Convention on the Coordination of Humanitarian Missions
 Emblem of the Micras Treaty Organization, depositary of the Convention | |
| Long name | Convention on the Coordination of Humanitarian Missions of the Micras Treaty Organization |
|---|---|
| Type | Multilateral humanitarian treaty; ancillary treaty of the Micras Treaty Organization under the General Membership Treaty |
| Context | Proposal of Secretary-General Túpac Mendoza to operationalize the humanitarian purposes of the General Membership Treaty through a standing framework for the coordination of international humanitarian missions in response to natural disasters, public health emergencies, displacement crises, famine, and analogous humanitarian situations |
| Drafted | 1755 AN |
| Signed | Pending |
| Location | MTO Headquarters, Huyenkula, Order of the Holy Lakes |
| Effective | Pending |
| Condition | Ratification by signatory states in accordance with their own constitutional procedures |
| Expiration | None |
| Negotiators | Office of the Secretary-General of the Micras Treaty Organization |
| Signatories | Pending |
| Parties | Pending |
| Ratifiers | Pending |
| Depositary | Micras Treaty Organization |
| Languages | Istvanistani |
| Related treaties | |
| Notes: Establishes the Bureau of Humanitarian Coordination as a subsidiary organ of the Micras Treaty Organization under Article 4 and Article 4d of the General Membership Treaty. | |
The Convention on the Coordination of Humanitarian Missions is a proposed ancillary treaty of the Micras Treaty Organization. The Convention operationalizes the humanitarian purposes of the General Membership Treaty by establishing the Bureau of Humanitarian Coordination as a subsidiary organ of the Organization, charged with coordinating international humanitarian missions in response to natural disasters, public health emergencies, displacement crises, famine, and analogous humanitarian situations. The Convention was introduced by Secretary-General Túpac Mendoza at the first General Assembly session of his term in 1755 AN, drawing on a proposal originally advanced by Lanzerwald during the 1753 MTO secretary-general election and on the precedent of the Mission to Assist the Republic of Alduria convened by the General Assembly during the Aldurian water crisis in 1674 AN.
The Convention does not create new authorities for the Organization. It applies and gives operational form to powers the General Assembly and the Secretary-General already hold under the General Membership Treaty. Article 1a of that Treaty grants the Organization legal and appropriate capacity in the territory of each Member. Article 2 establishes humanitarian cooperation as a foundational purpose of the Organization. Articles 4 and 4d authorize the establishment of subsidiary organs. Articles 5 and 5b vest the Secretary-General with the powers to command MTO Missions and to bring matters of international concern to the General Assembly. Article 8 authorizes the appointment of mediators and arbitrators. Article 9 establishes the framework under which the General Assembly authorizes Missions, including the provision of aid to any nation in need. Article 10 establishes the MTO Opinions mechanism. The present Convention coordinates these existing authorities into a standing humanitarian capability.
The Convention is designed to operate alongside, and in cooperation with, the Organisation of Red Symbol Societies (ORSS), the established international cooperative body for national humanitarian red symbol societies headquartered in Svorgas, Senya. Article 9 of the Convention provides for cooperation agreements between the Bureau and the ORSS, its member societies, and other humanitarian non-governmental organizations.
State Parties
Pending ratification.
Text
- Any State that has signed and ratified the General Membership Treaty and been accepted into the Micras Treaty Organization may sign and ratify the present Convention in accordance with its own constitutional procedure. This Convention is dependent upon the General Membership Treaty within the meaning of Article 11 of that Treaty.
- Pursuant to Article 4 and Article 4d of the General Membership Treaty, the State Parties hereby establish the Bureau of Humanitarian Coordination ("the Bureau") as a subsidiary organ of the Micras Treaty Organization, headquartered at the MTO Headquarters in Huyenkula. The Bureau exists to give standing operational form to the humanitarian purposes of the Organization set out in Article 2 of the General Membership Treaty.
- The functions of the Bureau are:
- To coordinate the conduct of humanitarian Missions authorized under Article 9 of the General Membership Treaty;
- To maintain working relationships with the Organisation of Red Symbol Societies and its member societies, with national disaster and humanitarian agencies, and with humanitarian non-governmental organizations active on Micras;
- To maintain a roster of qualified personnel available for surge deployment during Missions;
- To issue reports on humanitarian situations of international concern;
- And to support the appointment of mediators and arbitrators under Article 8 of the General Membership Treaty in matters arising from humanitarian Missions.
- The Bureau's reports may serve as the basis for resolutions for MTO Opinions under Article 10 of the General Membership Treaty.
- The Bureau shall be led by a Director, appointed by the Secretary-General and confirmed by a simple majority of the General Assembly. The Director shall serve a term of five AN years, renewable once. The Director shall appoint the permanent staff of the Bureau, which shall be kept to the minimum necessary for the Bureau's regular operations. In accordance with Article 5a of the General Membership Treaty, the Secretary-General may direct the Director to command an authorized Mission or may appoint another commander for that purpose.
- Pursuant to Article 5b of the General Membership Treaty, any State Party experiencing a disaster, public health emergency, displacement crisis, famine, or analogous humanitarian situation has standing to request a Mission, and the Secretary-General shall protect and guarantee that right by bringing such requests to the General Assembly.
- The General Assembly shall consider such requests on the merits of the humanitarian situation presented, without political precondition.
- A Mission may also be initiated upon invitation from any non-member State recognized by the Micras Cartography Society and made through diplomatic channels, or upon proposal by the Secretary-General. The authorization of any Mission requires the threshold established in Article 9b of the General Membership Treaty.
- Participation in any Mission is voluntary, in accordance with Article 9c of the General Membership Treaty. Each State Party determines for itself the form and scale of any contribution it offers to a given Mission, including financial contributions, materials and equipment, and the secondment of qualified personnel. No State Party is obliged to participate in any Mission to which it has not voluntarily contributed.
- Missions shall be conducted in accordance with the wishes of the receiving nation. The receiving nation may direct, modify, or terminate any Mission at any time. The Bureau and its Missions shall not pursue political or governance objectives, and shall confine their activities to the humanitarian purposes set out in this Convention and in Article 2 of the General Membership Treaty.
- Pursuant to Article 1a of the General Membership Treaty, which grants the Organization legal and appropriate capacity in the territory of each Member as necessary for the exercise of its functions, State Parties recognize that personnel deployed under an authorized Mission, and personnel of cooperating organizations operating under Bureau coordination, are entitled to safe passage, freedom of movement reasonably necessary to the performance of their duties, and protection from harm in any State Party's territory through which they transit or in which they operate. State Parties undertake, in their own territory and within the limits of their constitutional framework, not to obstruct an authorized Mission or the operations of cooperating ORSS member societies acting in coordination with the Bureau.
- The Bureau may enter into cooperation agreements with the Organisation of Red Symbol Societies and its member societies, with national governments, and with humanitarian non-governmental organizations. The Bureau shall recognize the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality on which the red symbol societies operate, and shall conduct its Missions in a manner consistent with those principles. Cooperation agreements bind only the Bureau and do not create obligations for the State Parties.
- The operating budget of the Bureau shall be funded through voluntary contributions from the State Parties. The State Parties may additionally establish a standing Rapid Response Fund, to be administered by the Bureau, into which State Parties may make voluntary contributions for use in Mission deployment without separate fundraising. The Rapid Response Fund shall not at any time hold a balance exceeding NAX€1 billion or its equivalent.
- The Bureau shall issue an annual report to the General Assembly, including a full accounting of contributions received and disbursed. A separate report shall be issued upon the completion of each Mission. The Bureau's reports are public documents.
- Upon giving notice in accordance with Article 11 of the General Membership Treaty, any State Party may withdraw from this Convention. Withdrawal does not affect any contribution already made or any commitment voluntarily undertaken in respect of an active Mission. Withdrawal from the General Membership Treaty automatically terminates a State Party's participation in this Convention, in accordance with Article 11 of that Treaty.
- This Convention may be amended by the General Assembly with a 3/4th (75.0%) majority of the State Parties, in conformity with Article 12 of the General Membership Treaty.
