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VOICE 2015 General Assembly Resolution

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EU HUMANITARIAN AID IN THE NEW INSTITUTIONAL SETTING: RECOMMENDATIONS

Since November 2014, the EU High Representative/Vice President, as head of the European External Action Service (EEAS), is working more closely within the European Commission and leads a team of external relations Commissioners. These Commissioners deal with humanitarian aid and crisis management, diplomacy, development, human rights, protection and security, conflict prevention, trade, the EU neighbourhood and further address migration and climate change where relevant. There is also a clear drive from the Commission and EEAS for the EU’s global role to be more visible.

There are many who welcome the fact that the EU now works towards a more coherent response.
However, new working methods will take time to mature, and it will necessarily take time for the Commissioners to get an in-depth understanding for each other’s mandates.

The majority of EU humanitarian assistance is being delivered in fragile states through NGOs, the UN and the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement. As such, it is vital to ensure that EU humanitarian aid continues to be needs-based and delivered according to humanitarian principles. The European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid (‘Consensus’) is the main framework guaranteeing this. The Consensus makes clear that EU humanitarian aid has its own objectives: preserving lives, reducing human suffering and maintaining human dignity. Where and how humanitarian aid is delivered should be decided solely on the needs of affected populations, independent of political agendas and security concerns.

Humanitarian NGOs welcome the fact that the 2014 Communication on the Comprehensive Approach to external conflicts and crises, and its 2015 Action Plan, have taken many of our recommendations on board. A key point for humanitarian NGOs was the need for the Communication to recognise the principles of the Consensus, and in particular that humanitarian assistance is not, and should not be used as a crisis management tool.

In that context, and bearing in mind the need to ensure the security of humanitarian aid workers and their access to affected communities, VOICE stresses the following recommendations:

1. The EU should ensure that coordination between its institutions does not lead to a degree of integration that negatively affects humanitarian organisations as they seek to address the needs of crisis affected populations.

2. The EU should ensure clarity of roles and mandates in crisis response and management and maintain a clear distinction between political, military and humanitarian actors.

3. The EU should engage in systematic dialogue with NGOs and other actors to fully understand realities on the ground.

4. EU external communication should differentiate between political and humanitarian action and actively promote an understanding of humanitarian principles.