Istanbul – UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has criticised wealthy Western countries which did not send high-level delegates to the organisation’s World Humanitarian Summit, warning that human suffering had reached record levels and immediate reforms were needed.
“It is a bit disappointing that some world leaders could not be here, especially G7 countries, except Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany.
“The absence of these leaders from this meeting does not provide an excuse for inaction,’’ Ban said in a closing press conference.
Ban added that the summit should still be “proud” of having made progress on changing the way aid was delivered to help the 125 million people in need globally.
“We have reached a level of human suffering without parallel since the founding of UN,’’ he said.
Some 9,000 people took part in the summit, the first of its kind, which Ban convened in response to underfunding for humanitarian appeals and the growing number of people in need, often because of conflict.
The UN said only 18 per cent of the 20 billion dollars it needs this year for aid has been received.
Major donors and UN agencies agreed at the summit to reduce inefficiencies each year by some 1 billion dollars, as a way to free up funds.
The summit is taking place in Turkey, amid criticism of the choice of location, with human rights groups citing a crackdown on critics, the opposition and media, and signs the border with Syria is closed for refugees needing to flee.
Some groups, like Doctors without Borders (MSF), were also critical of the summit, saying it did not do enough to address the lack of accountability for states which attack health facilities and schools during war. (dpa/NAN)
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