UN Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs: OIC can make UN system more effective in terms of response

Date: 17/12/2011

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The OIC can bring its knowledge and expertise to bear on the international system and make it more inclusive, according to a high United Nations official. The UN Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, said to the OIC Journal during an official visit to the OIC in Jeddah that the OIC could make the UN system more effective in terms of its response. Amos was at the OIC on November 14, 2011 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the OIC for the coordination of humanitarian action and cooperation in world disaster-affected areas. “Today is very much about strengthening the partnership that we already have with the OIC,” she said. The MoU looks at a range of areas where the UN and OIC can work closer together including how they coordinate their activities in a range of countries, how they share information and data to make sure they reach the people in need, and to review their activities on a regular basis so they will have annual consultations. During her meeting with the OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Amb. Atta Al-Mannan Bakhiet, they talked about the need for ongoing cooperation, particularly in Somalia where the OIC, its Member States and its NGO partners are doing so much to help the people struck by famine and lack of food. They also briefly discussed some of the wider political issues that are impacting the ability to respond effectively. Concern was expressed about the ability to raise resources. They also spoke about the importance of transparency. The deputy director of UNICEF, who was accompanying Amos and supported engagement with the OIC, briefed the meeting on health and nutrition issues. On OIC’s added value and contribution in the cooperation with the UN, Amos said that the OIC has particular contacts and networks in the Islamic world and it is very present in terms of its coordination activities in particular countries in the world. “OIC can bring that knowledge and expertise to bear on the international system and to make it more inclusive and to make our system more effective in terms of our response,” she explained. OIC Journal asked about concerns over donors’ fatigue especially that there are more and more disasters and crises that require international aid. Amos said that the rising number of crises significantly challenge the ability to respond. She also acknowledged that the public and governments question where and how the donations are spent in some areas. Therefore, she stresses on the importance of transparency. “Within our office of OCHA we have a financial tracking service where we show exactly where the money raised is spent and we ask all countries and organizations that are actually able to make donations to inform us of the donations they made so we can make it clear in our financial tracking system,” she said. On the other hand, she also stressed on the importance of moving out of the humanitarian phase and into a phase where people are able to rebuild and restore their livelihoods. “We have to help build communities’ resilience so that they are better able to withstand shocks and better able to deal with vulnerabilities.” Meanwhile, she underscored the important role played by women and NGOs. “In so many countries it is women who bear the brunt and impact of these disasters be they manmade or the result of conflict. They are central to the development effort as well. So we have to make sure that in engaging with community we listen to what they need and what their priorities are and making sure that women are a part of that.” As for NGOs, she pointed to the added value of OIC and its NGO partners in that very often they are able to operate in places where some of the larger organizations are not able to operate. In Somalia, the major obstacle to providing aid is security. “We need a political solution in Somalia, this has been going on since 1991. The people of Somalia are frustrated by this, they need peace and security to enable them to take their country forward.” On the other hand, she thinks that capacity is also a major challenge. “When you are talking about 4 million people in the country who are affected then it has huge implications not only on the capacity of the country but also of the NGOs, UN agencies, all of our partners, the government, other forces operating in the country. It has huge implications on their ability to respond.”

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