In view of the “incredible 339 million people worldwide who depend on humanitarian aid,” Caritas President Michael Landau called for swift and decisive action and assistance. The number of 339 million people is a historic high “that should worry us,” said Landau, who also chairs Caritas Europa, on the fringes of the 6th Humanitarian Congress in Vienna.
Experts from Egypt, Armenia, Canada, South Sudan, the US and nine European countries discussed urgently needed measures at national and international level in Vienna on Friday to sustainably alleviate the hardships of people in global crisis areas, ensure their survival and showing ways out of the ubiquitous crises. The Global Responsibility Working Group had about 250 participants in one broadcast.
Current crises in Sudan, Syria and Afghanistan
Landau: “Armed conflicts, the consequences of the climate crisis and extreme inflation, as well as an increasingly unstable geopolitical world order bring great suffering and great hardship to many people.” One should also “not lose sight of the many forgotten crises” such as in Sudan, in Syria or Afghanistan.”
Climate crisis as driver of hunger and poverty
Unfortunately, after years of decline, more people would again suffer from poverty and hunger, including many children. The climate crisis is a major cause of hunger and poverty. “It affects those who contributed least to the crisis,” says Landau.
Drastic increase
At the start of the conference, Lukas Wank, Managing Director of AG Global Responsibility, also spoke about the dramatic number of 339 million people worldwide who depend on humanitarian aid. In 2019, the year of the last congress and before the outbreak of the pandemic, there were less than half. “Unfortunately, the amount of aid we give to those in need has not doubled in the last four years,” Wank criticized. He also underlined that humanitarian aid is not an act of charity, but a fundamental aspect of human rights protection.
The climate crisis is a major driver of conflict, poverty and inequality and is already forcing millions of people to leave their homes, said Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) in her opening speech. “The climate crisis is and remains the great challenge of our time. The consequences threaten the livelihoods of many people, cause unspeakable suffering and destroy our nature,” said the minister.
Gewessler stressed that it is essential to support the most vulnerable in the fight against the climate crisis. Because the most vulnerable people, who have little capacity to protect themselves, hit them particularly hard. “Climate protection and humanitarian aid must go hand in hand. We still have the ability to turn things around. Time is of the essence,” says Gewessler.
Janez Lenari, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, said in his speech: “We must act decisively to help people in need, wherever they are. And we must not shy away from the humanitarian aid needed for effective and efficient aid across worldwide.” Cooperation between humanitarian aid, development cooperation and peace work and closing the growing gap between funding and needs.
The Vienna Humanitarian Congress was a joint event organized by the Austrian Red Cross, Caritas Austria, AG Global Responsibility, Doctors Without Borders Austria and SOS Children’s Villages Austria.
Source: Krone
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