U.A.E. is looking forward to a world in which peace and fraternity prevails, Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development (Micad) said urging for better international efforts and common visions for protecting the lives of international humanitarian and aid workers.
"Humanitarian work is one integrated whole, and a consistent system where our effective response to crisis-hit areas represents the beginning that eventually leads to the protection of the lives and safety of humanitarian and relief teams," added Sheikha Lubna who is also the Chairperson of the National Committee for the Coordination of Foreign Aid, in a statement today on the World Humanitarian Day.
Praising aid workers for their effective role and sacrifice of their stable lives for the sake of supporting the lives of others reeling under humanitarian crises and disasters around the globe, Sheikha Lubna said, "We appreciate the extent of the challenges facing them and these show us the other side of their personalities as unseen soldiers whom we do not see until they die or fall victim to attacks during their holy mission. In addition to remembering this tragedy which disturbs international humanitarian work, we should also seek to reduce and counter the risks these aid workers are exposed to." "We very well understand that we are unable to deliver aid of whatever volume, value or quality (to those in need) without the help of these (aid workers) who defy the dangers of conflicts, natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and endemic diseases," added Sheikha Lubna.
Celebrated this year under the theme 'The World Needs More', the World Humanitarian Day falls on 19 August, the day in 2003 when Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 aid workers were killed in the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad.
This occasion, Sheikha Lubna noted, should always serve as a reminder of the importance of those victims, particularly through the drawing up of clearly-defined policies and plans and coordination between all states and effective humanitarian agencies.
World Humanitarian Day was commemorated for the first time on 19 August 2009 after UN General Assembly (GA) on 11 December 2008 adopted GA Resolution A/63/L.49 on the Strengthening of the Coordination of Emergency Assistance of the United Nations. Subsequent years have focused on a particular theme.
Source: WAM