Qatar reaffirms commitment to leveraging resources, expertise to support countries and communities affected by disasters and crises

New York: Qatar has reaffirmed its dedication to utilizing its resources and skills to assist nations and communities impacted by disasters and crises. Through the Qatar Fund for Development and national humanitarian bodies, Qatar has established air corridors carrying international search and rescue teams, medical professionals, medical facilities, food supplies, and advanced equipment to aid disaster-stricken regions.

During a UN General Assembly meeting, a Qatar official emphasized the nation's focus on disaster victim protection, stressing that all countries face threats from natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. This has highlighted the need for global cooperation to safeguard lives and uphold human rights, as per the UN Charter.

The Qatari official detailed the country's legal and institutional disaster response framework, managed by specialized entities such as the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management and the Doha Joint Rescue Coordination Center. Qatar supports the creation of an international convention on disaster victim protection, a crucial development that would provide a unified framework for risk reduction and aid delivery, despite the current lack of specific international obligations to provide humanitarian aid in such situations.

The Qatari representative highlighted the need to balance individual aid rights with state sovereignty and non-interference principles, ensuring affected nations can choose aid providers, and covering all disaster phases with clear aid delivery parameters and relief personnel protection. The Qatari government looks forward to the UN Conference on Disaster Victim Protection in Bangkok from January 25 to February 12, 2027, hoping it will lead to a legally binding instrument that enhances disaster victim protection and facilitates humanitarian aid delivery, in compliance with international law.