Communication: Towards the World Humanitarian Summit: a global partnership for principled and effective humanitarian action

The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General has called the first ever World Humanitarian Summit to take place on 23-24 May 2016 in Istanbul. The summit is a response to an unprecedented increase in the number of people affected by conflicts and natural disasters, including the highest number of displacements since World War II. The summit presents the global community with a unique opportunity to establish an international consensus reaffirming the principles of humanitarian aid and strengthening humanitarian action.

The summit will bring together governments, donors, implementing organisations, the private sector and representatives of affected populations who, where needed, should commit to more effective ways of working together for the common objective of saving lives and alleviating suffering. As a result, the summit will influence, and possibly even change, the current humanitarian modus operandi to better serve people in need. The European Union (EU) and its Member States are major humanitarian donors. Together, they constitute a key policy-setter with global operational experience. They are expected by many stakeholders to contribute to the success of the summit.

This Communication, building on the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid, sets out the Union’s vision for reshaping humanitarian action and proposes recommendations that should be endorsed by the summit. The underlying message is to build and reinforce partnerships among a multitude of actors. It is only through linked and coordinated action that the global community can respond to the escalating and multifaceted crises and disasters that demand humanitarian assistance.

• Primary Source

EUR-Lex: SWD(2015)166: Commission Staff Working Document accompanying the communication http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2015:166:FIN

ESO: Background information: European Commission adopts its position ahead of the World Humanitarian Summit 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-european-commission-adopts-its-position-ahead-of-the-world-humanitarian-summit-2016/

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

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