Humanitarian relief from the United Nations can be excruciatingly slow in reaching needy people caught in the crossfire of civil wars or displaced by drought and other calamities.
Among the reasons for this unfortunate situation are resistance from governments and rebel groups in the countries involved and, sad to say, the nature of the UN bureaucracy. The UN consists of various agencies whose non-cooperation among themselves can result in duplication of efforts and other inefficiencies.
Now, in a small but important step, the UN has acted to overcome these difficulties by creating the post of humanitarian aid coordinator.
This official, to be appointed by new Secretary General Butros Ghali, will be responsible for ensuring that UN agencies work in concert during emergencies. He or she also should be able to bring international pressure to bear on political powerholders reluctant to allow aid-givers in their nations. The U.S. and the European Community were strong proponents of a single aid coordinator. Some Third World nations had reservations. They feared encroachment on their national sovereignty by outsiders addressing what traditionally have been internal affairs.
But it is indefensible to let borders block assistance to suffering people. The UN has done itself and the global community a service by endorsing the view that human need trumps national sovereignty.
Actually, this concept is still fairly new in international law and practice. It was given considerable impetus in Iraq when, in the aftermath of the gulf war, the U.S., Britain and France stepped in to temporarily safeguard Kurds fleeing Saddam Hussein`s army.
It is conceivable-and certainly would be desirable-that under similar circumstances in the future, a UN aid coordinator will enable the world body to intervene as speedily and effectively as the U.S. and a few of its allies did last spring.
