In December, the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly greeted the IDRL Guidelines enthusiastically, adopting three separate resolutions encouraging states to make use of them.
In both Resolutions 63/139 on “strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations,” and 63/ 141 on “international cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters, from relief to development,” the General Assembly:
“encourage[d] Member States and, where applicable, regional organizations to strengthen operational and legal frameworks for international disaster relief, taking into account, as appropriate, the Guidelines for Domestic Facilitation and Regulation of International Disaster Relief and Initial Recovery Assistance, adopted at the thirtieth International Conference of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent held in Geneva in November 2007”.
Similar language was used in Resolution 63/ 137 on “strengthening emergency relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and prevention in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster,” in which the General Assembly welcomed legal reforms completed thus far in the affected region and encouraged governments to continue to strengthen their legal and institutional frameworks, making use of the IDRL Guidelines.