Overseas Aid
International Development
Gareth Thomas (Harrow West, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to support efforts to reform the UN's humanitarian reform initiative; and if he will make a statement.
Alan Duncan (Minister of State, International Development; Rutland and Melton, Conservative)
DFID is taking a number of steps to drive forward reform of the UN's humanitarian system. For example, the UK
is supporting the UN's Emergency Response Co-ordinator, Baroness Amos,
to implement a series of reforms to support a faster, effective and
efficient humanitarian response. These reforms are set out in the Inter
Agency Standing Committee's (IASC) Transformative Agenda (TA).
They include stronger leadership and better co-ordination and
accountability in large scale rapid onset natural disasters and complex
emergencies. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend Mr Mitchell, is in regular dialogue with Baroness Amos, UN agency heads and other IASC members on these issues.
DFID
is leading a new Disaster Resilience Political Champions Group which is
working to promote and support disaster resilience in poor countries.
For example, supporting better early warning systems, new partnerships
with the private sector on risk financing, testing out new approaches to
cope with disasters such as building schools that can double up as
cyclone shelters, strengthening the links development and humanitarian
action. This in turn will result in more effective aid, enhanced results
and greater value for money.
