Mr. President, distinguished delegates, ladies and
gentlemen,

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is pleased to
take the floor today with reference to the Reports of the Secretary
General on "Strengthening the coordination of emergency
humanitarian assistance of the United Nations" and on the "Central
Emergency Response Fund".

Strengthening the coordination of emergency humanitarian
assistance is a topic intrinsically characterized by collaboration
and partnership with a broad range of humanitarian actors,
particularly in the areas most relevant for IOM’s operational
work: situations of population displacement and sudden population
movements. The reports of the Secretary General which have been
prepared for this session of ECOSOC offer a valuable opportunity to
take stock of progress made and draw lessons for the future with
respect to new modalities of working together.

Mr. President,

2006 has been a year of implementation of the humanitarian
reform programme in all its sectors: improvement of operational
response coordination, more predictable funding and devolution of
certain response functions to the field. IOM has played its part in
this reform process, taking responsibilities for cluster
performance, engaging in and benefiting from the CERF and ensuring
that relevant expertise is planned and mobilized to the advantage
of the humanitarian coordination system in the field.

Inter-agency collaboration in the implementation of the cluster
approach within the Inter-agency Standing Committee (IASC) is
already giving preliminary indications of the opportunities that
lay ahead for improved coordination and coherence if this approach
is followed consistently by all partners. In order to increase
effectiveness and exploit synergies, for instance, and as the
cluster lead for Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) in
natural disasters, IOM agreed with UNHCR, the lead for CCCM for
conflict-induced IDPs, on a unified cluster approach at the global
level for both natural disasters and conflict-induced IDPs. This
approach avoids duplication while recognizing the primary
responsibility each agency has in its respective areas.

Presently, over one year into the "cluster approach" we are able
to see some tangible results. In the spirit of the unified cluster,
IOM and UNHCR are performing the functions of a virtual secretariat
supporting the shared objectives of the CCCM cluster. Networks are
being expanded to include more actors with experience and interest
in disaster response. Illustrative of this is the creation of a
cluster working group for both members and non-members of the IASC.
Joint workshops and training sessions are being held to create a
pool of qualified staff readily deployable at the onset of an
emergency and greater participation of NGOs has been achieved - a
key requirement to strengthen operational capacities. Close
coordination with the International Federation of the Red Cross,
conveners for shelter responses in natural disasters, is necessary
to ensure that issues common to both shelter and camp
management/coordination are addressed.

These examples amply demonstrate that while still in its early
stages, the cluster approach has provided an improved, more
collaborative inter-agency framework, stimulating a more
responsive, timely and effective mechanism both at the global and
country levels.

Increased inter-operability, stronger preparedness and more
integrated training have more systematically brought organizations
and their staff together to address common challenges and foster a
shared environment. One of the challenges yet to fully addressed,
however, which is particularly relevant for organizations such as
IOM with limited core resources, is the sustainability of the
cluster approach over time.

Mr. President,

With the globalization of information, which ensures
dissemination of news within minutes around the globe, public
expectation continues to grow that the humanitarian response is
also instant. A year into its new modus operandi, the CERF has
proven a tool for greatly improved turn-around time for
application, leading to improvement of response capacity at the
field level. Within its Rapid Response window the CERF has been
instrumental for IOM's relief response in 12 countries, while the
under-funded emergency window has supported important humanitarian
projects in 5 countries, totaling nearly US$15 million. The CERF
can considerably aid organizations, such as IOM, to shorten funding
gaps in response to serious humanitarian crisis.

Despite these positive developments, however, the ability for
humanitarian actors to meet expectations and deliver aid remains a
significant challenge, since access is often hindered. Innocent
civilians, often IDPs and other vulnerable groups are the ones cut
off from access to humanitarian aid because of escalating violence,
fighting, bombing, banditry, the proliferation of small arms and
light weapons. As pointed out in the Secretary General’s
report "the ability of humanitarian actors to reach populations in
need […] is a prerequisite to all humanitarian operations".
It is crucial for governments to guarantee the access and for all
parties involved in conflicts to respect international humanitarian
law and allow this access.

Mr. President,

IOM is committed to those most vulnerable in times of crisis and
remains dedicated to working resourcefully and proficiently with
its IASC partners. We express here our deep appreciation to our
partners and supporters, and in particular to the new ERC and the
OCHA leadership for their unwavering commitment to the improvement
of humanitarian response capacities.

Thank you.