UN Wants More Humanitarian Aid From South Korea: Top Official
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
United Nations (U.N.) Undersecretary General John Holmes called on Korea to take a greater role in humanitarian and development causes during a special lecture at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Wednesday.
`` I'm here to host donors to establish a new partnership in Asia for humanitarian assistance. Considering Korean economic power, Korea can play a significant role in humanitarian assistance,’’ Holmes said. ``Since Korea had assistance from the international community, it's right to give something back.’’
He is currently working as Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the U.N.
Under the theme, ``The Humanitarian Affairs of the U.N.,’’ Holmes made a 90-minute speech in front of 250 students.
Humanitarian intervention had its birth in Switzerland in 1863, with the creation of the International Red Cross. Following it, the Hague Convention was founded.
After World War II, the Geneva Convention was a further step in codifying international humanitarian aid. Then in 1991, the Office of Humanitarian Affairs was finally created to make aid more cohesive and regular, Holmes said as he explained the history of humanitarianism.
Introducing his organization’s responsibility and goals, Holmes stressed the need for a well-organized humanitarian system.
``Humanitarian assistance consists of basic food and water, medical supplies, basic education, and coordination of relief camp logistics,’’ he said. ``We are trying to bring a sense of order to humanitarian assistance. There is often no logic as to how many NGOs and U.N. agencies show up at a given crisis, it often depends on the media attention.’’
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appointed Holmes to the position in January this year. He was previously the British ambassador to France, a post he held from October 2001.