A/HRC/4/8 page 8 B. Global responses to natural disasters, diseases and agricultural pests Natural disasters 23. Humanitarian assistance is the recognition of human rights in the situation of natural disasters. The definition of natural disasters should not be confused with man-made disasters and catastrophes caused by environmental problems. 24. Learning from the precedents of natural disasters, as mentioned in the previous report of the independent expert, (the tsunami disaster that struck the Indian Ocean and South-East Asian region on 26 December 2006, Hurricane Katrina which hit the southern part of the United States in August 2005, and the earthquake that struck Pakistan and India in October 2005), we need to develop a framework of structural measures for disaster relief. International solidarity is by definition based on interdependence in order to achieve collective goals, which require international cooperation and joint action and which, in turn, are particularly required for disaster relief. 25. In recent years, there has been an increase in the impact of natural disasters in terms of numbers, victims, and the scale of the damage caused. These have created a growing recognition of international solidarity and the sustainable development and effort needed to prevent and reduce the effects of natural disasters. Devastation has generally struck in some of the poorest places on earth. 26. Natural disasters have had an overwhelming effect on developing countries, delaying the integration of their economies into the world economy, causing deaths and damaging infrastructure and basic services. The work of the United Nations in extending multilateral humanitarian assistance, however, should not replace or compete with bilateral assistance. Practical examples 27. The independent expert proposes that Member States give consideration to: (a) Providing assistance and cooperation in developing and implementing measures for disaster relief and emergency response, through exchange of information and technology and based on mutual assistance; (b) Responding promptly to a request for assistance from an affected country. Diseases 28. Promoting health and fighting pandemics, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and the emerging avian influenza, will improve the lives of many people and resonate with Millennium Development Goal 6. The importance given to tackling HIV/AIDS and malaria, as stated in Millennium Development Goal 6, is justified since both are diseases of poverty and caused by poverty, killing more than 4 million people every year. 29. Avian influenza itself is a new potential pandemic, a contagious viral disease of poultry and other birds. Human beings can be infected through close contact with affected poultry and birds. Despite the fact that, to date, the spread of the virus from person to person has been