World Humanitarian Summit: Briefing on the Side Event "Strengthening the Humanitarian-Development Nexus"
●Panelists
Ms. Kelly Clements, Deputy High Commissioner of UNHCR
Mr. Steven Corliss, Director, Division of Programme Support and Management, UNHCR (Moderator)
Mr. Berk Baran, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Turkey
Ms. Maria Luisa Silva, Director of UNDP Representation Office in Geneva
Mr. Patrick Duplat, Representative of IRC in Geneva
Ms. Misako Kaji, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Geneva
●Overview
The Government of Japan has been promoting the approach of “Strengthening the Humanitarian-Development Nexus” as an effective means of responding to the surge in numbers of displaced persons due to ongoing multiple humanitarian crises and the increasingly protracted situation. Against this backdrop, in collaboration with the Solutions Alliance*, the Government of Japan is co-hosting a Side-Event on “Strengthening the Humanitarian-Development Nexus” on Monday, 23 May 2016, 17:00-18:00, at Rumeli Hall 2, LKCC, Istanbul on the occasion of the World Humanitarian Summit.
In preparation for the Side Event, on 26 April, the Permanent Mission of Japan in Geneva together with the Solution Alliance held a briefing for other permanent missions, international organizations and NGOs in the humanitarian and development fields (Attached 1: Program). At the briefing, Ambassador Misako Kaji, on behalf of the Government of Japan, and UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, Ms. Kelly Clements, introduced “Five Principles for Strengthening the Humanitarian-Development Nexus.” These principles will form the core of a joint statement (Attached 2: Preliminary Joint Statement) that the Government of Japan and the Solutions Alliance plan to issue at the Side Event (Attached 3: Statement by Ambassador Kaji). It is hoped that participants will positively align their commitments at the WHS with these principles. More than 100 people attended the briefing and a very active participation in question and answer session reflected high interest in “the Humanitarian-Development Nexus.”
* Solutions Alliance is an inclusive partnership of governments, organisations, and private entities committed to finding solutions to forced displacement. The Alliance Governing Board currently comprise UNDP, UNHCR, Donor Government (2016-2018 Denmark), Host Government (2016-2018 Turkey), International NGO (2016-2018 International Rescue Committee), and an International Financial Institution (2016-2018 World Bank).