Humanitarian assistance need may go record high due to coronavirus

The Development Policy Committee in an analysis published on Tuesday estimated that coronavirus affects the most vulnerable people in the world and can lead to record levels in the need for humanitarian assistance, said a government press release

The Development Policy Committee is an advisory body representing the parliamentary parties and he society at large.

The committee observed that “The world cannot afford to see a future where the African countries’ development efforts turn into a humanitarian crisis. Europe will not be safe either, if our neighbouring regions plunge into a crisis or if the virus starts to spread again. It is therefore important that we get the epidemic under control everywhere.”

The committee considers that Finland should prepare for a marked increase in the need for humanitarian assistance in different parts of the world. Foresight can save a lot, it added.

According to the analysis, Finland should immediately develop a cross-sectoral approach to coronavirus, combining humanitarian aid, development cooperation and peace work, to support especially the capacity of poor countries to be prepared for the epidemic and be able to respond to and recover from it.

The committee also warned that the spread of coronavirus may also aggravate the existing humanitarian crises. Ongoing support directed to these crisis areas cannot be reduced.

“It is important that Finland continues with its long-term development cooperation and looks after the humanitarian operations that are currently under way. Additionally, in tandem with the spread of coronavirus, Finland and the international community must prepare for new humanitarian disasters,” said Member of Parliament Inka Hopsu, chairperson of the committee.

According to Hopsu, Finland should, for example, respond to the UN’s emergency appeal and support the UN’s COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan.

In his words, “Increasing need for humanitarian assistance requires additional funding and flexibility. As a rule, additional funding should not be taken from other development cooperation appropriations, reserved to promote more long-term objectives. Channelling funding to fight the coronavirus crisis must not increase human suffering during the existing crises or future disasters.”