Summary Record, IASC Principals meeting, 5 December 2019

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.

The Committee also agreed on a way forward to ensure that the required attention and actions are taken on the following critical issues: Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse / Sexual Harassment and Abuse, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Humanitarian Crises, IASC-Grand Bargain collaboration, as well as the impact of counter-terrorism legislation on humanitarian action.

The European Union and Switzerland, co-chairs of the Global Humanitarian Donorship (GHD), hosted an informal discussion to exchange views on the opportunities and potential risks for humanitarian action as a result of the UN Development System (UNDS) reform, which is also included in the record.