The EU will set up a new European Humanitarian Response Capacity to intervene directly in humanitarian crises, as part of a revamp of its humanitarian aid policy, it announced on Wednesday (10 March). https://www.eudebates.tv/debates/world-debates/middle-east/millions-of-yemenis-facing-death-sentence/ The college has adopted an important Communication proposed by my colleague, Commissioner [for Crisis Management] Janez Lenarčič, that will boost the European Union's humanitarian aid policy.

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Humanitarian aid is a fundamental pillar of our external action and our foreign policy. And humanitarian needs are higher than ever because we live in a world where a combination of conflicts, climate change, environmental degradation, and the coronavirus pandemic have deteriorated an already fragile situation.

Principled humanitarian aid is a concrete expression of our solidarity - European Union Solidarity - a fundamental and much needed value during these challenging times.

But the needs are growing and the resources and donors are limited. Crises become longer and they risk being forgotten while we become numb to human suffering. [We] look at the conflicts in Syria and Yemen as fait accompli that lasts and lasts without solution, piling suffering for years inside Syria, Yemen, Darfur. I was in Darfur 15 years ago and the situation remains more or less the same.

But we have never failed to help. As I say, it is a pillar of our external action. But when situations become chronic, we have to think beyond immediate aid and look for the root causes of these crises. It requires a comprehensive approach, linking better peacebuilding, conflict prevention, development aid and policies to ensure climate resilience or disaster risk reduction.

Establishing a humanitarian response capacity to ensure that the European Union's humanitarian aid can be delivered swiftly and efficiently is one of the purpose of this Communication and Commissioner Lenarčič will go into the details.

Let me just underline that humanitarian aid is underpinned by the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independency. We should be able to have access to the most vulnerable, no matter where they are and [it] requires a permanent humanitarian access that should not be hindered. This is something that has to be remembered, when we have today the case of the Tigray region.

We have to respect humanitarian law, as an important feature of our external instruments. [We have] to work together with the Member States, with like-minded countries, with our partners - such as US, Norway and UK especially - in all scenarios where human rights are under threat and where the big crises create a need for help.

This is the purpose of this Communication. Thanks a lot, Janez [Lenarčič], for your work and I am sure you will give more details in order to better understand which is the purpose of this Communication.

Thank you.

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