NEWS & EVENTS
/ HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS CONFERENCE 2008
Humanitarian Affairs : stakes and perspectives
When it has been decided to bring a contribution specially dedicated to the study of global governance and multilateral systems, it seemed logic for us to begin our research by the humanitarian field. Not only because it is a field where the public has a positive perception, nor because it is easier to communicate and mobilize on this topic, but unfortunately because the figures speak themselves. At the moment, we count 67 millions of refugees and misplaced persons, 75 millions of children who do not go to school, 1,02 billions of human beings suffering from hunger, 35 millions of persons living with AIDS (2 millions being children), without forgetting 320 billions of dollars allocated by the World Bank to developing countries in 2008.
Therefore, we decided to gather high level academics and practitioners, as many men as women, to discuss the means t settle down in order to reach concrete improvements of the humanitarian conditions of intervention. We have also decided to mix generations during round tables and in plenary sessions. In fact, a young post doctoral researcher, Dr. Sami Makki, who honored us by concluding these two intense working days. We also welcomed several students pursuing their doctoral thesis. This principle is guided by the will to promote the research results, often pertinent and innovative of future researchers. While developing their network, the do confront their ideas to eminent accessible personalities until they inspire them with new scientific orientations. The Institute for Advanced Studies on the United Nations will pass on supporting the intervention and financing of doctoral students.
M. Johnston Barkat, Assistant Secretary General and Ombudsman of the United Nations honored us by accepting to be the godfather of our first class in humanitarian affairs and international cooperation. We do think that we could not have been more ambitious than he was, as he aspires that the entire humanitarian community changes job. We all wish it. We all wish that one day, we will not have to act to “extinct fire” but “to prevent fire” and become a “smoke detector”. He handled this mission to IASUN and we do accept it.
All along the conference, the topic was to prevent crisis until the less probable, to integrate environment within humanitarian response, to certify actors, and to work from bottom to top-ie- to consider in priority the local before the global- and to study issues related to pain, all the pains, most the all the pains prevailing to mental health and to psychological assistance. To summarize, the main objective of this conference aimed at promoting a quality approach of humanitarian action instead of privileging quantity, as underlined by Shannon Meehan.
Program of the conference held Thursday 25 September 2008
14.30 – Opening ceremony
Opening addresses
Johnston BARKAT, Assistant Secretary General and Ombudsman of the United Nations
Yvon BERLAND, President, Université de la Méditerranée
Alain HAYOT, Vice-President, Conseil Régional Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur
Thomas G. WEISS, President, Academic Council on the United Nations System
Main speaker
Emanuela GILLARD, Chief of the Policy Development and Studies Branch, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
15.30 – Working group Sessions 1- 3
PANEL 1 - Humanitarian Action and conflicts prevention
Chair
Alan J. KUPERMAN, Professor in Public Affairs, Austin, Texas University
Speakers
Dara FRANCIS, Centre Robert Strauss for security and international law, Austin, Texas University
Benedikt FRANKE, Visiting Professor, Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement (Geneva)
Costantino PISCHEDDA, Associate Researcher, Institute for International Economics
PANEL 2 - Health and Human Rights
Chair
Pierre MICHELETTI, President, MĂ©decins du Monde
Speakers
Carole DROMER, Director of international programs, World Doctors
Francisco JAVIER FREIRE, Consultant senior, Health and international coopération for development
Moncef MARZOUKI, Former President, Tunisian League for Human Rights
PANEL 3 - Forced migration and human safety
Chair
Simon ADDISON, Senior Researcher, Center for the Study of Refugees, Oxford University
Speakers
Jason HART, Researcher, Centre for the Study if Refugees, Oxford University
Eva-Lotta HEDMAN, Senior Researcher, Centre for the Study if Refugees, Oxford University
Paola DEGANI, Professor, Political Science Faculty, Inter-departmental Centre on human rights and persons rights, Padue University
17.00 - Break
17.30 – First plenary session - Reform of humanitarian affairs
Chair
Patricia GOFF, Executive Director, Academic Council on the United Nations System
Speakers
Antonio DONINI, Former Director of the OCHA Office in Afghanistan, Senior Researcher, Feinstein International Center, Tufts University
Arnhild SPENCE, Representative at IDMC, Norwegian Council for Refugees
Louise AVON, Ambassador, Delegate to humanitarian action, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the French Republic
Program of the conference held on Friday 26 September 2008
9.00 – Second plenary session - Globalization, development and humanitarian assistance
Chair
Omar MASSALHA, Former Director of the division of external relations and coopération at UNESCO, Secretary General of the Peace Mediteranean Forum
Speakers
Najat ROCHDI, Assistant Director, UNDP
Michel LAURENT, Executive Director, Research & Development Institute
Niels SCOTT, Coordinator for opérations in Africa, International Red Cross Federation
10.30 – Break
11.00 – Workshop Sessions 4-6
PANEL 4 - Challenges of human sustainable development
Chair
Frannie LEAUTIER, Former Vice-President of the World Bank Institute
Speakers
Jean-Eric AUBERT, Director, World Bank Institute’s Office in Paris (WBI)
Gilles PIPIEN, Expert in sustainable urban development, former cabinet Director of the French Minister for ecology and sustainable development
Nadira EL GUERMAI, assistant national Coordinator, National initiative for human development (INDH - Morocco)
PANEL 5 - Humanitarian intervention
Chair
Jan WOUTERS, Director, Louvain Centre for the study of global governance, Catholic University of Louvain
Speakers
Linnea BERGHOLM, PhD student, Aberystwyt University
Tom Ruys, PhD student, Louvain Centre for the study of global governance, Catholic University of Louvain
Roberto BELLONI, associate Professor in international relations, School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy, Queens University Belfast, Northern Ireland
PANEL 6 - Crisis situation management
Chair
François GRÜNEWALD, President, Groupe URD
Speakers
Amelia BRANCZIK,
 Analyst researcher, International Crisis Group (ICG)
Florence GIBERT, Researcher, humanitarian action and environment, Group URD
Youri GRIBKOV, General Consul of Russia in Marseilles
12.30 - Lunch
13.30 – Plenary Session - Humanitarian perspectives
Chair
Florence BENOIT-ROHMER, Presidente, Robert Schuman University and Vice-President, Centre inter-universitaire pour les droits de l’homme et la démocratisation (EIUC)
Speakers
Shannon M. MEEHAN, pleading Director, International Rescue Committee (IRC)
Arnauld AKODJENOU, Director of the division of opérations, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
15.00 – Closing ceremony
Introductory remarks
Johnston BARKAT, Assistant Secretary General and Ombudsman of the United Nations
Pierre FUENTES, Representative to the President, Université de la Méditerranée
Pierre-Jean GIRE, President, Institute for Advanced Studies on the United Nations
Michèle TREGAN, Vice-Presidente, Conseil Régional Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur
Main speaker
Sami MAKKI, post-doctoral researcher, Centre d’études africaines, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS)
