Background

As the world is increasingly threatened by large scale natural and/or man-made disasters, mechanisms for managing national and regional emergencies and for providing international humanitarian assistance need to be reviewed for improved efficiency, in particular in Europe and the Newly Independent States (NIS). In this respect, challenges facing relief community in the region include :

• Reducing collision of mandates within and between countries, regional and international organizations operating in disaster response and humanitarian assistance
• Removing inappropriate and outdated protocols for the movement of relief goods and rescue/relief personnel within the region.
• Strengthening and improving capacity and resources for civil emergency management institutions.
• Improving coordination of the immediate response of adjacent border states and the use of bilateral and multilateral arrangements between states.

These challenges were identified in April 1998, at the Interlaken Seminar (Switzerland) organized by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Partnership for Peace (PfP) of NATO as a follow-up to the findings of the OCHA regional assessment entitled "The Trends and Challenges for Relief Coordination in the Europe and Newly Independent States".

A core group of countries and organizations developed a policy framework, within existing networks and structures, for addressing the deficiencies in the region’s capability to respond to emergencies at operational as well as political levels. This undertaking was part of the OCHA-implemented "European Coordination Program" consisting of fostering dialogue with all humanitarian "actors" involved in the region as well as reviewing, on a continuous basis, and improving the international capability and delivery of humanitarian assistance.

It is clear that coherent and substantial progress in the operational level of crisis management can only be achieved through commitment by all political actors to a strategy in support of the improvement of the provision of humanitarian assistance.

The Fribourg Forum took place in Fribourg, Switzerland, 15-16 June, 2000.  Its purpose was to convene senior policy makers responsible for international humanitarian assistance in Europe and the NIS in order to obtain their support and commitment for an enhanced coordination and cooperation in the provision of humanitarian assistance in the region.

In this respect, the Fribourg Forum gave the opportunity to governments and international/regional organizations to present initiatives and programs to address the challenging crisis management situation as well as identify areas of concern calling for particular attention.

The Fribourg Forum was a major step toward creating a sound regional policy environment for an effective and efficient international humanitarian assistance in Europe and the NIS region.

• A policy framework facilitating collective and individual undertaking in the field of humanitarian assistance by concerned states and organizations
• Plan of action emphasizing operational and political responsibilities within existing structures and networks
• Identification of remaining gaps to translate operational needs into policy
• Assessment of future policy needs

INTENDED BENEFITS

• Sound regional policy environment for effective and efficient humanitarian assistance
• Improved coordination of humanitarian initiatives
• Enhanced bilateral response
• Effective and efficient delivery of relief goods and personnel
• Strengthened civil relief institutions