviate-global-suffering/

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: STATEMENT/16/1892, 24.05.16: Joint Statement on the outcomes of the World Humanitarian Summit http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-16-1892_en.htm

ECFR: Commentary, 27.05.16: Post-Humanitarian Europe http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_post_humanitarian_europe_7033

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