Merkel Calls for Creating Global Humanitarian Aid System

Angela Merkel urged the international community to adhere to its humanitarian aid commitments.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Monday for the practice of giving empty promises about humanitarian aid commitments to be ended and instead for a global system of humanitarian assistance to be established.

"We must speak about a humanitarian catastrophe, when discussing Syria. We have to ensure that aid arrives on time and is delivered to the right place. But we shouldn't plan for individual catastrophes, we need a global system of humanitarian assistance," Merkel said at the World Humanitarian Summit underway in Istanbul.

She added that Germany would increase its contribution to the relevant funds and enhance its participation in other assistance-providing activities.

"We must increase the efficiency of the assistance in the event of epidemics and the negative consequences of climate change. We must stop giving empty promises and give a signal to the start of a new global humanitarian aid system," Merkel pointed out.

The first World Humanitarian Summit is taking place on May 23-24 in Istanbul. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon initiated the summit as a call to tackle the consequences of political and economic disasters. The world leaders are meeting to discuss measures to prevent and reduce human suffering. Representatives of 177 countries, including 65 government leaders, are taking part in the summit.