The International Community’s Response to Crises

1. The International Community’s Response to Crises Personal Reflections David Nabarro United Nations

2. Health Worker in her Health Centre: Democratic Republic of Congo: 2005

3. London International Model United Nations • Extending • Cultural empathy and diplomacy • Understanding of International Affairs • Knowledge of the United Nations • Debating • Significant problems facing the international community today

4. David Nabarro • Qualified as a Physician in 1974 • Worked for five years in Nepalese and Indian communities with NGO “Save the Children” • Studied then taught public health and nutrition in London and Liverpool • Responsible for development of international health programmes and crisis response for UK Government (East Africa then Globally) for ten years • Worked with WHO on malaria, food safety, environmental health and health in crises • Working for UN headquarters on response to avian influenza and preparing for pandemics

5. Crises • Defining Crisis • Understanding Causes • Crisis Prevention • Preparing for Crises • Supporting an Effective Local Response • International Action • Aiding Recovery

7. Examples and Trends • Liberia – from war to recovery • Darfur – intense humanitarian challenges • East Asian Tsunami – extraordinary scale • Democratic Republic of Congo – women at risk • Palestine: Gaza and West Bank – limited options for action • Floods across Africa, Central America and Asia – impact of Global Warming • Communicable diseases: HIV, Cholera, SARS, Influenza

8. The HIV/AIDS pandemic Human suffering, + Economic cost in US$ Billions • A new virus recognized in the early 1980s • December 2007 • 33.2 Mo HIV infected • 2.5 Mo deaths in 2005 • Continued spread in Africa • Challenge for young women • Drug-Resistance • No vaccine

9. Looking ahead • More crises due to climate change • Impacts of increased global food costs, increased livestock production • Impact of internal conflicts and civil wars on civilians, especially women and children • Lack of respect for humanitarian law, for responsibility to protect civilians, for aid workers to have access to those in need • Status of crisis responders as neutral and independent under challenge • Increasing number and range of humanitarians

10. The Response • Based on clear values? • Guided by information and evidence? • Empowering and promoting resilience? • Inclusive movements of many partners? • Focusing on peace, security and protection? • Coordinated and synchronized? • With enlightened and flexible leadership? • Appreciated by the global public?

11. New approaches Standards, Results, Transparency, • Responsible: answering to the collective will • Understandable: being clear on what we do and why we do it • Predictable: speed, style, synergy and substance • Accountable: for funds, actions, results • Accessible: engaging and welcoming partners – new and old • Sustainable: Building capacity to prevent, prepare, respond

12. Iraq - UN and health early 2003 • UN active in governorates with technical health capacity in Basrah, Arbil, Kirkuk/Mosul as well as in Baghdad. • Challenges of insecurity and communications. • Working with Ministries; focus on jump-starting the system • public health functions (disease surveillance and response), • essential primary health care and hospital functions • urgently required medicines • Effective communicable disease work in Basra

13. Basrah Health Facilities May 2003

14. Basrah Response

15. Priority Setting Workshop : August 17 - 19 2003: Facilitated by WHO Involving National officials, International donors, Representatives of US Govt

16. UN HQ Baghdad – Canal Hotel August 19th 16.00 Meeting with UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator and Head of Oil for Food Programme Feed-back on Workshop Meeting with SRSG Viero de Mello and Nadia Younes

17. 19th August: 16.30 Bomb UN HQ, Baghdad • 22 Killed • 116 wounded • WHO staff killed and wounded • Examination of options for UN staff security • Review of Political presence • Review of Humanitarian response

18. Plan of Canal Hotel • Main Entrance • Our Meeting (First Floor) • SRSG Office (Second Floor) • Centre of Blast • First Aid point

19. The main bomb damage - and rescue efforts by UN and US personnel at 30’

21. Analysis by Gill Loescher(With SRSG Viero de Mello when bomb went off) • In conflict settings there is often no clear separation between military and humanitarian operations. • The UN becomes closely identified with one side or the other – or with intervening forces. • Baghdad August 2003 heralded the surfacing of a new and unprecedented degree of anti-UN hostility. • The UN recognises that the security context in which it operates is changed – for ever. • This dangerous new environment raises several key questions for the international community.

22. Pressing Questions • How can the UN and NGO humanitarian and development agencies avoid being closely identified with the military forces of intervening and occupying forces? • How can the UN better balance the necessity of engaging in life-saving operations in war zones with the risk such actions pose to its staff?

23. No simple answers … • The solutions are not be clear-cut or easy to obtain, but the questions need to be addressed by governments - and by the UN itself. • The UN – with its political institutions and secretariat - is the only body with the authority to help resolve chronic sources of instability and human suffering. • Could the UN's Member States do more to help the United Nations realise this potential?

24. Impact on staff and Member States • Many of us have grown more determined and stronger after attacks on us but our work is harder • UN Member States increasingly recognise the importance of a strong, determined and empowered United Nations to better safeguard all of our futures.

25. LAST WORD When faced with • Wicked Problems • Disturbing Knowledge and • Elusive Solutions ..maintain focus and engagement ..put Vulnerable People First