WORLD HUMANITARIAN SUMMIT – AN END TO ENDLESS MEETINGS 21.05.2016

The World Humanitarian Summit to be held in Istanbul on 23-24 May 2016 will be one of the most inclusive and high level platforms ever, dedicated to revolutionizing the global humanitarian system in a way to better serve humanity and to better keep up with challenges of our changing world.

The Summit is of great significance, both in terms of its content and its timing.  UN data highlight that there are more than 125 million people who are in need of humanitarian aid and that the number of people affected by conflicts and disasters have almost doubled in the last 10 years.  It is obvious that business cannot continue as usual and drastic measures need to be taken immediately, in order to reverse this trend.

In addition to its focus on effectiveness, inclusiveness, prevention and building resilience, the Summit will draw attention to the synergy and link between humanitarian assistance and development cooperation.  The key is to establish a coordinated approach between humanitarian action providing relief to immediate suffering and development cooperation aimed at solving the root causes, supporting sustainable solutions, preventing crises, as well as, building resilient capacities.

With the advances in technology, we are able to reach more people in crisis situations much more quickly than in the past.  Despite this fact, the ever growing number and scale of conflicts and disasters leave a huge gap between international humanitarian efforts and people in need. Unfortunately, as the international community, we still have major room for improvement when it comes to objective priorities, coordinated efforts to combine resources, pre-emptive planning and implementation.  The shortcomings of the international humanitarian system brings along the issue of legitimacy.

Research shows that, even by allocating existing resources more smartly we can make an important contribution to alleviating some of the current global crises.  Just by preventing food loss and waste in the developed world, we can make a difference in food related crises in other parts of the world.  This fact was highlighted during Turkey’s G20 Presidency in 2015 by including food loss and waste among priority areas.

The Approach of Turkey and TİKA - Sincerity at the Core

The principle that human beings should be at the center of any cooperation and aid effort has always guided Turkey’s approach.  The Summit will also highlight this fact and place humanity at the focus of the principles and the road map that will be put forward.

The essence of Turkey’s development cooperation is to reach out and provide relief to all those who are faced with humanitarian crises, wherever and whoever they may be, so long as our resources suffice.  In 2015, Turkish official development assistance reached almost 4 billion USD.  ODA/GNI ratio the same year accounted to 0,54%.  Turkey is the country hosting the largest number of refugees in the world.

As the main implementing actor of Turkish development cooperation, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) operates with focus on implementation, sincerity, effectiveness, flexibility and inclusiveness, free from preoccupations such as visibility and self-interest.  Indeed, TİKA's cooperation philosophy parallels the traditional foundation culture of our civilization.   It is based on sincerity, selfless solidarity and assistance to those in need, without any discrimination, without any ulterior motive and without seeking any personal gain in return.

Turkish cooperation program in Somalia is one of the striking examples of Turkish modality of cooperation.  It is based on a systemic approach involving coordinated action by a wide array of actors: governmental and non-governmental humanitarian aid agencies, TİKA, as the official development cooperation agency, the private sector and game changing initiatives such as scheduled Turkish Airlines flights.  As stated by Somali authorities, the intervention by Turkey “changed the faith of Somalia”.

Hopes for the Future of the Global Humanitarian System - Rhetoric into Action

Challenges of the 21^st century transcend boundaries.   As the international community, we should not be content with managing humanitarian crises.  Effective and innovative common policies for crisis prevention and resilience building are of prime importance.  Only when all parties, traditional and emerging donors, humanitarian and developmental actors, civil society, private sector and politicians combine forces for this common cause can we reverse the grim trend in the humanitarian field, reach Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and eradicate poverty.

By hosting the World Humanitarian Summit, Turkey has demonstrated political support at the highest level for the agenda of the Summit.

It is our hope that decisions taken at the Summit will transform into concrete action as soon as possible.  As the international community we have to act sincerely and not waste time at endless meetings that do not result in concrete and effective intervention.  Otherwise, we will continue to meet at fancy hotels and produce excellent reports and policies on paper, but in the meantime, will fail millions, who struggle for survival and count on our prompt action.  We have to transform rhetoric into real action, at once.  We are accountable to all the children, women and men living in humanitarian crises.

If we want to bring about a systemic improvement in the humanitarian field, we have to be ready and willing to sacrifice some of our own wealth and comfort in exchange of healing the wounds of those who suffer horrors of conflict, terror and  disasters, which are even unimaginable to some parts of the global population.

As we approach the holy month of Ramadan, the spirit of solidarity, charity and selflessness shall guide us in our humanitarian efforts, enable us to see our own shortcomings in this field and give us the strength that we need to overcome them promptly for the greater good of humanity.

World Humanitarian Summit is indeed a historic opportunity – one that we cannot risk to miss.  It is high time to start to ACT, NOW, TOGETHER!