General Assembly Adopts Resolution to Reinforce United Nations Emergency Humanitarian Response, Decisions on International Criminal Tribunals

The General Assembly today, nearing completion of its work for the main part of the session, adopted three draft texts on international tribunals and on bolstering emergency humanitarian response.

Resuming its consideration of its agenda item on strengthening the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations, the Assembly adopted, without a vote, a draft resolution on international cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters, from relief to development.

The representative of Bolivia, speaking for the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, introduced the text, saying that it recognized the clear relationship between emergency response, rehabilitation and development, and reaffirmed that, in order to ensure a smooth transition, emergency assistance must be provided in ways that would be supportive of short-term and medium-term recovery leading to long-term development.

The draft resolution also emphasized the fundamentally civilian character of humanitarian assistance, he said, noting that it urged Member States, the United Nations and development organizations to prioritize risk management and to work towards a common understanding of risks and responsibilities.

Also without a vote, the Assembly adopted draft decisions concerning the extension of the terms of office of judges and the reappointment of the Prosecutors for the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the Former Yugoslavia.