On 5 December 2019 the Executive Heads of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) met in Geneva, Swtizerland to address key issues on system-wide importance for humanitarian action.
The Committee discussed a number of critical humanitarian crises and the required support to meet urgent humanitarian needs, including in Syria, the Sahel Region, Afghanistan, and Sudan.
On 5 December 2019, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee will meet in Geneva to discuss key issues of system-wide importance for humanitarian action. During a Horizon Scanning session, the Committee will discuss a number of critical humanitarian crises and the required support to meet the urgent humanitarian needs on the ground. They will also have the opportunity to discuss key thematic issues and agree on efforts to prioritize work around these areas.
Following extensive deliberations and consultations, and reflecting the Strategic Priorities agreed by the IASC Principals, the IASC structures have been updated. The new structures are intended to deliver on the two year workplan which was endorsed by the Principals in January 2019.
The latest meeting of the Principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) took place on 3 December in Geneva. The meeting focused on a horizon scanning session where the Principals discussed key countries of concern and efforts to strengthen the humanitarian response to meet the most urgent needs on the ground.
Statement on Yemen byPrincipals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee3 December 2018We have met in Geneva today, for our regular twice-yearly discussion of the major humanitarian challenges facing the world. Yemen was first and foremost in our talks. We are alarmed at the dramatic deterioration in the situation over recent months. Millions of lives are now at serious risk.
New York, 29 November 2018As deliveredMr. President, distinguished Council members,I provide this update today on behalf of the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Mark Lowcock.
New York, 16 November As deliveredThank you, Mr. President.On 23 October, I warned the Security Council that a grave economic crisis and escalating conflict had pushed Yemen closer to famine than ever before.Shortly after that briefing, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, or FEWSNet, released a new alert. FEWSNet, which is supported by the United States, is one of the leading providers of early warning and analysis on acute food insecurity.
Johns Hopkins University, Washington D.C., 30 October 2018As deliveredThank you, Maureen.I do feel honoured to be here at SAIS today. Thank you for inviting me.I admire your commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in international affairs.We live in a world where pretty much everyone can see pretty much everything almost everywhere, pretty much all the time. Everything and everyone is inter-connected.
New York, 29 October 2018As delivered Mr President,I concluded my briefing to you last month with a question: would the agreement reached between the Russian Federation and Turkey on Idleb provide only a moment of respite, or would it represent the start of a more stable future for millions of civilians in that part of the country?
New York, 23 October 2018As delivered Thank you, Mr. President.On 21 September, I warned you we were losing the fight against famine in Yemen.Since then, the situation has got worse.That is why, as required in Security Council resolution 2417, which you adopted in May this year, we issued the White Note circulated late last week. In line with our obligations under your resolution, my briefing today focuses on the risk of famine.Mr President,
London, 17 October 2018As deliveredGood afternoon everybody. I am really thrilled to be here.Let me start by saying a very happy 50th birthday Concern Worldwide and congratulations.Thank you, it is a pleasure to be here with you today to celebrate Concern Worldwide’s 50th anniversary.And it does bear repeating, as Ciarán (Ciarán Cannon, Ireland’s Minister for the Diaspora and International Development) said, you started as a result of the famine in Biafra in 1968.
Who: Achim Steiner, United Nations Development Programme Administrator, and Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator What: Joint mission to Nigeria and ChadWhen: Nigeria 5–6 October, Chad 6–7 OctoberWhere: In Nigeria: Abuja and field visits in Borno State. In Chad: N’Djamena
UN Headquarters, New York, 27 September 2018As deliveredMr. Secretary General, Commissioner Stylianides, distinguished panellists, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.The humanitarian challenges we face as an international community today, sadly, stretch the length and breadth of the globe, and perhaps none has been more rapid in impact in the last twelve months than the plight of the Rohingya people, both in Myanmar and then in Bangladesh.
United Nations Headquarters, New York, Wednesday 26 September, 8:30 – 10:00As delivered.Thank you for putting on this event.The reason I’m grateful is because the single biggest cause of humanitarian suffering in the world arises from the way belligerents behave in conflict - from their failure to comply with the laws of war.But beyond that, the single biggest constraint to our ability to relieve that suffering also arises from that same behaviour by belligerents.For me, this is the top issue.
Global Technology Firms to Provide Expertise on Frontier Technology to Better Predict FaminesWASHINGTON, September 23, 2018 —The United Nations, World Bank, International Committee of the Red Cross, Microsoft, Google and Amazon Web Services today announced an unprecedented global partnership to prevent future famines.
UN Headquarters, New York, 23 September 2018As delivered Question: You have highlighted the importance of pre-arranged financing to make communities more resilient. How does the Famine Action Mechanism feed into these efforts?We need to build resilience and we need faster development.We also need to rid the world of the scourge of famine.When you boil it down There are three things that we need to do, all of which our panelists have touched on.
UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR MARK LOWCOCKStatement as Chair of the Inter-Agency Standing CommitteeThe Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Principals met in New York on 31 May. A key part of our discussion focused on how we can collectively strengthen the humanitarian sector’s approach to preventing sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and sexual harassment and abuse (SHA).
The International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) held its 17th General Assembly on 21 March, 2018. At the General Assembly ACT Alliance, represented by Anoop Sukumaran was elected to the governing body. Anoop who is ACT’s Regional Representative for the Asia/Pacific region was also elected by the General Assembly as the Chair of the ICVA Board for a three-year term. The Chair of the Board carries the responsibility for maintaining the humanitarian identity and integrity of ICVA’s mission and to ensure that the Board functions effectively.
