Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Accepted in Part
Call for UNSC Special Session on IHL disregard, humanitarian access, and aid worker safety.
Recommendation
We recommend that the UK works with the other UN Member States represented on the ministerial group for the safety of humanitarian aid workers to call for a Special Session of the UNSC to discuss the problem of disregard of IHL in the delivery of aid. This session should focus on hearing from aid workers themselves, and from local organisations in particular, culminating in a declaration. In addition, the UK should push for the issue of humanitarian access to be included regularly in the annual UN Protection of Civilians Report. Finally, there should be an expectation that the UN Humanitarian Coordinator includes details of obstructions to the safe delivery of aid, including attacks on aid workers, as part of his regular reporting to the Security Council. However, we emphasise that this reporting should not be at the expense of energy and time being devoted to the ending of conflicts. (Recommendation, Paragraph 44)
Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, stating it already actively engages with UN Member States and co-sponsored UNSCR 2730, which addresses humanitarian personnel protection and will lead to a UN Secretary-General's report. It also supports the inclusion of humanitarian access in UN reports and commits to continue doing so, but does not specifically commit to calling for a Special Session of the UNSC focused on hearing from aid workers.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
Partially agree 55. The UK already actively engages with other UN Member States, including within the ministerial group for the safety of humanitarian aid workers. The UK is a co-sponsor of UNSCR 2730, an important recent resolution that specifically addresses the protection of humanitarian personnel and encourages a UN Secretary General’s report and recommendations on implementation. This should provide a basis for discussion among Member States. 56. The UK regularly engages with the UN Secretary-General’s Office and relevant UN agencies to ensure that humanitarian access and the protection of aid workers is reflected in relevant UN reports. 57. The UN Security Council recently adopted Resolution 2730 (2024) which was co-sponsored by the UK and Switzerland, specifically addressing the protection of humanitarian personnel. The Resolution requested the UN Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of the Resolution within 12 months, including on the challenges to the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and recommendations on ways and means to improve protection. The UK is committed to leveraging the opportunities presented by this resolution to promote further discussion and action on the protection of humanitarian aid workers. 58. The UK has consistently supported the inclusion of humanitarian access in the UN Secretary-General’s annual report on the protection of civilians in armed conflict and we will continue to do so.