Public Law Studies Quarterly

Obligation to international cooperation and assistance in epidemics and disasters

Articles in Press

Document Type : Article

Authors

Ehsan Amirbeik 1
Abasali Kadkhodaee 2

1 ; Ph.D. Student in International Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Pro. Department of International Law Faculty of Law and Political Science

https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2024.368039.3428
Abstract
The obligations of international cooperation and assistance in epidemics and disasters, have great importance. Part of the failure in dealing with Covid-19 was the weakness in implementing these obligations. In this research we are going to answer these questions: what is the role of these obligations in the two mentioned fields and what is the sanction in case of violation of them and as a result what are the challenges in their implementation? The most important challenges facing these obligations are the emphasis and desire of states on the two principles of sovereignty and non-interference. This issue is fully illustrated in the Articles on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters (2016) and International Health Regulations (2005). The present paper is based on a descriptive-analytical method. It seems that international cooperation and assistance have an unstable position in the two fields of epidemics and disasters, and the consequence of their violation is only a moral sanction. The solution that can solve these challenges to some extent is to use the capacity of the humanitarian assistance, to approve an international convention in the field of international relief and to seriously revise the international health regulations.

Keywords

Disasters
Epidemics
International cooperation
international assistance
Obligations of the states
Subjects

  1. English

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    1. B) Articles
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    1. C) Documents
    2. Charter of the United Nations (26 June 1945)
    3. Comprehensive and Coordinated Response to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic 2020 (UNGA, 74th Sess., UN Doc. A/RES/74/306).
    4. Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency 1986
    5. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2006
    6. Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989
    7. Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order 1974
    8. Global Solidarity to Fight the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 2020 (UNGA, 74th Sess., UN Doc. A/RES/74/270).
    9. Humanitarian Assistance to Victims of Natural Disasters and Similar Emergency Situations 1988 (UNGA, 43rd Sess., UN Doc. A/RES/43/131)
    10. International Committee of the Red Cross, Principles and Action in International Humanitarian Assistance and Protection 1995
    11. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966
    12. International Health Regulations 2005
    13. Report of the International Law Commission, 60th Sess. 2008 (UNGA, 63rd Sess., Suppl. No. 10, UN Doc. A/63/10)
    14. Resolution on Humanitarian Assistance 2003 (Institute of International Law, Bruges Session)
    15. Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030. In: UN world conference on disaster risk reduction, 2015 March 14–18, Sendai, Japan.
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    22. UNC6 2009 (64th Sess., 20th Mtg, UN Doc. A/C.6/64/SR.20)
    23. UNC6 2009 (64th Sess., 21st Mtg, UN Doc. A/C.6/64/SR.21)
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    25. UNC6 2020 (75th Sess., 17th Mtg, UN Doc. A/C.6/75/SR.17)
    26. UN-GA, Res 57/217, 18 Dec.2000
    27. Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer 1985

     

    1. D) Websites
    2. AfronomicsLAW, 18 February 2021, Obiora Chinedu Okafor and James Thuo Gathii, “The EU’s Vaccine Export Controls Negate Its Self-Interest, International Solidarity and International Law”, https://www.afronomicslaw.org/category/analysis/eus-vaccine-export-controls-negate-its-self-interest-international-solidarity-and
    3. ASIL Insights, 9 July 2020, Matiangai Sirleaf, “Capacity-Building, International Cooperation, and COVID-19”, https://www.asil.org/insights/volume/24/issue/17/capacity-building-international-cooperation-and-covid-19.
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    5. EJIL: Talk!, 22 April 2020, Rana Moustafa Essawy, “The Legal Duty to Cooperate amid COVID-19: A Missed Opportunity?”, https://www.ejiltalk.org/the-legalduty-to-cooperate-amid-covid-19-a-missed-opportunity/.
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    10. Ling Chen & Vishakha Wijenayake, “Look for everyday solidarity. International law in pandemic times”, Völkerrechtsblog, 25 May 2020, https://voelkerrechtsblog.org/look-for-everyday-solidarity/ doi: 10.17176/20200526-013058-0.

     

    References in Persian

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    3. Delkhosh, A. (2011). Combating with international crimes: the obligation of states to cooperate. Tehran: Shahre Danesh (In Persian).

     

    1. B) Articles
    2. Ahmadinejad, M., & Aminoroaya, Y. (2018). Limiting Clauses and their Role in International Treaties. Public Law Studies Quarterly, 48 (4), 787-808. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2017.207730.1264 (In Persian).
    3. Faryadi, M. (2022). The Interaction between Environmental and Natural-Disasters Law in Ensuring Environmental Protection. Public Law Studies Quarterly, 52 (3), 1583-1606. DOI: 10.22059/JPLSQ.2020.294371.2276 (In Persian).
    4. Kadkhodaei, A., & Yousefi, S. (2023). The international responsibility of the Chinese government with regards to the covid-19 pandemic. Public Law Studies Quarterly, 53 (1), 1-19. DOI: https://doi.com/10.22059/jplsq.2021.320791.2724 (In Persian).
    5. Khosravi, H., Zarei, M. (2022). The COVID-19 Crisis and the Violation of Humanitarian Law in the Occupied [Palestinian] Territories; with Emphasis on the Rule of Respect for International Humanitarian Law. Public Law Studies Quarterly, 52 (3), 1413-1432. DOI: 10.22059/JPLSQ.2021.320243.2718 (In Persian).
    6. Khosravi, H., Bagheri Hamed, Y., & Zamaneh Ghadim, N. (2023), The Challenges of State Cooperation in the Implementing of Human Rights Obligations. Public Law Studies Quarterly, 53 (1), 491-510. DOI: https://doi.com/10.22059/jplsq.2020.299945.2368 (In Persian).
    7. Pasha-Bonyad, M., & Mosaffa, N. (2017). Relations between Governments and Individuals as Well as the Relations between International Relief Organizations and Affected States in Natural Disasters. Public Law Studies Quarterly, 47 (3), 647-664. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2017.226814.1460 (In Persian).
Public Law Studies Quarterly

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 22 June 2026

  • Receive Date 12 November 2023
  • Revise Date 21 January 2024
  • Accept Date 06 May 2024

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