Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations A/RES/68/102 towards strengthening the national and regional normative framework for the protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons in Africa, Recognizing also the importance of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, 4 which include a vital legal framework for the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, including the provision of humanitarian assistance, Noting with grave concern that violence, including gender-based violence, particularly sexual violence, and violence against children, continues to be deliberately directed against civilian populations in many emergency situations, Noting with appreciation the efforts that the United Nations continues to make to improve humanitarian response, including by strengthening humanitarian response capacities, improving humanitarian coordination, enhancing predictable and adequate funding and strengthening the accountability of all stakeholders, and recognizing the importance of strengthening emergency administrative procedures and funding to allow for an effective and needs-based response to emergencies, Recognizing that, in strengthening the coordination of humanitarian assistance in the field, the organizations of the United Nations system should continue to consult and work in close coordination with national Governments, 1. Welcomes the outcome of the sixteenth humanitarian affairs segment of the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 2013; 5 2. Requests the Emergency Relief Coordinator to continue her efforts to strengthen the coordination and accountability of humanitarian assistance and leadership within the United Nations humanitarian response system, including through the transformative agenda of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, and calls upon relevant United Nations organizations and other relevant intergovernmental organizations, as well as other humanitarian and development actors, to continue to work with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat to enhance the coordination, effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian assistance; 3. Also requests the Emergency Relief Coordinator to continue to improve dialogue with all Member States on the relevant processes, activities and deliberations of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee; 4. Encourages Member States and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to continue to improve dialogue and collaboration on humanitarian issues, including on policy, in order to foster a more consultative and inclusive approach to humanitarian assistance; 5. Welcomes the recent efforts by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to build partnerships with regional organizations and the private sector, and encourages Member States and the United Nations system to continue to strengthen partnerships at the global, regional, national and local levels in support of national efforts in order to effectively cooperate to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need and ensure that their collaborative efforts adhere to the principles of neutrality, humanity, impartiality and independence; 6. Encourages Member States, the United Nations system and humanitarian and development organizations to continue to assess and improve, together with _______________ 4 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, Nos. 970-973. See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-eighth Session, Supplement No. 3 (A/68/3/Rev.1), chap. IX. 5 3/9