What Blocked the UN’s Response to the Earthquakes in Northwest Syria? Reflections on a Humanitarian System Premised on Government Consent

What is it about?

When a one-in-100-year earthquake struck Southern Turkey in February 2023, the UN responded immediately in the impacted areas in Turkey, including by coordinating search and rescue operations. Across the border in northwest Syria, in areas controlled by the Syrian opposition, the UN did not send any aid until three days after the earthquake, and even then it was only basic relief items, not the specialised search and rescue equipment required to remove people from the rubble. The UN said this was because of its 'longstanding position' that it could not provide humanitarian assistance without consent from the host government. _x000D_ _x000D_ This article seeks to understand what is at the heart of this 'longstanding position' of the UN. It examines the legal arguments in support of the proposition that humanitarian aid can be provided without the consent of the host government; and then, reviews the guidelines, manuals and tools that provide the operational framework for the UN's response in the immediate aftermath of rapid-onset disasters. It concludes that international law does allow humanitarian assistance to be provided without host government consent, but that the UN's guidelines and operational tools do not enable the provision of assistance in such scenarios. It concludes by calling for a review of the applicable law together with the policies and guidelines that shape the way the UN responds to rapid-onset disasters in conflict contexts.

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