President,
This year, we have seen yet another increase in humanitarian needs and human suffering due to armed conflict and violence, exacerbated by climate change and natural disasters.
During the 80 years since it was founded, the UN has helped to prevent wars and international crises, defined fundamental rights for everyone across the globe, and saved millions of lives through humanitarian and development assistance. The UN is essential to maintaining international law.
President,
We are deeply concerned by the continuous disregard, in many cases, for the principles and rules of international humanitarian law and human rights law, including attacks directed against civilians and civilian objects.
In Ukraine we see an alarming pattern of intensified Russian attacks on critical civilian infrastructure, the human suffering in Sudan is unimaginable, and in Gaza, despite the ceasefire, delivery of emergency aid remains very challenging. I could have mentioned many other horrific wars that receive way too little attention.
We strongly condemn all attacks on, and threats against, medical personnel and humanitarian personnel.
Norway is committed to doing its part for people in need. The official development assistance remains at 1% of GDP. We maintain our funding to humanitarian efforts, through the UN, the Red Cross Red Crescent movement, to international and local organizations who all have their essential role in the humanitarian ecosystem.
Protection of civilians remains one of our main priorities, including combatting sexual and gender-based violence, and the protection of health and education, children and youth. Protection of refugees and internally displaced populations is also a priority, including finding durable solutions.
Another priority is combatting hunger. For the first time in recent history, we have two simultaneous famines, in Sudan and Gaza. In addition, the situation is alarming in South Sudan, Haiti, Mali, DRC, Myanmar, Nigeria and Yemen.
In all these cases, hunger is man-made. The use of starvation as a method of warfare must end.
President,
Norway stands fully behind the Secretary General to drive forward UN80 reform. We support the humanitarian reset to reform the humanitarian system to meet the unprecedented challenges currently faced, based on the centrality of protection, gender-responsive approaches and locally-led response. We are concerned about the many people in need who will not receive assistance because of the dramatic funding cuts.
We all need to work more closely with peace and development actors to reduce humanitarian needs and prevent conflicts and crises. And in all our efforts, those in need must always be at the center of an inclusive need-based humanitarian response.
Thank you.