International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in
the field of natural disasters, from relief to development
A/RES/72/132
Recognizing the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction as the main forum
at the global level for strategic advice coordination and partnership development for
disaster risk reduction, and recognizing also the contribution of the regiona l
platforms,
Welcoming the Paris Agreement 3 and its early entry into force, encouraging all
its parties to fully implement the Agreement, and parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change 4 that have not yet done so to deposit their
instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, where appropriate, as
soon as possible,
Noting with appreciation the hosting by the Government of Morocco of the
twenty-second session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change, the twelfth session of the Conference of
the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the first
part of the first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the
Parties to the Paris Agreement, held in Marrakech, Morocco, from 7 to 1 8 November
2016, and noting with appreciation also the convening by the Government of Fiji,
with the technical assistance of the Government of Germany, of the twenty-third
session of the Conference of the Parties, the thirteenth session of the Conference of
the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the second
part of the first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the
Parties to the Paris Agreement, held in Bonn, Germany, from 6 to 1 7 November 2017,
Noting with appreciation also the hosting by the Government of Mexico of the
fifth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, held in Cancun,
Mexico, from 22 to 26 May 2017, and looking forward to the upcoming sixth session
of the Global Platform, to be hosted by Switzerland in Geneva in 2019,
Taking note of its resolution 71/1 of 19 September 2016, in which the General
Assembly adopted the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants and the
annexes thereto,
Emphasizing the fundamentally civilian character of humanitarian assistance,
reaffirming, in situations in which military capacity and assets are used as a last resort
to support the implementation of humanitarian assistance in the field of natural
disasters, the need for their use to be undertaken with the consent of the affected State
and in conformity with international law, including international humanitarian law, as
well as humanitarian principles, and emphasizing also in this regard the need for
Member States to coordinate with all relevant actors early on in a disaster response
so as to ensure the predictable, coherent and needs-based deployment of military
assets and personnel supporting humanitarian assistance,
Emphasizing also that the affected State has the primary responsibility in the
initiation, organization, coordination and implementation of humanitaria n assistance
within its territory and in the facilitation of the work of humanitarian organizations
in mitigating the consequences of natural disasters,
Emphasizing further the primary responsibility of each State to undertake
disaster risk reduction and management, including through the voluntary
implementation of and follow-up to the Sendai Framework, as well as response and
early recovery efforts, in order to minimize the impact of disasters, while recognizing
the importance of international cooperation in support of the efforts of affected
countries which may have limited capacities in this regard,
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4
2/15
See FCCC/CP/2015/10/Add.1, decision 1/CP.21, annex.
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1771, No. 30822.
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