5 Multilateral partnerships

5.1 Adaptation to climate change

Efforts to prevent natural disasters as a result of climate change and environmental degradation are vital for saving lives and preventing serious setbacks in the fight against poverty. Adaptation to climate change and the prevention of climate-related disasters must be given as prominent a place on the international agenda as efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Sound management of land and natural resources is a vital part of efforts to prevent violent conflicts and to establish a basis for long-term peace once a peace settlement is in place.

Climate policy involves all sectors of society. Norway should therefore seek to ensure that climate considerations are integrated into national plans and strategies for disaster risk reduction, emergency response and development (see Chapter 3.2). At present, these considerations are not being taken sufficiently into account, and until this is done, it will be difficult to provide integrated and systematic support for other countries’ adaptation efforts.

We should work towards climate proofing of all Norwegian development cooperation. This means that all projects with Norwegian funding as far as possible include adaptation to future climate change. All support for infrastructure projects, including water and sanitation and the construction of housing and roads must be assessed in relation to the risk of a rise in sea level, higher precipitation, flooding, landslides and extreme winds. The same requirements for climate proofing should also apply to our international cooperation partners. In addition, we must ensure that development cooperation measures do not have negative impacts on ecosystems that will impair their resilience to damage. It is also important to ensure that climate-related measures do not have unintentional negative consequences for other aspects of vulnerability such as poverty and health.

Adaptation, disaster risk reduction and preparedness in relation to climate change is a relatively new area for most countries. The IPCC’s reports should therefore be followed up with further analyses in order to increase knowledge and understanding of what adaptation measures will reduce vulnerability most effectively. The Norwegian research and scientific community possesses considerable expertise in the field of climate change, and will be able to contribute to this process together with research and scientific institutions in other countries, particularly those in developing countries. The Government intends to strengthen Norwegian institutions so that they become a leading resource for both Norwegian and international administrative bodies, particularly when dealing with the problems developing countries are facing in relation to climate change.

Most of the least developed countries (LDCs) are currently developing national adaptation programmes of action as part of the adaptation efforts funded by the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), which was established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and is administered by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This work is providing useful information and should be built on further, but the most important task is to integrate the programmes of action into national development and poverty reduction plans.

Sound land-use and natural resource management is important in reducing the risk of natural disasters, even without the added problem of climate change. In addition, this reduces the impacts of climate change. For example, the conservation of forests in mountainous areas prevents soil erosion and landslides, good agricultural management in rural areas reduces the damage caused by droughts, and intact coral reefs and coastal vegetation such as mangroves reduce the damage caused by extreme winds and high waves. The Government will intensify its efforts to improve the land-use and natural resource management and the protection of the natural resource base in vulnerable countries by increasing its funding for bilateral and regional environmental and natural resource programmes.

The Government will help to strengthen institutions that are responsible for the management of natural resources at both national and local level in relevant partner countries. Measures to strengthen the capacity to prevent humanitarian crises and to respond to early warning signs should be linked up to our long-term support for natural resource management. We should also help to ensure that global institutions such as the UN, the development banks and the environmental convention secretariats increase their focus on the prevention of humanitarian crises.

Developing an integrated natural resource and environmental management regime is a challenging process for many developing countries. The Government will support processes where natural resource management is seen in an overall perspective, i.e. across sectors and different administrative levels, and where the various authorities develop close cooperation both with one another and with the local community.

We must focus more on cross-sectoral urban planning. This must be an inclusive process in order to gain legitimacy in the local communities concerned. Urban planning that takes into account risk and vulnerability analyses and follows them up with political action and resources will be an important tool in efforts to increase resilience, including in poor urban areas.

The Government will:

• base work on adaptation to climate change on local, traditional strategies for disaster risk reduction and preparedness in relation to extreme weather events;

• contribute to sustainable land-use and natural resource management by promoting good governance and local participation;

• support efforts and processes where resource management is, as far as possible, rights- and community-based;

• support efforts to develop plans for integrated water resource management at both national and regional level;

• climate proof all Norwegian long-term development efforts;

• seek to ensure that risk and vulnerability reduction measures become a core part of adaptation efforts and are given the same priority as measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions both before and after the end of the first Kyoto commitment period in 2012;

• seek to ensure that reducing disaster risk and vulnerability is an integral part of the work under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention to Combat Desertification;

• ensure that Norway’s humanitarian efforts do not cause environmental degradation and seek to raise our partner countries’ awareness of environmental and climate-related problems;

• seek to ensure that the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) focuses on the prevention of climate-related natural disasters in its efforts relating to agriculture, rural development, drought, desertification and sustainable development in African countries;

• support the efforts of the UN and the development banks to increase access to clean drinking water and satisfactory sanitation systems;

• support international studies and research projects that further increase our knowledge of the impact of environmental and climate change on efforts to achieve the MDGs, on the fight against poverty and on vulnerability to humanitarian crises, as follow-up to the IPCC’s reports; and

• support further research on national and local impacts of climate change as a basis for plans and strategies for reducing disaster risk and vulnerability.

5.1.1 International efforts to develop early warning systems

Much loss of human life could be prevented with better monitoring and early warning systems. We frequently see that the present systems are not good enough and that although sound plans do exist, they are not followed up. This is particularly the case in developing countries.

The tsunami in December 2004 was a wake-up call and triggered initiatives to improve regional early warning systems not just for the Indian Ocean, but also for the Caribbean Sea, Central America and the Mediterranean. 1 The tsunami also made us realise that future early warning systems would have to take a broad range of risks into account, such as rising sea levels, droughts and food shortages in central parts of Africa, the melting of glaciers in the Himalaya region and the resulting flooding, landslides and subsequent water shortages and drought in the Greater Himalayan region.

Source Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC)

For several years, Norway has provided economic and technical support for the development of early warning systems. We have emphasised the importance of basing these systems on sound knowledge of risk factors, appropriate monitoring systems, the ability to provide clear information to the public and the development of local preparedness systems.

The most important early warning systems are not fully financed; neither is the vital work of identifying «hotspots», 2 which is one of the prerequisites for increasing the effectiveness of early warning systems. The climate change that is currently taking place is making the identification and early warning of potential threats even more important than before, not only in connection with tsunamis and earthquakes, but also in connection with threats to food security and water supply. This will require increased efforts at national, regional and international level. In order to meet these challenges, it is important to give priority to the development of national platforms for reducing vulnerability and strengthening local expertise and preparedness. This work will be undertaken in close cooperation with the ISDR, in connection with the follow-up of the Hyogo Framework of Action agreed on at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe in 2005. Emphasis will be placed on developing gender sensitive indicators in this work.

The Government wishes to increase support for preventing natural disasters. With this in view, we need to forge more alliances and partnerships at local and regional level, particularly in relation to early warning systems. Countries that have knowledge and experience of disaster risk reduction, such as Cuba, Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, etc, have a great deal to offer other countries in similar situations.

The political framework for efforts to establish early warning systems is just as important as economic support. Early warning systems are based on trust; where there is a lack of trust between different sectors of society, the effectiveness of such systems will be undermined. Norway can play a role here through confidence-building and peace efforts and in connection with our peace and reconciliation efforts, etc. There is potential here for far more streamlining of preventive efforts relating to different types of disaster.

The current international efforts to develop early warning systems for conflicts are mainly being carried out by research communities and NGOs. This work involves some sensitive political issues, and the governments of the countries in question are often reticent to allow these issues to come into the public spotlight. The UN’s political bodies have not been among the most proactive in the efforts to establish sound norms and practices in this area. The Government will seek to ensure that the members of the Security Council and other key actors have better access to up-to-date analyses of potential conflict situations. Cooperation with external research communities will be vital in this connection. These should also be involved in further development of methodologies and indicators for this area. Norway is in a dialogue with the UN on how we can help to strengthen the UN’s capacity for early conflict prevention.

A number of UN organisations have key information on potential natural disasters and conflicts, and various UN funds and programmes are carrying out important work on early warning systems. This data and knowledge should have a broader application, and this would require better coordination between these organisations than is the case today.

The Government intends to support measures for better utilisation of the UN system’s total resources for analysing situations where there is a risk of unrest and conflict, before violence actually breaks out. In potential conflict areas, the operative part of the UN system is well positioned at country level to strengthen the political dialogue and preparedness planning process, which can help to prevent conflict and humanitarian crises. Prevention is a key element in the mandates of the UN’s integrated operations.

The Government will:

• increase support for the establishment and operation of effective regional and international early warning systems for natural disasters;

• support efforts to develop national platforms for risk reduction and preparedness through our partnerships with the ISDR and the IOC/UNESCO, and with institutions such as the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning, the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, the International Centre for Geohazards, NORSAR, the Norwegian Mapping Authority and the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate;

• help to strengthen the UN system’s analysis capacity in relation to countries and areas where there is a particular risk of unrest and conflict; and

• seek to strengthen cooperation between the UN and international NGOs to ensure good access to information and analyses on potential political unrest and violent conflict.

5.1.2 Food security

The Government believes that improving food security is vital for the capacity of local populations to deal with both long-term and acute crises. Malnutrition and mineral deficiencies are important factors in the incidence of disease and high mortality rates, particularly among children, pregnant women and people affected by HIV/Aids. Low food security weakens people’s resilience in crisis situations.

Source Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Food security is a contentious and sensitive issue on which both politicians and experts sometimes disagree. Environmental and climate change, population growth and rapidly growing urban areas, as well as political and violent conflicts in countries with good agricultural potential make the need to find effective solutions even more urgent. The main message in the World Bank’s World Development Report (2008) is that agricultural development is decisive for poverty reduction efforts.

The international community has come a long way towards accepting low food security. It waits for the next drought or flood, and then expresses surprise and sends food aid. The reason this pattern of reaction has survived for so long is that there has been a surplus of food on the international market. This has resulted in cheap food imports and easy access to emergency supplies in crisis situations. Cheap food has been an important factor in improving the quality of life of the poor, including the rapidly growing slum populations.

The Government can see that the global food situation could change, for example due to environmental and climate change and due to the present trend of rising food prices. These changes could easily reduce food security at local level. The most vulnerable parts of the population are often directly dependent on the natural resources in their immediate surroundings to meet their basic needs, including food. Some of this food supply, for example agricultural produce that is consumed locally and fish from local fisheries, could be used in a crisis situation. However local food production does not have a very high profile and is easily overlooked. The Government attaches importance to ensuring that the basis for local food production is not undermined.

Norwegian policy in this area is designed to benefit the people who are suffering from long-term and acute hunger, with a view to improving food security for vulnerable groups. In partner countries where this is a priority issue, Norway should follow a policy of addressing hunger and malnutrition as symptoms of poverty and poor governance, and thus promote agricultural developments that can better meet the domestic needs for food.

There are many political leaders who do not pursue policies to protect the population from hunger. We will raise this issue in bilateral talks. Another fundamental problem is that the large food surplus from rich countries is being dumped in poor countries. We will continue to deplore this practice.

The Government’s aim is to help its cooperation partners to strengthen their preparedness for food crises, where appropriate, through developing more robust production systems that are adapted to changes in precipitation patterns. It is important to build up local food and seed stores and develop good trading mechanisms at regional level to ensure that food can be distributed rapidly. Support should also be provided for studies and research on the development and use of plant varieties and cultivation methods that are adapted to a changed climate. Support for institutions that are responsible for emergency preparedness should be provided alongside support for general institution building, so that close links between crisis management and long-term risk reduction can be ensured. For example, support should be provided for political processes that ensure access to land.

The accelerating loss of biodiversity in food and agriculture constitutes a serious threat to food security. Much has been done in recent years to safeguard seed diversity through the establishment of national and regional gene banks in developing countries. Unfortunately these gene banks may be at risk in the event of natural disasters and conflicts, and may be lost. A global gene bank is therefore vital to provide additional protection against irreplaceable losses. The Government has taken the initiative to establish such a facility – the global seed vault in Svalbard. This depository of seeds is a unique contribution to ensuring global food crop diversity, and it has the capacity to store over three million different types of seed. In cooperation with the UN, developing countries are ensured free transport and storage of their seed collections in the Svalbard vault. The Nordic Gene Bank is responsible for operating the seed vault, which is a joint project between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Ministry of the Environment.

Food distribution is necessary in crisis situations, but this should take into account the population’s needs and cause the least possible damage to local production and markets. This requires sound analyses of the local food supply situation and careful assessment of what measures will give the best results (for example providing agricultural tools, seed, fertiliser, cash, etc.).

Distribution of seed can also have negative consequences for local food security. It is important to prevent seed being eaten in a humanitarian crisis in order to safeguard the livelihoods of small-scale farmers. It may not be an absolute shortage of seed that is the problem in a disaster area, but rather a relative shortage due to lack of purchasing power. In the longer term it is important to ensure that the seed on offer is suitable for the local environmental, social and economic conditions. It will also be important to support the development of food crops and agricultural methods that are more adaptable to changes in precipitation levels and patterns. In the Government’s view, there is a need for more realistic exit strategies with milestones for phasing out and discontinuing the distribution of food, and for replacing it with other forms of support where appropriate. Cooperation between the World Food Programme (WFP), FAO, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and other international actors will be vital to coordinate support in the transition phase and to develop a more common needs analysis.

The Government underscores that food aid is neither the only possible nor the best approach in all food crises. It is important that assistance is provided in a way that does not undermine local or regional production or markets, for example by purchasing food and necessary services within the country or region in question as far as possible. However, making accurate assessments of the real food needs is difficult especially when there is time pressure.

Direct cash transfers have been found to be more effective than food aid in certain situations. Measures to increase purchasing power were implemented in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami (2004) and the South Asian earthquake (2005). This enables the affected population to decide themselves what food and other necessities they most need. However, this form of assistance must be considered in the light of local market capacity to provide the goods and distribute them to those in need. Measures should be designed to ensure that priority is given to women and children, and that they and other target groups are involved, for example by taking part in food distribution. It is also important to ensure that the local population has access to financial services in the reconstruction phase.

Today, most of the international food aid is tied. This means that it is given directly by the donor country to the national authorities in the country in question or to humanitarian organisations. Many studies show that untied aid is generally more effective, as it can be tailored to the relief operation in question in terms of cost effectiveness, delivery time, appropriate types of food, etc. The Government will seek to ensure that all food aid is untied and that the international instruments and agreements on food security become more effective. We will also help to develop international methods and standards to ensure more prudent and effective use of food aid.

WFP, FAO and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have established Food Security Team Groups at country level with a view to improving the coordination of the UN’s food security and agricultural development efforts. The Government considers this to be a very positive step and an important follow-up on the UN reform initiative.

The Government will:

• improve coordination of Norwegian humanitarian relief, transitional assistance and long-term development cooperation with a view to increasing food security in vulnerable countries;

• continue to deplore international dumping of food and seed in vulnerable countries, and encourage a broader debate on the effects of large-scale seed distribution;

• promote environmental and resource management that as far as possible takes into consideration local food production in vulnerable countries and areas;

• contribute to the preservation of locally adapted types of seed at national level and ensure long-term storage of seed in the global seed vault in Svalbard through the Global Crop Diversity Trust;

• seek to improve UN coordination in the field of food security, for example by supporting Food Security Team Groups at country level;

• request that the UN, particularly the World Food Programme, incorporates the purchase of food from local and regional markets as far as possible in its emergency relief efforts;

• support the transfer of cash instead of food aid where appropriate, with a view to safeguarding vulnerable groups, and build up the knowledge base on the effect of this form of emergency relief;

• support measures such as the food-for-work and food-for-education initiatives where relevant;

• support agricultural reform efforts, including equal rights for women to own land, with a view to reducing vulnerability;

• help to strengthen higher education and research institutions in the field of food security in partner countries; and

• promote greater North-South and South-South exchange of expertise and experience between planning, research and educational institutions.

5.2 Health security

The Government intends to strengthen the health perspective in foreign policy. Political decisions often have consequences for health, and the health arena is also useful for achieving foreign policy goals. Together with France, Norway launched the Foreign Policy and Global Health initiative in 2006. This led to the presentation of a joint statement and action plan by the foreign ministers of Brazil, France, Indonesia, Senegal, South Africa, Thailand and Norway in March 2007.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the leading international body in relation to global health issues, while other UN organisations have operational responsibility for meeting acute health needs in crisis situations. Health security is the topic of the WHO’s World Health Report for 2007 for the very reason that crises and conflicts undermine health security. WHO is the lead agency of the Global Health Cluster, 3 and has established the Health Action in Crises (HAC) network to implement these efforts. In the Government’s view it is important that such a prominent and normative body as the WHO is helping to strengthen health efforts in crisis situations.

As was discussed in Chapter 2.1.5, vulnerable groups become particularly susceptible in crisis situations. Women, for example, become even more vulnerable in a conflict situation and, as a group, have caught the attention of the Security Council. The Government will help to maintain sharp focus on the health sector, including on the issue of sexualised violence both during and after a conflict. We need more knowledge about this area, and we need to promote changes in attitude on the basis of the knowledge we already have.

The connections between food aid and health security should be taken into consideration in tropical areas, where food rapidly spoils, the food production chain is poorly equipped for preventing the spread of disease, and disasters such as floods cause farm manure and sewage to be spread, causing life-threatening epidemics.

A well-functioning health system is an important factor in local preparedness capacity. And this has also become a key issue in multilateral arenas. However, given the large number of international health initiatives, and not least the growing number of private initiatives and resources, it is vital to ensure that international efforts do not overburden local management capacity, and that the international management of health security is improved, given the mutual dependency of countries in this area.

The Government will:

• intensify efforts to promote the health perspective in foreign policy;

• help to strengthen the WHO’s efforts in relation to humanitarian crises in general and its leadership of the Global Health Cluster in particular, for example through the Health Action in Crises (HAC) network;

• emphasise the health perspective in connection with the discussion of the vulnerable situation of women and girls in armed conflicts;

• seek to ensure that the UN Peacebuilding Commission enhances understanding of the importance of the health dimension as a goal in itself, as a means for achieving peace, and as an indicator of progress in peace and reconstruction processes; and

• identify and engage research communities to consider the health consequences of foreign policy in general and the health aspects of conflict management in particular.

5.3 Urban planning and good governance

The Government gives high priority to the promotion of human rights and democracy. Democracy is both a good in itself and a means of bringing about sustainable development. It is also a means of making a society more resilient to humanitarian disasters.

Sound, effective and inclusive local political institutions play a key role in preventing tensions between different social groups from developing into violent conflict. This also applies to trends we are seeing in rapidly growing urban areas.

If we are to have any hope of increasing resilience to conflict in urban areas, we must focus on strengthening local government capacity to provide basic social services. This would put local authorities in a better position to deal with various crisis situations.

Political will and budgetary priorities are also required at national level. The fact that the authorities in many countries are not doing enough, or not doing anything, in relation to disaster risk reduction is a major challenge. Disaster risk reduction is partly a question of national measures, but it is primarily the responsibility of local authorities, and they generally do not have the resources to fulfil this responsibility. The result is increased vulnerability.

At the same time, the prospects of reducing risk for large numbers of people are particularly good in densely populated areas. There are better opportunities for participating in the planning and organisation of measures in towns and cities. It is also possible to reduce vulnerability through the formalisation of user and property rights at both collective and individual level. The Government therefore recognises that there is a growing need for an active risk reduction policy for all densely populated areas, with particular focus on areas that have been poorly planned. It is important that risk reduction is integrated into efforts to promote good governance.

The Government does not believe that investing in sustainable development in rural communities alone is enough to address problems such as drought and flooding that are leading to urbanisation. More attention should be directed to helping local authorities to deal with rapidly growing urban populations.

Important elements in this work include effective land-use planning and better coordination between different social sectors, for example with a view to improving investments in physical and social infrastructure, particularly water and sanitation and the general physical environment. Local and national authorities must plan the development of housing and public buildings in less vulnerable areas. In particular, low-income groups should be given the opportunity to buy, rent or build secure homes on secure sites.

Risk reduction measures must be based on thorough analyses of risk and vulnerability in the area in question. It is particularly important to ensure good environmental assessments and site analyses, standards, control and follow-up of construction and housing projects. A focus on densely populated areas increases the need for cross-sector cooperation. The impacts of climate change, for example in relation to water supply, must be taken into greater consideration in this work. Competence and knowledge in this area needs to be strengthened in countries in the South and more widely shared between them.

The Government will take the initiative with other like-minded countries to move urbanisation issues relating to humanitarian crises higher up on the international development agenda in the UN General Assembly, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), UNDP, the World Bank, the regional development banks, the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), the Development Assistance Committee in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD/DAC), WHO, FAO and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Emphasis should be given to the links between conflict, the environment and urbanisation in the forthcoming «One UN» pilot projects at country level. For example, greater attention should be given to preparedness for urban humanitarian crises. There is also a need for response mechanisms specially adapted to local conditions with a basis in local government to respond to any crisis situations that may arise, including good early warning systems, evacuation plans and transport facilities. Education and awareness raising are also very important factors in risk reduction efforts. The Government will also seek to enhance the development and exchange of expertise between planning, research and educational institutions in the North and South as well as between institutions in the South.

Most of Africa’s poor are still to be found in rural communities. The fight against poverty in rural Africa is vital for preventing destitution. Food security is a key factor, but there are a broad range of challenges that need to be met in order to address poverty in rural communities.

Source World Urbanization Prospectus. The 2003 Revision

Disasters destroy not only lives, health, property and nature, but also the economy in parts of a country or in the country as a whole. In addition, disasters can affect people’s socio-economic status in different ways, and can hit different geographic areas with differing degrees of severity. Neighbouring areas that are less severely affected or unharmed may have resources that can help the worst hit areas. At the same time, «resource economies» in the vicinity of a disaster area may also be negatively impacted if they are excluded from participating in the humanitarian and rehabilitation efforts that are implemented. Private sector actors and local markets have the potential to restore economic balance. Analyses of the local, national and regional economies in the wake of a disaster can reveal what opportunities that are present in both the formal and the informal sector and how they can be strengthened, for example through private remittances from other countries.

The Government will:

• promote the decentralisation of authority and resources for disaster risk reduction and preparedness to local and regional authorities through national and regional development plans, etc;

• strengthen cooperation on disaster risk reduction between UN-HABITAT, UNDP and OCHA in vulnerable areas, particularly in the reconstruction phase, in close consultation with local authorities and organisations;

• support efforts to improve urban development strategies that take into account environmental considerations, land-use planning and infrastructure in urban slum areas, for example in cooperation with the regional development banks and Cities Alliance;

• support programmes to formalise the user and property rights of the poor in slum areas and vulnerable rural areas, for example through UN-HABITAT and UNDP;

• seek to ensure that towns and cities that are vulnerable to climate change invest in improvements to infrastructure, including drainage, water supply and sewage treatment systems, so that it can withstand various kinds of natural disaster;

• support infrastructure projects in coastal cities, with a particular view to increasing protection against rising sea levels (dikes and dams, alterations to harbours, flood barriers and protection against tsunamis, etc.);

• strengthen international efforts on risk assessment and vulnerability analysis for particularly vulnerable urban areas, including systems for early warning and evacuation plans;

• strengthen the efforts of UN-HABITAT and other relevant organisations to develop and disseminate information on measures that can reduce CO₂ emissions in urban areas, such as developing better transport systems and more effective insulation and building materials;

• help to ensure that the links between conflicts, natural disasters and urban development is given priority in UN plans and efforts at country level; and

• support UN humanitarian appeals for the vulnerable urban poor.

5.4 Protection of the civilian population

5.4.1 The role and participation of women, children and young people

The Government considers it important to improve the protection of particularly vulnerable groups in various crisis situations. Women, children, members of minority groups, the disabled and the elderly are often the most at risk. In order to reduce vulnerability to humanitarian crises, it is necessary to understand the underlying processes that cause poverty and lack of resilience and that to some extent have very different effects on women and men, and boys and girls.

Children are the primary victims in wars and conflicts. In the last decade, two million children have been killed, between four and five million have become disabled, one million have lost or become separated from their parents, and ten million have been traumatised. A total of 39 million children, more than half of the 77 million children in the world who do not attend school, live in war- and conflict-affected countries. Approximately two thirds of them are girls.

Children are less vulnerable if they have learned what to do in the event of a disaster, and the school system has obvious opportunities to provide this knowledge. It is also important that children who are affected by disasters return to school as soon as possible. Schools occupy children and young people during a period of their lives when they are vulnerable to recruitment to armed forces and military groups and other forms of exploitation. Education can also play an important role in the fight against poverty, control of population growth and spread of epidemics, as well as increasing people’s ability to take care of themselves. Furthermore, education can help to normalise children’s daily lives, reduce traumas and create hope for the future.

Education should be forward-looking and relevant, and should also look ahead to the period when the crisis or conflict is over. It is vital that the right to education for all children is formally recognised, so that children are able to continue their education once the situation is normalised. It is also important to ensure that efforts to make education relevant include taking local customs and value systems into account.

The promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women is one of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) is an important step in the effort to enable women to participate on the same terms as men in peace and security efforts. Women are also to be given priority in Norway’s development cooperation. Together with the Action plan for women’s rights and gender equality in development cooperation (2007–2009), these documents are to form the basis for efforts to prevent humanitarian crises in a broad sense, not just in connection with conflicts.

Women are not only victims but also important actors, and should be involved at all levels of risk reduction efforts, on the same terms as men. The recruitment of more women volunteers will increase women’s access to various welfare services and thus reduce their vulnerability. In increasing the focus on the gender perspective, the Government is seeking to foster a more integrated, inclusive and not least more effective approach to risk reduction efforts, including in reconstruction processes.

However, the Government does not believe that including the gender perspective in political dialogues and international humanitarian efforts at a general level is sufficient to increase the involvement of women in disaster risk reduction or reduce their vulnerability to humanitarian crises. Targeted measures are also needed to secure women’s rights, their participation and the consideration of their needs in efforts to prevent both conflicts and complex crises.

Preparedness measures and humanitarian efforts in a disaster situation can provide women with new opportunities to participate in political and economic processes. The principle of subsidiarity can be used as a means to mobilise women as a resource in disaster risk reduction and to secure their right to participate. From Norway’s point of view, this is basically a question of good leadership of risk reduction efforts at various levels, but all too often those in charge fail to meet their obligations.

The Government underscores the importance of intensifying efforts to identify and provide support for women’s organisations involved in risk reduction and preparedness. The lack of gender-sensitive analyses and information on the situation of women in vulnerable areas continues to be a problem. When a disaster strikes, this is often one of the first areas to be given lower priority. Efforts by the UN and humanitarian organisations in this area have lacked local ownership, which has reduced their effectiveness and, in the worst case, increased vulnerability.

It is also essential that children and young people are involved as resource persons and agents of change, not only because the right to participate is at the core of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but also because children account for one of the most vulnerable groups in crisis situations. With this in view, support should be provided for existing children’s and young people’s groups and organisations in addition to fostering new groups and networks. Partnerships with NGOs are particularly important in efforts to mobilise children and young people in the local community.

The Government will:

• seek to ensure that Norway actively promotes a stronger role for women in risk reduction efforts as a key element in the fight against poverty;

• give priority to measures to involve women and women’s organisations in peace processes and risk reduction efforts at the local level, and measures to give them more authority and responsibility;

• request Norway’s cooperation partners to hold local consultations in connection with their risk reduction efforts, to seek input from and about women, and to ensure that standardised routines and guidelines for early rehabilitation and reconstruction are adapted accordingly;

• promote support and loan schemes for women affected by natural disasters, such as microfinance, insurance, pension and cash transfer schemes;

• seek to ensure that education is included in all humanitarian relief plans and that sufficient funding is rapidly made available for the education of children affected by war and conflict;

• help to involve children and young people in long-term risk reduction and preparedness efforts through partnerships with UN organisations such as UNICEF and UNHCR, and through alliances of international NGOs;

• request partners to ensure that children and young people have the opportunity to express their views on issues that affect them;

• support efforts to ensure universal access to primary school education in fragile states;

• ensure that Norwegian development policy is based on minimum international standards for education during humanitarian crises and in the early reconstruction phase; and

• contribute to knowledge building and research aimed at increasing the effectiveness of disaster protection systems for children and young people.

5.4.2 Minorities and indigenous peoples

In many countries, economic and social conditions for ethnic minorities are far more difficult than for the majority of the population. Minorities are also frequently marginalised in terms of political participation. As a result, ethnic minorities are among the most vulnerable groups in humanitarian crises.

Many ethnic groups and indigenous peoples are directly dependent on a healthy natural resource base to survive, and will be particularly hard hit by environmental disasters caused by climate change. At the same time the way of life and sustainable resource management practised by indigenous peoples may in many cases provide part of the solution to preventing environmental disasters.

Their distinctive way of life and cultural traditions mean that many ethnic groups, particularly indigenous groups, have special needs in a humanitarian crisis. It is therefore important that their needs are taken into consideration and that the groups involved take part in developing the humanitarian response.

Despite the fact that failure to consider minorities’ rights and interests has been a factor in a number of conflicts, minority issues have not been given sufficient attention in international conflict prevention and reconstruction efforts. Protecting minority rights is an important aspect of conflict prevention.

Violations of minority rights can be seen as a clear indication of an increased risk of conflict. In conflict prevention efforts, it is important to monitor minorities’ opportunities for political and economic participation, their property rights and their access to the legal system.

The Government will:

• seek to foster greater understanding of minority rights at various levels – local, national, regional and international, and focus on the inclusion and participation of minority groups in risk reduction efforts;

• promote dialogue between national authorities and ethnic minorities, and between different ethnic minorities, on measures to reduce vulnerability and on the importance of participation;

• give priority to efforts to maintain robust ecosystems that reduce the risk and scale of humanitarian crises; and

• seek to ensure that efforts to ensure the recognition of traditional property and user rights are high up on the risk reduction agenda in areas inhabited by indigenous peoples and other groups who depend on local natural resources.

5.4.3 Ban on weapons with unacceptable humanitarian consequences

The Government considers it important to strengthen the international efforts to bring about a ban on weapons with unacceptable humanitarian and development consequences.

Anti-personnel mines and certain types of cluster munitions affect civilians particularly severely, both during and long after conflicts. The long-term negative economic consequences have been well documented. These weapons impede development. They have serious impacts on agricultural production and on the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, and they make reconstruction efforts much more difficult. Children and young people are particularly severely affected. In addition, the spread of small arms and light weapons draws out conflicts in many countries and regions.

According to UNDP, 23 developing countries are currently affected by cluster munitions. In response to this situation, Norway has taken the initiative for an international ban on cluster munitions with unacceptable humanitarian consequences. An important goal is to prevent existing stocks of these weapons being spread to new countries. This could cause a greater humanitarian crisis than the damage caused by landmines in the 1980s.

Cluster munitions tend to kill and injure civilians rather than military forces, both because they do not always explode as intended and because they affect such a wide area that it is impossible to differentiate between military and civilian targets. In 2006, it was documented for the first time that 98% of the registered casualties are civilian. 4 Ten years after the Mine Ban Convention was adopted – a process involving active diplomatic efforts on the part of Norway – cluster munitions are creating a new «minefield» that could take decades to clear.

The Government will:

• work towards an international ban on the production, use and transfer of cluster munitions;

• increase Norway’s support for efforts to clear cluster munitions in conflict areas;

• strengthen Norway’s efforts to help the victims of cluster munitions, with a view to providing better information, medical assistance, physical rehabilitation, psycho-social support and economic rehabilitation;

• strengthen Norway’s partnership with Handicap International and other key actors in the international Cluster Munitions Coalition (CMC);

• contribute to continued international efforts to ban the use of landmines; and

• support new measures to reduce the number of small arms and light weapons.

5.5 Strengthening the UN

5.5.1 Strengthening the UN’s mediation and peacebuilding capacity

The growing number of weak states is increasing the risk of political instability, conflicts and complex humanitarian crises. Meanwhile, there is a considerable risk of a return to conflict relatively soon after a peace agreement has been signed, and the combination of these two factors is placing new demands on the UN’s and the world community’s overall capacity for peacemaking. The Government considers that this capacity should be strengthened, primarily with a view to closing the largest gaps in the present security architecture.

The UN’s mediation capacity has been limited for a long time. This area has been poorly structured and is generally based on ad-hoc solutions. There has been a shortage of both qualified personnel and systems to develop and maintain skills and expertise. In contrast to the UN’s peacekeeping efforts, where faults and deficiencies are constantly in focus, mediation is carried out discreetly, and neither progress nor setbacks receive much attention.

As part of the process of modernising and strengthening the UN, it is necessary to expand the UN’s role in mediation efforts to prevent or resolve conflicts. The UN has a unique mandate to maintain international peace and security, and must be given the necessary capacity to fulfil this role. Norway is engaged in efforts to increase the UN’s overall mediation capacity. In concrete terms, this has involved support for the establishment of the Mediation Support Standby Team for the Mediation Support Unit under the UN Secretariat’s Department of Political Affairs (DPA). The standby team will provide relevant personnel, including women, who are at present strongly underrepresented in this area. Norway will continue to be involved in these efforts in the time to come.

The UN should ensure that the experience from mediation efforts is gathered and systematised, and that it is utilised on later occasions. Furthermore, UN peace mediators should have good access to expert advice and support. To ensure that they can respond satisfactorily as problems arise, there should be arrangements for putting them rapidly into contact with relevant expertise, both within and outside the UN. The Government believes the planned Norwegian peacebuilding centre will be a relevant partner for the UN in this context. 5

The DPA intends to focus particularly on areas where there seems to be a connection between environmental and climate change and conflict. This is particularly relevant in Central African countries. The plans are at an early stage at present, but the Government will follow up this project in cooperation with the DPA.

The Government also considers it very important for Norway to continue its active involvement in the UN Peacebuilding Commission, which has a special responsibility for strengthening peacebuilding in the UN and for coordinating efforts in countries that are considered to be particularly at risk of relapsing into war or other forms of violent conflict.

The Government will:

• fund a standing group of peace mediation experts – under the administration of the Norwegian Refugee Council – that is at the disposal of the UN, and will seek to boost the UN’s capacity to resolve conflicts;

• establish a Norwegian peacebuilding centre with links to the existing Norwegian research community and international networks, with a view to boosting UN capacity in this area;

• strengthen Norway’s engagement in the UN Peacebuilding Commission; and

• cooperate with the DPA to put the links between climate change, the environment and conflict on the agenda in areas where this is rele­vant.

5.5.2 Humanitarian response and preparedness

A rapid, coordinated and effective humanitarian response is vital to save lives and relieve suffering. Norway’s humanitarian efforts are intended to promote local ownership, an early response on the basis of early warning systems, and response mechanisms that are as predictable and well coordinated as possible. Our efforts are designed to increase resilience to humanitarian crises at local level on the do-no-harm principle, including through humanitarian partnerships with the UN, NGOs and other actors. We will also intensify our efforts to ensure that emergency relief is gender-sensitive.

The Government will focus on the need for more funding for risk reduction and measures that can streamline emergency relief, transitional assistance and long-term development cooperation. We view this as a key element of good humanitarian donorship. Better donor coordination is becoming increasingly relevant as our capacity to chart vulnerability and predict humanitarian crises improves.

Humanitarian institutions and organisations play a key role in risk reduction efforts, particularly in three areas:

i) Firstly as advocates and champions of risk reduction efforts. Raising awareness of the need for risk reduction has mainly been a task carried out by humanitarian actors and financed over humanitarian budgets. Their advocacy function is important given the fragmented nature of the development system.

The UN has the main responsibility for spearheading this work in close cooperation with national authorities, international financial institutions and NGOs. The Government considers that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is, on the basis of its existing mandate, in the best position to act as a global advocate for risk reduction at all levels – global, regional, national and local. These efforts should be organised through the various OCHA offices, and through support to the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR). These advocacy efforts should be undertaken in close cooperation with the UN Secretary-General.

In addition, efforts to develop new international norms and rules in this area, such as the ICRC’s International Disaster Reduction Laws project, are very important. This project drew up guidelines for domestic facilitation and regulation of international relief and initial recovery. According to plan, these are to be adopted at the 30th International Conference of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent.

ii) Secondly , humanitarian response reform will save more lives and provide better protection for people who are affected by humanitarian crises. Norway will continue its active involvement in the reform effort, with the aim of improving financial mechanisms, coordination, the system of resident coordinators and humanitarian coordinators, and partnerships between the UN and other humanitarian actors, primarily NGOs. This will increase the predictability and effectiveness of humanitarian efforts.

New financial mechanisms such as the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund CERF) and the common humanitarian funds for Sudan and DR Congo have provided strong incentives for closer coordination and are paving the way for less project-based and more partnership-based humanitarian operations in the future. Together with other emergency relief funds, they increase the speed and flexibility of the humanitarian response to new crises and help to prevent existing crises from worsening rapidly. Such mechanisms will become increasingly widespread and important in the countries that we know are most vulnerable to humanitarian crises.

The same applies to the new cluster approach for humanitarian response. 6 The objective of this reform is to fill gaps in the humanitarian system by clearly designating the UN agencies responsible for coordination and priorities in different areas of activity. This approach helps to improve prioritisation between existing humanitarian needs and acts as an early warning system for new crises. This reform has strengthened the partnership between the UN and NGOs, including the ICRC.

UNDP is responsible for coordinating early recovery, which means planning for long-term development during the humanitarian relief phase and the transitional phase. This work must start at the same time as the humanitarian response so that steps can be taken as early as possible to reduce the risk that a new crisis will have the same impacts. UNDP will have to increase its capacity considerably before it is in a position to implement such measures at country level.

However, the fragmentation of the development system and the lack of budget flexibility among donor countries make it difficult to obtain sufficient resources for this work. Norway can provide transitional assistance and budgetary flexibility. We have provided political support and funding for UNDP’s risk reduction efforts, and will increase our cooperation, also with a view to improving coordination between the UN and the World Bank in the transitional phase. OCHA should also cooperate more closely with the actors involved in the transitional phases between emergency relief, early recovery and development.

The Government will:

• to an increasing degree, request that risk reduction measures are included as an integral part of the international humanitarian re­sponse;

• seek to ensure that new financial mechanisms, such as the CERF and common humanitarian funds for particular countries, help to reduce vulnerability, improve living conditions and underpin long-term solutions;

• ensure that Norway takes steps to increase the focus on risk reduction and preparedness at the UN General Assembly;

• actively support risk reduction efforts by UN bodies and the international financial organisations and take the initiative for international conferences and other measures that give this area a more prominent position on the international agenda;

• help to increase focus on risk reduction in connection with the Good Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) efforts, with a view to improving donor coordination and joint efforts; and

• support measures that can highlight the humanitarian and economic benefits to be gained from increased investment in risk reduction.

iii) Thirdly , providing emergency humanitarian standby capacity is an important aspect of risk reduction. Norway is playing a key role in efforts to strengthen the response capacity of humanitarian institutions. Since the establishment of the emergency preparedness roster NORSTAFF under the Norwegian Refugee Council in 1991, Norway has become a leading partner in this field for the UN system and others, including the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Norway has also supported the establishment of the SURGE project under UNDP, which is designed to enhance capacity to respond in the recovery phase of a crisis. We have thus gained a strong profile in the humanitarian field.

Norway has also supported the Save the Children Norway’s crisis response team since it was established in 1995. The team is made up of personnel with expertise on children in war and other crises. Save the Children Norway has an agreement with UNHCR to deploy personnel to a crisis within 72 hours to provide care and protection. The crisis response team has also been used by other organisations such as UNICEF and the International Save the Children Alliance, and plays an important role in ensuring psychosocial care during acute crises and conflicts.

The Government advocates strengthening Norway’s support for standby capacity, both to prevent loss of life and as part of the international humanitarian reform. This will be an important contribution towards closing current gaps in the humanitarian system. Norway will cooperate closely with OCHA, UNHCR and other UN institutions, and these efforts will help to improve international coordination and rapid response capacity. They are to be primarily field oriented. 7

The existing response capacity should be strengthened and supplemented. The Government will take a proactive approach to the UN’s efforts, including the plans to establish a roster of well-qualified humanitarian/resident coordinators, for a pool of gender experts (GENCAP), rosters of field personnel at different levels, and the new Mediation Support Unit (see section 4.5.1). Norway will focus on the important role of women in response capacity, and will seek to raise awareness of this issue in our work with UN emergency response systems, including the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team.

The Government intends to strengthen Norway’s profile as a standby partner in international emergency response systems by:

• improving coordination at national level through closer cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norad (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation), the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning, the Norwegian Emergency Preparedness System (NOREPS) 8 and other Norwegian actors with a view to developing new preparedness niches for future humanitarian efforts;

• improving the financial position of key Norwegian actors so that they can systematically recruit, train, administer and follow up standby personnel, and maintain closer contact with international partners;

• taking part in steps to strengthen UN personnel resources for emergency relief operations, through the secondment of civilian personnel, including from the South;

• promoting a stronger gender perspective in international preparedness efforts;

• improving the quality of UN personnel for field operations, and ensuring that Norwegian standby rosters meet the same quality standards as the UN sets for its field personnel in leading positions ; and

• improving systems of emergency stockpiles in cooperation with the UN and NGOs.

5.6 Closer partnership with the World Bank

International financial institutions are not just providers of loans, they also set important standards in efforts to resolve international issues. The World Bank, for example, plays an important role in key areas such as poverty reduction, sustainable development, reconstruction after conflict and adaptation to climate change.

The Government wishes to strengthen its partnership with the World Bank on measures to reduce vulnerability. The recently established Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) is an important tool for integrating risk reduction and preparedness into strategies for poverty reduction, economic growth and good governance in low- and mid-income countries. This is the facility’s first three-year period.

The Government will:

• Strengthen Norway’s partnership with the World Bank on risk reduction and poverty reduction through active support for the GFDRR; and

• Seek to ensure that the GFDRR provides long-term support for risk reduction efforts in the most vulnerable countries.

5.7 Build back better

In the Government’s view, a satisfactory response to the challenges that arise immediately after a humanitarian crisis is of crucial importance for successful reconstruction and long-term development. The slogan build back better reflects the importance of ensuring greater resilience to future natural disasters. Rapid and systematic measures to resolve or address the causes of violent conflict reduce the risk that it will flare up again. Reconstruction after natural disasters also provides a unique opportunity for dialogue and cooperation that can reduce the risk of conflict, although we have also witnessed examples where the opposite has been the case. The reconstruction phase is therefore of major strategic importance for risk reduction efforts and is consequently receiving increasing political attention.

Nevertheless, there are still gaps in the international response to post-crisis situations. For example, there is no overall, effective responsibility for coordination. The transition from humanitarian to development efforts is not just a question of transition from one form of funding to another; it is also a transition from mainly international efforts to national efforts and national administration.

It is difficult to mobilise enough funding for reconstruction while acute humanitarian needs are still in focus. The present system is based on the individual actors’ assessment of priorities and appropriate channels. This leads to fragmented efforts without an overall plan or strategic approach, and makes it more difficult to achieve a good dialogue with national and local authorities. Just as international media attention fluctuates, so too national authorities come under pressure to address other urgent tasks as soon as the most acute humanitarian situation has been dealt with. Scant resources weaken the determination needed to ensure sustainable reconstruction. The result is lower resilience to future crises and an increased risk of a return to violence and conflict.

Low or non-existent capacity to ensure effective reconstruction in the recipient country, for example in fragile states, is one reason why the transition stage is so difficult. It can also legitimise longer transition phases to allow for the planning and building of institutional capacity to reduce risk. This applies in particular to humanitarian assistance in connection with a temporary breakdown in the authorities’ capacity to provide services (such as health, education, water, sanitation and transport), as opposed to assistance to meet temporary humanitarian needs (such as food, shelter and first aid).

In recent years, however, we have seen several initiatives and reforms that in the long run can have a positive effect on reconstruction, and thus on the prevention of future crises. One of these is the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005), which Norway has also endorsed. It sets out important guidelines for integrating disaster risk reduction into the planning and implementation of development programmes. The cluster approach to humanitarian reform is another example (see section 4.5.2). Delivering as One , the report of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on System-wide Coherence, which included Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg as one of the co-chairs, also provides important guidelines for achieving a more robust funding system and better coordination and effectiveness of the reconstruction phase.

The Government will work towards further strengthening of the international response to essential reconstruction measures. The overall aim is to develop an integrated approach that emphasises effective and rapid results. This is the only way to prevent a return to conflict, ensure a satisfactory transition phase, and lay the foundation for stability and long-term development. There are three areas where efforts should be bolstered: we need more robust financing mechanisms, a rapid and flexible response, and better leadership and coordination.

5.7.1 Robust financing mechanisms

The reconstruction phase requires rapid, flexible, predictable and, not least, adequate financing. There is far less funding available for reconstruction than for humanitarian relief and long-term development. In addition to increasing the volume, one of the main goals is to ensure that bilateral and multilateral donors and NGOs to a greater extent work within a common framework based on common needs assessments. The World Bank and the UN have developed such a framework for post-conflict situations, the Post-Conflict Needs Assessment (PCNA), which is a very positive step forwards. This model now needs to be consolidated and further developed. An equivalent framework for reconstruction after natural disasters is also needed. A good needs assessment at an early stage helps to ensure clearer priorities, better planning of the further efforts, and better utilisation of resources.

A more flexible response will require less earmarking of funds. Major actors such as the World Bank and the UN system should have sufficient room for action to be able to channel funds to where they are most needed, rather than funds being tied up by the individual donor’s own priorities. Predictable and adequate funding must be made available. Norway should continue to provide multilateral actors with substantial unearmarked funds, both as core contributions, and as funding for reconstruction efforts, and we should spearhead efforts to establish joint financing mechanisms in the reconstruction phase.

Multi-donor funds clearly have drawbacks. Nevertheless, the opportunities they offer should be better utilised and further developed, particularly in terms of flexibility, speed and coordination with NGOs. Donors should be willing to accept greater risk and responsibility, and the purpose of the fund – for example risk reduction – should be far more clearly defined. The Government therefore considers it important to take an active part in efforts to improve cooperation between the World Bank and the UN system and the development of a true partnership.

Establishing a multi-donor fund can take some time. The Government therefore sees a need for permanent funds that can be drawn on quickly and unbureaucratically and/or appeals that can raise funds within a short space of time. The UN Peacebuilding Fund is a mechanism of the first type. The Government will continue to provide substantial support to the Peacebuilding Fund and will encourage other donors – both traditional and non-traditional – to contribute to the fund so that it can be used more widely. At the same time, we recognise that in the early phase of a crisis, other actors, particularly civil society actors, are often able to provide a faster and more flexible response than a fund.

5.7.2 Rapid and flexible response

OCHA and other humanitarian actors have developed considerable flexibility and response capacity and can deploy personnel and emergency supplies rapidly to humanitarian crisis areas. The same speed and flexibility now needs to be developed by the key actors in the reconstruction phase.

One of the main challenges is to strengthen capacity in the organisations that deploy resources to meet transitional needs, for example to ensure self-reliance and safeguard livelihoods. The overall capacity, flexibility, ability to respond and cost-effectiveness of these organisations should be carefully assessed. So should their roles and mandates. Rapid deployment of personnel with the right technical and personal profile to initiate necessary measures is vital. This is also a way of strengthening and further developing the cluster approach (see section 4.5.2).

The cooperation between the UN and Norwegian NGOs on standby arrangements in the fields of humanitarian relief and human rights and democracy provides a good model (see section 4.5.2). This is an area where Norwegian actors have considerable expertise, which will be valuable as more parts of the UN system develop greater flexibility and capacity for deploying personnel. Norway’s present standby system includes personnel who could be used in reconstruction efforts. Better utilisation of these resources should therefore be considered. Norwegian emergency response experts could make a valuable contribution as advisers for the UN and other institutions with a view to establishing similar systems elsewhere.

5.7.3 Better leadership and coordination

National capacity to deal with development assistance in post-conflict situations has tended to be very low. Once national elections have been held, the international community quickly loses interest in a country even though there may still be major humanitarian needs and the long-term funding for development is not yet in place. At the same time, the population tends to have high expectations of rapid improvements. Therefore, in post-conflict situations, risk reduction will to a large extent mean meeting these expectations through positive results on the ground.

In line with its policy platform, the Government will engage in efforts to enable the UN to take strategic leadership of the vital transition phase from war to lasting peace. During the reconstruction phase, the management role of the UN resident coordinator involves a number of different functions, including coordination, strategic planning, dialogue with the authorities, mobilisation of the necessary resources and external communication. In order to achieve optimal utilisation of resources, we need a broader consensus on the resident coordinator’s core activities during the reconstruction phase, priorities, and how the organisational structure can best be adapted to the tasks at hand.

We should have realistic expectations of what a resident coordinator can achieve. Besides, it is important to ensure that strengthening international efforts does not undermine the national authorities; international efforts should rather help to bolster national capacity.

The Government considers it important to strengthen the role of UN resident/humanitarian coordinators. This is vital in order to protect the humanitarian space and is also relevant in terms of following up the report of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel. It is extremely important that resident/humanitarian coordinators have high levels of competence and good leadership skills. More emphasis should be given to strengthening analysis and planning capacity and the mobilisation of resources, so that the UN’s efforts in the transitional phase are well adapted to local conditions and needs, particularly as regards the links between risk reduction and the fight against poverty. This will also be important for the efforts to develop a better coordinated international response through integrated peace operations.

The Government will:

• support the UN’s and World Bank’s reconstruction efforts with a view to ensuring clearer priorities, better planning processes and more efficient use of resources;

• seek to strengthen the UN’s coordinating role at country level, for example through the proposals set out in the report of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel;

• continue to provide substantial unearmarked funds for our multilateral partners, both as core contributions and as funding for reconstruction efforts;

• play an active role in developing common financial mechanisms in the reconstruction phase;

• support reconstruction measures through the UN’s humanitarian appeals; and

• strengthen standby arrangements for personnel for early recovery and transitional assistance.