The meeting, convened by OCHA, was devoted to a briefing and discussion on the Strengthening of International Cooperation on Chernobyl.

Mr. Dusan Zupka, Manager of Chernobyl Programme in OCHA Geneva, introduced the subject by explaining why the International Cooperation on Chernobyl is at a critical juncture at present. The Acting UN Chernobyl Co-ordinator, Ms. Carolyn McAskie is firmly decided to address challenges handed to us by the General Assembly Resolution 54/97 and stemming from the conclusions of the Quadripartite Coordination Committee Meeting at the Ministerial Level on International Cooperation on Chernobyl, held on 19 November 1999 in New York.

Subsequently, OCHA will endeavour, in close cooperation with the members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Chernobyl, the donor states and the most-affected countries, over the next 9 months to define a UN Chernobyl strategy in more holistic terms.

Mr. Zupka outlined the principal steps in the inter-agency strategy development process with regard to Chernobyl :

• Consultations with main donors individually to better understand their views and interests and, ultimately, to help chart a course for the UN;
• Encourage donors to contribute a small percentage of their contribution to the EBRD Chernobyl Shelter Fund towards humanitarian projects;
• Discussions with the members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Chernobyl with a view to forging a common position on connecting the Chernobyl Programme to an issue of global importance such as nuclear pollution;
• Regular meetings with the representatives of the most-affected countries to keep them informed on the new course of action and the progress.

OCHA has also introduced an Information Paper on the Strengthening of International Cooperation on Chernobyl, which has been distributed to participants together with a questionnaire prepared by OCHA. The copy of both documents are attached to these minutes.

During the ensuing discussion, the following points were made :

• OCHA effort and steps to be taken were endorsed by the participating agencies;
• It was felt that the UN Chernobyl Programme might be better served if connected to the issue of global importance, as nuclear pollution;
• Concerns were expressed with regard to low donors’ support to the Programme;
• OCHA was requested to circulate the Information Paper and the Questionnaire to all members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Chernobyl.

1. The responsibility for the strengthening of international cooperation and coordination of efforts to study, mitigate and minimize the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster lies with the UN Secretariat since 1990, when the General Assembly adopted resolution 45/190 requesting the Secretary-General to mobilize international cooperation to provide support and assistance to the areas most affected by the Chernobyl Accident.

2. In resolution 54/97 of 8 December 1999 the General Assembly invited States, in particular donor States, relevant multilateral financial institutions and other concerned parties of the international community, including non-governmental organizations, to continue to provide support to the ongoing efforts made by Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster and to pay special attention to the United Nations Appeal for International Cooperation on Chernobyl, launched in May 1999 by OCHA.

3. As the United Nations Coordinator for International Cooperation on Chernobyl, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs has taken the leading role in international cooperation and assistance efforts through coordination, strategy formulation and promotion, resources mobilization, advocacy and public awareness activities as requested by a series of resolutions of the General Assembly, most recently 54/97.

4. This cooperation is facilitated through the Inter-Agency Task Force on Chernobyl, serviced by OCHA. The Task Force comprises fifteen UN Agencies, other international organizations and IFRC. OCHA is acting as an expeditious channel for donor contributions towards the international cooperation on Chernobyl. For this purpose a dedicated trust fund is being administered by OCHA.

5. The international policy coordination is ensured by the Quadripartite Coordination Committee at the Ministerial Level on International Cooperation on Chernobyl. This body consists of the ministers, responsible for Chernobyl-related affairs from Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, and the UN Chernobyl Coordinator.

6. In the last two years, the UN Chernobyl Coordinator has been multiplying his efforts to revitalize the Chernobyl Programme. He has defined a new strategy based on a better prioritized assistance programme, an increased local coordination and a more targeted approach on public information and resource mobilization. He has issued a revised appeal totaling US$ 9,51 (1,3% of the original programme), which was circulated to the donors in May 1999.

Despite these strenuous and dedicated efforts, the Inter-Agency Programme of International Assistance to Areas Affected by the Chernobyl Disaster has been continuously undermined by lack of funding.

7. The last Quadripartite Coordination Committee meeting at the Ministerial Level on International Cooperation on Chernobyl, which took place in November 1999 in New York, didn’t result in a significant increase of funding.

The principal conclusions of this meeting were as follows :

- Disappointment among affected states by the failure of current UN modalities to elicit support from the donor community for funding of programmes aimed at alleviating the humanitarian consequences of nuclear disaster;

- Need for the UN to look outside of traditional approach to raise funds;

- Recognition that there is a fundamental disconnect between technical and humanitarian assistance. In contrast, the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, which aims at technical repair and strengthening of the Chernobyl power plant shelter, has received a massive donor support (US$ 400 million has been pledged by 26 countries);

- Recent nuclear accidents in Japan and Korea and the existence of unsafe facilities in many countries underline the very real threat of a repeat of nuclear catastrophe;

- Acknowledgement that the international community is still not equipped to cope with the consequences of nuclear disaster, nor is there an adequate level of preparedness to respond;

- Receptivity on the part of many donors that a new way of thinking needs to be developed in order to cope with the Chernobyl accident and the issue of nuclear pollution in general.

8. It is high time for us to seriously re-think our strategy vis-à-vis Chernobyl. OCHA is suggesting that connecting the Chernobyl Programme to an issue of global importance such as nuclear pollution could help raise additional interest from the public and the donor community to finance humanitarian programmes.

9. UN Chernobyl Coordinator intention is to make recommendations to the Secretary-General and in turn to the General Assembly on how to improve international cooperation and support to the victims of the Chernobyl disaster. We believe that framing the issue within the context of nuclear pollution might help attract greater international attention.

10. On the question of financing, OCHA has suggested that the principal donors to the Shelter Fund redirect a small percentage of their contribution towards humanitarian projects. We will follow up on this proposal at the Chernobyl Shelter Fund Pledging Conference to be held in Berlin in July 2000. This gathering might provide an opportunity to initiate a fresh dialogue with the main donors, link the shelter implementation plan to humanitarian and developmental activities and solicit innovative thinking on the way ahead.

11. Using the 15th anniversary of the accident in 2001 as a timeframe, OCHA will endeavour over the next 11 months to prepare the groundwork and define a UN strategy in more holistic terms.

12. To move this process ahead, OCHA would be grateful if your respective agencies could complete the attached questionnaire and return it to OCHA by 29 June 2000.