Thank you, and if I may take this opportunity to greet you all with – as-salamu alaykum – peace be upon you.
Thank you for the opportunity to join you for this special service to recognise World Humanitarian Day.
We gather here today to honour and stand in solidarity with humanitarian personnel from around the world.
This memorial has stood here, remembering Australian aid workers who have lost their lives serving in international humanitarian work, since 2013.
And yet, over the past few years we have seen aid workers killed, wounded, kidnapped or threatened in increasing numbers around the world.
In Sudan and South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Yemen, Ukraine, and in Gaza.
Gaza is currently the most dangerous place to be an aid worker.
Last year was the deadliest year on record for aid workers, with over 380 deaths.
And this year sadly that trajectory continues, with over 200 deaths already.
These are not just numbers – each is a person, a person who dedicated themselves to delivering life-saving food, water, medicine and shelter to those who need it.
The majority are local staff who come from the very communities that they are helping.
Humanitarian workers save lives. It is a selfless and indeed a noble profession.
Their dedication to improving the lives of others should not cost them their own lives.
This is why in September last year, Foreign Minister Wong convened a group of Foreign Ministers from around the world.
Together, they resolved to galvanise a high-level commitment for the protection of aid workers.
Australia is proud, proud to be leading the global push for the protection of aid workers.
Over the past year, Australia has been working with these countries to develop a Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.
The Declaration will be an important demonstration of our collective commitment to upholding international humanitarian law.
It will also include practical steps that will increase aid worker safety.
Today, on World Humanitarian Day, I am pleased to announce that the text of the Declaration has now been finalised.
We are planning to launch the Declaration at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week next month.
This afternoon, I will be briefing the diplomatic corps on the Declaration.
And I will be calling for countries to sign onto the Declaration.
I urge everyone here today to consider how you could support advocacy and outreach efforts – to galvanise that global support to sign onto the Declaration.
Thank you again for the chance to join you all here on World Humanitarian Day; to acknowledge the critical role of humanitarian workers, to remember those who lost their lives during acts of service, and to show that we are committed to reversing the trend of increasing fatalities of humanitarian personnel.
Thank you.