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Doctors Without Borders Plans to Skip U.N. Humanitarian Meeting Doctors Without Borders Withdraws From U.N. Humanitarian Meeting
(about 2 hours later)
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations says it wants to rethink how humanitarian aid is delivered to the world’s spreading crises.UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations says it wants to rethink how humanitarian aid is delivered to the world’s spreading crises.
But as of Thursday, only about 90 of the 193 countries recognized by the United Nations had promised to attend the big event it is organizing to do just that: the World Humanitarian Summit. And the medical aid charity Doctors Without Borders announced that it would pull out, calling the conference a “fig leaf of good intentions” and saying that countries in conflict were ignoring “systemic violations” of international humanitarian law.But as of Thursday, only about 90 of the 193 countries recognized by the United Nations had promised to attend the big event it is organizing to do just that: the World Humanitarian Summit. And the medical aid charity Doctors Without Borders announced that it would pull out, calling the conference a “fig leaf of good intentions” and saying that countries in conflict were ignoring “systemic violations” of international humanitarian law.
“Disappointing,” the spokesman for the United Nations, Stéphane Dujarric, said Thursday in response to the decision by Doctors Without Borders.“Disappointing,” the spokesman for the United Nations, Stéphane Dujarric, said Thursday in response to the decision by Doctors Without Borders.
He said the summit meeting, scheduled to start on May 23 in Istanbul, was expected to address the issues that Doctors Without Borders regarded as priorities, including the obligation of warring parties to grant unimpeded access to humanitarian aid.He said the summit meeting, scheduled to start on May 23 in Istanbul, was expected to address the issues that Doctors Without Borders regarded as priorities, including the obligation of warring parties to grant unimpeded access to humanitarian aid.
The back-and-forth came barely two days after the aid group’s international president, Joanne Liu, rebuked the permanent members of the Security Council for their direct and indirect involvement in military attacks on health workers and health care facilities.The back-and-forth came barely two days after the aid group’s international president, Joanne Liu, rebuked the permanent members of the Security Council for their direct and indirect involvement in military attacks on health workers and health care facilities.
In a statement about its decision, Doctors Without Borders said it had hoped that the meeting, for which it spent months preparing, would advance “vital access and protection issues.”In a statement about its decision, Doctors Without Borders said it had hoped that the meeting, for which it spent months preparing, would advance “vital access and protection issues.”
“Unfortunately it has failed to do so,” the organization said, “instead focusing on its ambitions to ‘do aid differently’ and ‘end need,’ fine-sounding words which threaten to dissolve humanitarian assistance into wider development, peace-building and political agendas.”“Unfortunately it has failed to do so,” the organization said, “instead focusing on its ambitions to ‘do aid differently’ and ‘end need,’ fine-sounding words which threaten to dissolve humanitarian assistance into wider development, peace-building and political agendas.”
The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, and several senior officials have increasingly voiced their own criticism of countries that flout international law. They have accused Syria’s government of blocking lifesaving medical relief and bombing hospitals.The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, and several senior officials have increasingly voiced their own criticism of countries that flout international law. They have accused Syria’s government of blocking lifesaving medical relief and bombing hospitals.
United Nations officials have sought to draw attention to the meeting in recent days, saying it will attract 6,000 participants and host 110 side events. The goal is to inspire new commitments to preventing and responding to crises, the United Nations undersecretary for humanitarian affairs, Stephen O’Brien, said at a news conference on Monday.United Nations officials have sought to draw attention to the meeting in recent days, saying it will attract 6,000 participants and host 110 side events. The goal is to inspire new commitments to preventing and responding to crises, the United Nations undersecretary for humanitarian affairs, Stephen O’Brien, said at a news conference on Monday.
He also said 45 heads of state and government would be among the delegations attending. He was repeatedly asked to name the countries, but declined.He also said 45 heads of state and government would be among the delegations attending. He was repeatedly asked to name the countries, but declined.
The debate over the conference’s usefulness is part of a broader discussion about the effectiveness of the United Nations in tackling the greatest global challenges, including the Ebola epidemic and the conflicts in Syria and South Sudan.The debate over the conference’s usefulness is part of a broader discussion about the effectiveness of the United Nations in tackling the greatest global challenges, including the Ebola epidemic and the conflicts in Syria and South Sudan.