Draft EU Council conclusions, agreed by the EU27 Ambassadors on Wednesday 19 May and seen by EUROPE, welcome the European Commission’s communication on humanitarian action, which was presented in March, to strengthen the impact of humanitarian aid from the EU and its Member States, in cooperation with the international community (see EUROPE 12675/1).
In its conclusions, the EU Council expresses its deep concern about the unprecedented scale of humanitarian needs, the shrinking humanitarian space, and the widening funding gap.
It points out that the Covid-19 pandemic has greatly amplified the impact of conflict, climate change, demographic pressures, forced displacement, weak or failing governance, and the growing number of violations of international humanitarian law.
The EU Council stresses the importance of consistently placing respect for international humanitarian law at the heart of the EU’s external action, ensuring the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, supporting and promoting principled humanitarian action, and preserving the humanitarian space. The necessity to ensure safe and unhindered access to populations in need, as well as the safety and security of humanitarian and health personnel, is also emphasised.
The text reinforces the urgency of stepping up global efforts to significantly increase resources earmarked for humanitarian action, and the importance of delivering humanitarian assistance more effectively with the resources available.
The Commission and Member States should work to secure additional humanitarian funding, and ensure a more sustainable and balanced distribution of humanitarian funding within the EU.
The EU Council encourages Member States and the Commission to intensify the dialogue with the United Nations System on the prioritisation of humanitarian resources.
It supports the use of multi-annual and flexible funding agreements with humanitarian partners. It encourages humanitarian organisations to make greater use of innovative solutions and digital tools to increase the effectiveness and impact of their activity. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)