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DEZA: Humanitarian Meeting Iraq Strengthening the humanitarian dialogue

Bern (ots)

	                      Geneva, Bern, February 16, 2003
Out of concern for the civilian population affected by the ongoing 
crisis in Iraq and in the sur-rounding region, the Minister of 
Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Ms Micheline Calmy-Rey, two weeks 
ago proposed an emergency humanitarian meeting in Geneva that was 
held this week-end in order to provide a platform for humanitarian 
dialogue, reinforce humanitarian informa-tion-exchange and give 
prominence to the humanitarian aspects of the crisis. The meeting 
was organized by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation 
(SDC) and chaired by the Director-General of SDC, Ambassador Walter 
Fust.
Opening the meeting in front of more than 150 delegates from 30 
countries and 20 interna-tional humanitarian aid organisations, - 
including the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, and 
the President of the International Committte of the Red Cross, Jakob 
Kel-lenberger, - Minister Calmy-Rey pointed out that, "we, the 
international community, cannot just stand by and look on in 
indifference."
During the two days of discussions, in which the representatives of 
the neighbouring states of Irak and humanitarian aid experts 
participated, the state of vulnerability of the civilian popula-tion 
in the region was assessed. This state was generally judged to be 
precarious, due, among other factors, to past conflicts and the 
consequences of economic sanctions. There was con-sensus that Iraq 
is already suffering a major humanitarian crisis, as exemplified by 
the poor state of the national infrastructure and the level of unmet 
basic needs (e.g. potable water, sani-tation and sewage treatment, 
electricity supply, food security, the safeguarding of the environ- 
ment, medical supplies and other health-related needs). The 
participants agreed that an armed conflict in the region would most 
probably impact heavily on the existing fragile situation of the 
civilian population in Iraq, with possible major consequences for 
the situation in the neighbour-ing countries.
Presentations were made by the major humanitarian actors concerned, 
including from the UN system, the International Red Cross and Red 
Crescent Movement and NGOs, on their contin-gency planning and 
preparedness measures that take into account, among other factors, 
the eventuality of an armed conflict. Neighbouring countries also 
raised their concerns about the consequences that they could be 
faced with in the event of a breakout of hostilities, while re- 
minding participants of the global nature of the Iraq crisis and the 
need for an equitable bur-den-sharing among all States, especially 
with regards to refugees. In a further session, the im-portance of 
ensuring respect for international humanitarian law, in particular 
the Geneva Con-ventions of 1949, was strongly reaffirmed. The need 
to put the required resources at the dis-posal of humanitarian 
actors to cover their contingency planning and preparedness 
activities, as well as immediate needs, was also discussed, with 
donors expressing their awareness of the responsibility that falls 
upon them to disburse funds rapidly.
In closing the proceeedings of the "Humanitarian Meeting Iraq," 
Chairman Ambassador Fust concluded that the meeting had been 
successful in several ways. Firstly, valuable information had been 
exchanged, the humanitarian agenda clarified and proposals made for 
the rein-forcement of the humanitarian dialogue. The meeting also 
brought to the forefront the plight of the civilian population in 
Iraq and in the region. It was furthermore agreed that humanitarian 
dialogue should be continued and strengthened through a proposed 
"Humanitarian Issues Group Iraq." Such a group, if formed, will 
serve as a forum for exchange and will not duplicate but strenghten 
existing coordination mechanisms. Switzerland declared its readiness 
to pro-mote and support such a group. Finally, the appropriate 
follow up to this "Humanitarian Meet-ing Iraq" would take place 
within the next few days.
SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATIOIN
Media and communications
Further information from Joachim Ahrens, SDC Spokesman, tel. 031 322 
35  59

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