Statement by Mikhail Gorbachev on the HOPEFOR Initiative

Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani, Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, has proposed the establishment of a Humanitarian Operation Force (HOPEFOR) to provide rapid response to humanitarian catastrophes caused by natural disasters.

In support of this initiative, I would like to point out first of all its timeliness. Natural disasters have recently become more frequent, in all likelihood as a result of weather anomalies associated with global warming.

Loss of life is always a tragedy; saving a human life is always a triumph. We know that the number of victims of recent earthquakes, tsunamis, fires and droughts could be significantly reduced if appropriate steps had been taken at all levels to prevent and respond to them.

Such measures should be coordinated at the international level. Assuring coherent action by the international community in emergency situations is one of the major tasks to be addressed at a time of global challenges to mankind’s future. Sheikh Al-Thani’s initiative is a significant and thoughtful step in this direction.

I believe that one of the merits of this project is the proposed mechanism to use for peaceful purposes the resources of the military establishment as well as to train and retrain its personnel.
I welcome the fact that as part of his initiative, Sheikh Al-Thani is pursuing intense consultations with representatives of various countries and is planning to continue discussions within the framework of the United Nations.

Presenting his initiative, the Prime Minister of Qatar said that he anticipated considerable support for it. I believe such support is well deserved and would like to join those who are expressing solidarity with the proposal to create HOPEFOR.

October 28, 2010

Mikhail Gorbachev
President of the New Policy Forum