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Core Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  Lithuania considers the implementation of commitments on active engagement in preventing and ending conflicts and building sustainable peace as an obligation of each and every state. Many humanitarian crises could have been avoided if timely political solutions would have been taken.

• Achievements at a glance

  On the international level Lithuania is implementing this commitment through the UN – supporting and joining UN General Assembly resolutions related to the conflict prevention and peace building. Lithuania is participating in the Group of Friends of Mediation (UN).
  Lithuania is actively engaged and advocates seeking solutions to the crisis in Ukraine (UN, EU formats). Lithuania supports Ukraine and shows solidarity with Ukrainian people through high level visits, development cooperation projects, humanitarian aid, and voluntary contributions to the international funds. Lithuanian experts share their experience in the Eastern Partnership and other countries. Lithuania supports EU Advisory Mission Ukraine (EUAM) and EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia. Lithuania has delegated 5 experts to the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia and 4 to the EU Advisory Mission Ukraine. Both missions are headed by Lithuanian experts.

• How is your organization assessing progress

  This report is based on information collected inside the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and from Lithuanian diplomatic missions abroad and using other reports, such as on development cooperation and humanitarian aid, as well as evaluation of projects and situation in partner countries.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  Implementation of a long term commitment is a very gradual process. At this stage of evaluation, we can speak about the progress in achieving them, but not yet about results.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  Continue cooperation with partners, strengthening political engagement in conflict prevention and peacebuilding activities through active participation in existing programmes and initiatives.

• If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Remain engaged and invest in stability', what would it be

  We believe that only political solutions can put an end to the armed conflicts and create safe environment for people’s life without fear and without need for humanitarian assistance.

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑Accountability to affected people

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

  ☑1A - Demonstrate timely, coherent and decisive political leadership ☑ 1B - Act early

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  Violations of international law, international humanitarian law and international human rights law cannot be justified. International actors must act in accordance with the international law, perpetrators must be brought to justice. Taking this commitment Lithuania indicates its strong position to the core principles of humanitarian action: humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence, which are enshrined in the international humanitarian law and thus enables actors to provide effective humanitarian assistance to those in most need.

• Achievements at a glance

  - Lithuania actively cooperates with of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
  - Lithuania supports the Code of Conduct regarding Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes (initiative of Liechtenstein).
  - Lithuania supports joint international actions to promote responsibility and uphold the rule of law. In 2016 Lithuania has been actively engaged in preparation and has co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolution (71/248) “International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Those Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011”.

• How is your organization assessing progress

  This report is based on information collected inside the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and from Lithuanian diplomatic missions abroad and using other reports, such as on development cooperation and humanitarian aid, as well as evaluation of projects and situation in partner countries.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  Over the recent years, there have been no signs that the trends of the degrading international security environment and growing division of the international community would be reversed. Furthermore, a lack of cooperation with ICC and (or) refusal to invoke other accountability mechanisms on the part of certain states continues to persist on the part of certain states. Unilateral actions are not effective. Broad agreement and understanding among states and actors across the globe should be reached to ensure wide participation in the implementation of this commitment.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  Continue to advocate for the full respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law and the principles. Promote accountability for violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

• If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability', what would it be

  It must be strongly underlined that violations of international law are not acceptable and that perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes will be brought to justice. The responsibility of states to end impunity should be emphasized.

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑Accountability to affected people ☑ Humanitarian principles

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

  ☑2E - Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm the norms that safeguard humanity

Individual Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  Lithuania took important commitment to increase official development assistance to 0.33% ODA/GNI ratio by 2030. This implies both on the quality of the implementation of development cooperation and humanitarian aid which is directly related to the principles of effectiveness, transparency, accountability, efficiency, predictability.

• Achievements at a glance

  - From 2017-2019, development and humanitarian actions and funds are lined up to contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Development Agenda.
  - The new edition of the Law on Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid was adopted in 2016. Main changes include: (1) transfer of management of development cooperation projects to a separate agency, (2) improved coherence of the national development cooperation policy at the implementation level and a encouragement for each public sector institution to become more active in the implementation of the Agenda 2030, (3) basis for better involvement of private sector in development cooperation as a donor or source of ideas/experience.
  - Humanitarian-development link is strong both in theory and practice: from joint strategic documents to administration. Some development cooperation projects are based on humanitarian needs. In 2016 Lithuania increased humanitarian assistance by one-third in comparison to 2015.

• How is your organization assessing progress

  This report is based on information collected inside the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and from Lithuanian diplomatic missions abroad and using other reports, such as on development cooperation and humanitarian aid, as well as evaluation of projects and situation in partner countries.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  Growing development-humanitarian needs vs. limited funds for development-humanitarian aid.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  - Promote the humanitarian-development nexus as a key element in ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of assistance provided.
  - In 2017 Lithuania will evaluate the impact of the above-mentioned amendments to the Law on implementation of development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.
  - The Action Plan shall be revised (and this will be practiced annually) with the aim of increasing the number of implementing institutions as well as allocated funds.

• If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides', what would it be

  A flexible, predictable and transparent donor is a great partner both to development and humanitarian actors and to affected people.

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑People-centred approach

• Specific initiatives

  ☑Commitment to Action: Transcending the humanitarian - development divide

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

  ☑5D - Finance outcomes, not fragmentation: shift from funding to financing