Principles Governing Contemporary International Humanitarian Assistance Provision

Abstract

The study deals with the principles governing the provision of international humanitarian assistance during armed conflicts and natural disasters. The importance of studying these principles is that they are principles of international practice, making it one of the most advanced topics in international public law. The focus has been on finding the exact meaning of such assistance, in order not to overlap with other concepts that may be similar, such as: international humanitarian intervention, international development assistance. The definition of its meaning also requires the identification of its own characteristics; especially its urgent nature, and its role as the primary responsibility for humanitarian assistance rests with the territorial State. International humanitarian assistance also has two legal characteristics: the need to obtain the consent of the assisting State and its legitimate action in accordance with the rules of public international law. International aid practice has produced a set of principles that must be taken into account. These principles can be divided into ethical principles that are rooted in ethics and human values, such as the principle of humanity and the principle of neutrality. And principles of a treaty source, Constitute a basis for the legitimacy of international humanitarian assistance. It is inconceivable that there is a legitimate international assistance that does not take into account the sovereignty of the recipient State and does not take into account that it is provided to all those in need without discrimination. It would therefore seem appropriate to put all this in the context of a comprehensive international convention dealing with various aspects of international humanitarian assistance, with clear and specific obligations on States, international organizations and humanitarian organizations.