The UN Humanitarian Chief John Holmes called upon Gulf States to work with the United Nations and other international actors to address both individual humanitarian crises and complex global challenges of rising food prices and the effects of climate change, according to WAM. The deteriorating humanitarian situations in countries such as the occupied Palestinian territories, Iraq, Somalia, Kenya and Darfur, and the humanitarian consequences of rising food prices and climate change require a fully coordinated international response, said United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, during the last day of his mission to the Gulf region, which also included visits to Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The UN Humanitarian Chief said he was encouraged by the clear evidence of common goals and shared principles and values behind humanitarian relief. "There is a real opportunity for strengthening collaborative efforts between the Gulf countries and the international humanitarian community to achieve a more systematic, organised and prioritised approach to delivering emergency relief". Earlier, Holmes reported to his interlocutors that food price increases are already resulting in rising humanitarian needs, and in some instances unrest, while the impact of climate change has already caused an increase in the number and intensity of natural disasters.
